Matthew 7:21

Judgment of Pretenders

7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ ¹  will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

John 13:17

13:17 If you understand ²  these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 15:14

15:14 You are my friends ³  if you do what I command you.

James 1:22-25

1:22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 1:23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone ⁴  who gazes at his own face ⁵  in a mirror. 1:24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets ⁶  what sort of person he was. 1:25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, ⁷  and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he ⁸  will be blessed in what he does. ⁹ 

[7:21]  ¹ sn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.

[13:17]  ² tn Grk “If you know.”

[15:14]  ³ sn This verse really explains John 15:10 in another way. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments are called his friends, those friends for whom he lays down his life (v. 13). It is possible to understand this verse as referring to a smaller group within Christianity as a whole, perhaps only the apostles who were present when Jesus spoke these words. Some have supported this by comparing it to the small group of associates and advisers to the Roman Emperor who were called “Friends of the Emperor.” Others would see these words as addressed only to those Christians who as disciples were obedient to Jesus. In either case the result would be to create a sort of “inner circle” of Christians who are more privileged than mere “believers” or average Christians. In context, it seems clear that Jesus’ words must be addressed to all true Christians, not just some narrower category of believers, because Jesus’ sacrificial death, which is his act of love toward his friends (v. 13) applies to all Christians equally (cf. John 13:1).

[1:23]  ⁴ tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”

[1:23]  ⁵ tn Grk “the face of his beginning [or origin].”

[1:24]  ⁶ tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”

[1:25]  ⁷ tn Grk “continues.”

[1:25]  ⁸ tn Grk “this one.”

[1:25]  ⁹ tn Grk “in his doing.”