Context - Context - Context
The context of Matthew 7:21-29 is not eternal. There is nothing in the passage that gives us those clues. In fact it is quite the opposite. The very first verse says "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
There are two phrases that give us our context. First is enter the kingdom of heaven (should literally be the kingdom of the heavens). This is not speaking of eternity, but rather the coming kingdom of Christ. When comparing Scripture with Scripture we see that Christ's kingdom will last 1,000 years before it is given back to God and the throne becomes the throne of God and the Lamb.
Second it says he who does the will of My Father will enter. Works are in view which means eternal salvation is in view. If this has to do with eternity then we have a clear contradiction between this passage and Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 16:30-31 and Romans 4 and 5.
Works NEVER enter the picture of eternal salvation.
Marcia we are made righteous with the righteousness of Christ when we are saved, but after that point we are to be about the Master's business until He returns. The white raiment is the righetous acts of the saints, which are the works that stand the test of fire.
Rev. 19:8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
We are to clothe ourselves. When we are saved the righteousness is put on use. We have nothing to do with it.
But Scripture gives us a clear distinction between eternal salvation and what is expected of believers to be particpants at the wedding feast.
You can check our Rev. 19:14 and Rev. 3:5. Both of these verbs are middle voice verbs which means the subject is the doer.
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
This is a future action, which means its not talking about past salvation, and it is the overcomer that is clothing himself in the white raiment.
Now compare this with Revelation 4:4 which says And round about the throne [were] four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
These 24 elders (which most mistakenly say are humans) are clothed in white raiment, but this is a passive verb which means they were clothed by Another not themselves. These are angels who did not rebel with Satan. They retained the original white raiment they had when they were created.
Again when we compare Scripture with Scripture and build line upon line and precept upon precept we see that there are two groups of Christians. There are overcomers and there are those that are overcome by Satan, the world and/or the flesh. Overcomers overcome Satan, the world and the flesh.
All of this is millenial in scope and not eternal.
The context of Matthew 7:21-29 is not eternal. There is nothing in the passage that gives us those clues. In fact it is quite the opposite. The very first verse says "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
There are two phrases that give us our context. First is enter the kingdom of heaven (should literally be the kingdom of the heavens). This is not speaking of eternity, but rather the coming kingdom of Christ. When comparing Scripture with Scripture we see that Christ's kingdom will last 1,000 years before it is given back to God and the throne becomes the throne of God and the Lamb.
Second it says he who does the will of My Father will enter. Works are in view which means eternal salvation is in view. If this has to do with eternity then we have a clear contradiction between this passage and Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 16:30-31 and Romans 4 and 5.
Works NEVER enter the picture of eternal salvation.
The white raiment is the clothing of righteousness we receive upon faith in Christ. This is the only way we can be clothed properly.
Marcia we are made righteous with the righteousness of Christ when we are saved, but after that point we are to be about the Master's business until He returns. The white raiment is the righetous acts of the saints, which are the works that stand the test of fire.
Rev. 19:8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
We are to clothe ourselves. When we are saved the righteousness is put on use. We have nothing to do with it.
But Scripture gives us a clear distinction between eternal salvation and what is expected of believers to be particpants at the wedding feast.
You can check our Rev. 19:14 and Rev. 3:5. Both of these verbs are middle voice verbs which means the subject is the doer.
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
This is a future action, which means its not talking about past salvation, and it is the overcomer that is clothing himself in the white raiment.
Now compare this with Revelation 4:4 which says And round about the throne [were] four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
These 24 elders (which most mistakenly say are humans) are clothed in white raiment, but this is a passive verb which means they were clothed by Another not themselves. These are angels who did not rebel with Satan. They retained the original white raiment they had when they were created.
Again when we compare Scripture with Scripture and build line upon line and precept upon precept we see that there are two groups of Christians. There are overcomers and there are those that are overcome by Satan, the world and/or the flesh. Overcomers overcome Satan, the world and the flesh.
All of this is millenial in scope and not eternal.