“But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:12
Jesus was speaking to the Centurion in Matthew 8 astonished at the Centurion’s faith. Jesus was telling him how many would come from the east and west to reside in Heaven. However, in verse 12 he mentions that sons of the kingdom would be cast out. This is talking about the descendants of Abraham. Just because you are the son, grandson, great grandson of Abraham does not give you a ticket to Heaven. You do not have a ticket because your father or grandfather is a pastor either. Jesus was telling the Centurion this, because he was on the right track by having faith in Jesus Christ. Many people however, will not reside in Heaven. Matthew 7:13-14 says few will enter Heaven. There will be many people on that great and terrible day; great for some, but terrible for most, who get to the gates of Heaven and can’t proceed any further. (Joel 2:11)
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Matthew 7:21-23. If you study this scripture, these people are calling him LORD! They believe they are saved. They believe they have been doing the will of God. Yet, the Lord says depart from me. How can we make sure this doesn’t happen to us? 1 John 3:24b says “we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” Romans 8:14 says that we are the sons of God if we are led by His Spirit. So if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, and obey His leading we can accurately call ourselves the sons of God. Furthermore, we can be sure that we are not deceived and will not be turned away on that great and terrible day.
