I Never Knew You

The fear of divine rejection often leads Christians into an exhausting cycle of trying to prove their faith through performance and good works. However, this approach fundamentally misunderstands God's will, which is primarily about believing in Jesus Christ rather than achieving perfect religious performance. The people mentioned in Matthew 7 who heard I never knew you weren't rejected for lacking good works, but for relying on their own achievements rather than faith in Christ. They approached God with a list of their accomplishments, essentially claiming they had earned their salvation. Understanding the distinction between law and grace is crucial for Christian faith. The law serves to show our need for grace by revealing our inability to meet God's perfect standards, while grace provides salvation through Christ's finished work. Being lukewarm isn't about lack of commitment, but about trying to mix law and grace - attempting to earn God's favor through both faith and works. This mixture nullifies both the convicting power of the law and the freeing power of grace. True assurance comes not from examining our performance but from looking to Christ's finished work. We are saved not because of our pure hearts or righteous deeds, but because Christ died for us while we were still sinners, chose us before the foundation of the world, and nothing can separate us from His love.