The Bible contains many difficult passages that can confuse and distress a believer if they are not properly understood. The following sections will help make sense of them.
I Never Knew You
Matthew 7:21-23 cautions unbelieving Jews not to rely on their Jewish heritage to save them, but to put their trust in Jesus. The passage emphasizes that simply calling God “Lord” is not enough; rather, those who do the will of the Father in heaven will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This means accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior (John 6:40).
Matthew 7:21-23 (WEB) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ 23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
Throughout the Old Testament, God used Jewish prophets to perform mighty works, including the likes of Elijah and Elisha. The Jews even cast out demons.
Matthew 12:27 (WEB) If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out?
The unbelieving Jews assumed they would enter heaven because they were descendants of these great men of God, not because they accepted Jesus.
Matthew 3:9 (NLT) Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
Sadly, many Jews in the first century rejected Jesus, and as a result, they would not be accepted into heaven because of their unbelief, as stated in Romans 9:27-29 and Matthew 7:13-14. Therefore, it is vital to accept Jesus Christ as Savior to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Trust in God, Not Food
An unbelieving Jew who trusted in their own self-righteous works for salvation was always wondering what was right and wrong and what actions may cause him to lose salvation. Paul condemns such doubtful wandering because it places faith in man’s works rather than Christ’s finished work.
Romans 14:23 (David Bentley Hart Translation) But the one who has doubt has been judged, whether he eats or not, because it is not out of faithfulness; and everything that is not out of faithfulness is sin.
The above translation of this passage makes it clear that the sin is placing faith in something other than Christ for salvation, rather than the specific act of doing something considered sinful. Some translations can be misleading in this regard. Hebrews 13:9 says it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by foods.
Persecuted for Being Christian
Peter encouraged Christians who were going through persecution by telling them that it would eventually come to an end and that God would repay their adversaries for their troubles. He used the phrase “if it is hard for the righteous to be saved” to refer to the discomfort that Christians experienced due to persecution. He also warned that judgment would begin with the household of God, likely referring to the great tribulation that was about to take place (Matthew 24:9-14). Shortly thereafter, the Neronian persecution began, during which Nero judged Christians as enemies of the human race.
1 Peter 4:16-19 (WEB) But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God? 18 “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”Proverbs 11:31 19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.
Faith Without Works
James warned the Jews against rejecting Jesus (James 1:6-8,21; 2:19; 3:14; 4:7-10) and trying to earn their own righteousness under the Mosaic law (Romans 10:3). He pointed out the futility of relying on their law-keeping to save them especially when they showed partiality and broke the law. In James, the “law that gives freedom” refers to the same “law of faith” that Paul talks about in Romans 3:27-28 (WEB) and is also known as the New Covenant that gives freedom (2 Corinthians 3:6,17; Galatians 4:21-5:1).
In the preceding chapter, James equated examining the “perfect law of freedom” with the instruction to “receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21, 25 [WEB]). James urges his readers to put their faith in Christ, who provides mercy (James 2:12-13). He emphasizes that merely having faith in God is not enough for saving faith (James 2:18-19). By having faith in Christ, they will be saved and demonstrate a more gracious attitude.
James 2:8-14 (NIV) If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
The Rich Young Ruler
The story of the rich, young ruler teaches us that trusting in our own righteousness to inherit eternal life is futile. Only faith in Jesus can give us eternal life and produce heart transformation. Just before the story of the rich, young ruler, Jesus told a parable about how the one who trusts in their own righteousness will be humbled, while the one who humbles himself and trusts in God’s mercy will be exalted.
Luke 18:9-14 (WEB) He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
This parable was exemplified in the stories of the rich, young ruler and Zacchaeus that followed.
The rich, young ruler asked Jesus how he may earn eternal life saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 19:18). Jesus answered that he must keep the law perfectly to be saved. The man was confident that he had kept the law saying “I have observed all these things from my youth up” (Luke 19:21 [WEB]). When Jesus heard this, he told him that he still lacked something and needed to put his faith in Christ, even if it meant giving up his wealth (Luke 19:18-23). As a result, the rich man went away sad.
