Could Matthew 7:21-22 Apply to Protestants

[nsper7]

“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.} Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’”

Would it be right to say that Matthew 7:21-22 applies to many Protestants? After all, Protestants do perform miracles in Jesus’ name but, because they are in material–if not formal–schism and heresy from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, they are not truly doing the will of the Father in Heaven. Is it not His will that we should all be one, but Protestants keep themselves separated from the True Church through their refusal to accept Holy Mother Church’s God-ordained authority.

EDIT: I am NOT judging anyone’s Salvation here. In the end, it up to God who enters Heaven and who does not.

 

[tobinatorstark]

Would it be right to say that Matthew 7:21-22 applies to many Protestants? After all, Protestants do perform miracles in Jesus’ name but, because they are in material–if not formal–schism and heresy from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, they are not truly doing the will of the Father in Heaven. Is it not His will that we should all be one, but Protestants keep themselves separated from the True Church through their refusal to accept Holy Mother Church’s God-ordained authority.

EDIT: I am NOT judging anyone’s Salvation here. In the end, it up to God who enters Heaven and who does not.

It applies to everyone. examine this from the Haydock Bible Commentary

Ver. 21. Here Jesus Christ shews, that it is not sufficient to believe in him and hear his words, but that in order to salvation, we must join works with faith; for in this shall we be examined at the last day. (Menochius) — Without faith they could not cry out, Lord, Lord. (Romans x.) But the strongest faith without the works of justice, will not be available to salvation. (1 Corinthians xiii.) (Bristow) — Many who have the Lord continually in their mouths, but care little about putting on the Lord, or penetrating themselves with his true spirit, will find their presumption, and the false consciences they have made to themselves, wofully disappointed. (Haydock)

Ver. 22. Have not we prophesied in thy name? The gift of prophecy, and of doing miracles, may sometimes be granted to bad men, as to Caiphas, and Balaam. (Witham) — Under the name of prophets, the Hebrews comprised not only such as predicted future events, but also in general all such as gave themselves out for inspired, or who undertook teaching and interpreting the holy Scriptures; and here by prophesying is understood, in a general acceptation, all public functions, predicting futurity, expounding Scripture, instructing the people, preaching, &c. (Bible de Vence)

 

[JRKH]

Would it be right to say that Matthew 7:21-22 applies to many Protestants? After all, Protestants do perform miracles in Jesus’ name but, because they are in material–if not formal–schism and heresy from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, they are not truly doing the will of the Father in Heaven. Is it not His will that we should all be one, but Protestants keep themselves separated from the True Church through their refusal to accept Holy Mother Church’s God-ordained authority.

EDIT: I am NOT judging anyone’s Salvation here. In the end, it up to God who enters Heaven and who does not.

You will get into a huge can o worms here if you try to apply this verse in this way.

One must take into account the idea of vincible and invincible ignorance. On the one hand one can easily say that the original Reformers rejected the Church with full knowledge and thereby put their souls in peril; same with lapsed catholics (assuming they were properly cathechized) but what of protestants today who have not been brought up in the Church have they rejected something they never understood?

Secondly one can look at another verse where Jesus refers to “The Queen of the South” reaching heaven while the Scribes and Pharasees would not. The Queen of the South in Solomons time certainly was not Baptized, nor does the Bible say she became a Jew yet Jesus promises her a seat at the Banquet in the Kingdom.

No - I think we are better off avoiding this kind of blanket statement. Those who make heaven and those who do not will be judged on their individual merits.

Peace
James