On Judgment Day: Will you be known by Jesus?

"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

On Judgement Day, all will be judged. Do not miss that Jesus is the Judge, for He said, “Many will say to Me in that day.” And He will pass the final judgment as He says, “And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me…”

Note also the ultimate basis of that judgment according to Jesus in this passage: being known by Jesus results in salvation, whereas not being known by Jesus results in damnation. No amount of righteous or religious works can save anyone—salvation is only found in being known by Jesus. This truth resounds in Jesus’ words in John 10:26-28:

But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Jesus knows His sheep. His sheep believe in and follow Him with righteous living. Their righteous living does not make them known to Jesus, nor does it save them, nor adds anything to their salvation. Their righteous living serves, rather, to validate that they are known by Jesus, and that they know Him.

Those who are not known by Jesus are not His sheep. And they do not follow Him, no matter how religious they may be.

What does this tell you about Jesus? What does this challenge you to do?