Jesus knew that Christians would face persecution and that relying on wealth could lead to rejecting the gospel (Luke 21:24-25; Matthew 10:23; Mark 10:23-25). When Jesus’ disciples asked how it was possible then for the rich to be saved, Jesus said that with man this was impossible but with God all things were possible (Luke 18:27).
Zacchaeus, a rich tax-collector and “sinner,” climbed a tree to see who Jesus was (Luke 19:1-7 [WEB]). (The tree was a symbolic picture of the cross.) When Jesus saw that Zacchaeus was willing to humble himself to see him, he showed Zacchaeus grace, and as a result, Zacchaeus gave away half of his riches and was saved.
Luke 19:2-10 (WEB) There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn’t because of the crowd, because he was short. 4 He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. 7 When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.”
8 Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
When we rely on the law to justify us, we are unsaved and stingy. But when we rely on God’s grace through Christ, we are saved and transformed. Trusting in Jesus, not in our own law-keeping, is how we receive eternal life. We should ask, “How may I receive eternal life?” instead of asking, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Sowing to the Flesh
In Galatians, Paul warns Gentile believers not to trust in their own efforts, such as law-keeping and circumcision, to save themselves. He explains that those who rely on their own flesh will suffer corruption, but those who trust in the Spirit for righteousness will be saved.
Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
The word “flesh” may mean sinful nature, but it also means “human effort” (Biblehub “sarx”) and can refer to our physical body. In the above verse, Paul is reemphasizing the point he has been making throughout the letter.
Galatians 5:2-5 (ESV) Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
The one who seeks justification through the law is essentially “sowing to their own flesh” by undergoing circumcision with the intention to “boast in their flesh” (Galatians 6:13), striving to earn salvation through their own human efforts.
Paul advises believers to “sow to the Spirit” by trusting solely in the sacrifice of Jesus and avoiding circumcision. By doing so, they will inherit righteousness and eternal life.
Parable of the Sower
The parable of the sower teaches that someone can believe the gospel without understanding it and later fall away during persecution. Matthew emphasizes the importance of both hearing and understanding the gospel for lasting faith.
Luke 8:13 (WEB) Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.
Matthew 13:19,23 (WEB) When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart… What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it
Someone who hears and understands the gospel will never depart and the seed will bear good fruit.
Better To Have Never Heard
Peter warns against false prophets who turned against the faith, indicating that those who heard the gospel but didn’t accept or understand it and later turned against it are considered worse off than before.
2 Peter 2:20-21 (WEB) For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
The false prophets denied Jesus, indicating that they were never saved. They are considered worse off because they heard convincing evidence of the gospel but still rejected it. Although Christ died to purchase everyone from death, they had decided to reject the gospel.
2 Peter 2:1 (WEB) But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them
John 15:22 (WEB) If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
This passage does not describe genuine Christians who cannot be entangled again in the world.
1 John 5:4 (WEB) For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
Wandering from the Truth
James encourages believers to help those who have wandered from the faith and bring them back. This could refer to people who have heard and maybe even accepted the gospel but haven’t fully understood it.
James 5:19-20 (WEB) Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
According to the Bible, believers are saved by grace through faith, and their salvation is secure in Christ. Once someone accepts the faith, they are “saved completely,” “born again,” and “marked in him with a seal” to inherit eternal life. Christ maintains the believer’s faith until the end, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
In James 5:19-20, the phrase “among you” suggests that James may be referring to unbelievers living among the community of believers who have wandered from the truth by not understanding the gospel message. Matthew 13:19-20,23 suggests that unbelievers may initially accept the word, but not understand it and eventually fall away. James calls this hypothetical person a “sinner,” not a “saint,” which also suggests he may be addressing unbelievers. Christians are never described as sinners after being saved, except to describe their old life (1 Timothy 1:9,15-16).
If James 5:19-20 does describe true believers who have strayed from the truth, God can still guarantee that they will return to the faith, even if it requires the intervention of others. God’s promise ensures that every believer is kept in the faith.
Branches Broken Off
In Romans 11, Paul cautions Gentiles not to assume they will automatically be saved just because they were invited into God’s people. Romans 11:11 (WEB) states that “by their [the Jews] fall salvation has come to the Gentiles.” He explains that most Jews were broken off from God’s people because they assumed their heritage would save them and rejected Christ. Jews and Gentiles must believe the gospel to be saved not depend on their heritage.
However, this does not mean that believers have the possibility of losing their salvation once received. Romans 11:19-23 explains that God broke off branches due to their unbelief, and the Gentiles were grafted in through their faith, but they must put faith in Christ to be accepted as a people. And those Jews who do not continue in their unbelief will be grafted in again.
Romans 11:19-23 (WEB) You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.” 20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Falling Away Through Deliberate Unbelief
Two highly misunderstood passages are the warnings of Hebrews 6:1-8 and 10:26-31.
Hebrews 6:1-8 (ESV) Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
Hebrews 10:26-31 (ESV) For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The author of Hebrews rebukes unbelieving Jews who continue to offer animal sacrifices while disregarding the sacrifice of Jesus. The author emphasizes that Jesus’ sacrifice has perfected us for all time and there is no longer any need for offerings for sin (Hebrews 7:25; 10:1-4,10,17-18) because the Old Covenant was vanishing (Hebrews 7:18-19, 8:13, 9:9-10, 10:5,9-10). Continuing to offer animal sacrifices after Christ’s finished work outrages the Spirit of grace because it shows a lack of faith in the Messiah and belittles his work on the cross (Hebrews 10:29; 11:6; 13:10; Isaiah 66:3).
Hebrews 3:12 (Berean Literal Bible) Take heed, brothers, lest ever there will be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, into falling away from the living God.
Hebrews 4:2-3,11 (ESV) For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest… Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
Hebrews 10:17-18 (ESV) then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Falling away refers to missing out on the rest of God because of unbelief and continuing to perform “dead works” such as animal sacrifices (Hebrews 3:12,16-19; 4:2-3,11; 6:1; 9:13-14). In Hebrews 6:1-8, the term “enlightened” describes those who have received the knowledge of the truth (Hebrews 6:4; 10:26,32; Ephesians 1:16-18) but did not believe it (Hebrews 4:2). These stubborn, unbelieving Jews are compared to the Israelites who did not believe in God’s promises in the wilderness and provoked him for forty years (Hebrews 3:8,9-10,12,16-19; 4:2-3,6,11; 10:29; 12:25). It was impossible to convince them to repent of their law-based righteousness and turn to God if they had already heard the gospel and seen evidence of God’s power but still rejected it because they had run out of time (Hebrews 6:8; 8:13; 9:8-10,26; 10:25,27,30,37; 12:26).
Hebrews was written in the early 60s AD (Ed Stevens, The Final Decade, 117), and just a few years later, significant events occurred in Judea. According to Josephus, a Jewish historian from the first century, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by fire, and over a million Jews died in the war, both from the Romans and from fighting amongst themselves.
The author urges believers to give up trying to convince stubborn, unbelieving Jews to believe and flee Jerusalem to protect themselves (Hebrews 13:13; Luke 17:28-32; 21:20-24; Revelation 22:11-12).
In Hebrews 10:26-31, the writer addresses Jews using “we” since he is also Jewish. He quotes from the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:35-36) which speaks about God’s judgment on his people, the Jews. Paul confirms that the Song of Moses is about Israel (Romans 10:19).
Believers do not fall under these judgments because they trust in Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 6:9-12). Even if they stumble, it is not impossible to convince them again of the gospel because Christ can sympathize and patiently correct them (Hebrews 2:17-18; 5:2; James 5:19-20).
Summary
With the above explanations to these confusing passages, believers can feel confident in their relationship with God.
- God will never say, “Depart from me, I never knew you” to believers.
- Believers are not condemned for doing something they are unsure is a sin.
- God does not make salvation hard for believers to attain.
- Our faith in Christ is saving faith and results in good works.
- Although we cannot earn salvation by our works, we can receive it by faith in Christ.
- Believers will inherit eternal life, not corruption when they trust in Jesus.
- When a believer understands and accepts the gospel, he will forever believe.
- Even if a believer wanders from the faith, God will successfully guide him back.
- Believers can never be broken off the branch of God’s people.
- Believers can have confidence in Jesus’ sacrifice and give up on their own attempts to make themselves right with God through “dead works.”
Instead of trusting in Jesus half-way for your salvation, put your hope in Christ completely and let him save you without question.