Part Two: Bringing These Scriptures Back to Matthew 7

If we allow these passages to interpret what Jesus means by “the will of my Father,” a very definite picture emerges.

The will of the Father for the Christian’s life includes sanctification, holiness, abstaining from fornication and uncleanness, ceasing from sin, well doing, refusing conformity to the world, rejecting the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life, presenting the body to God, renewing the mind, serving God from the heart, walking worthy of the Lord, pleasing God, being fruitful in good works, rejoicing, praying, giving thanks, and standing perfect and complete in all the will of God. That makes the surrounding context of Matthew 7:21–23 even more significant:

There is a contrast built directly into Jesus’ statement:

That contrast is important. Jesus does not contrast faith with works in this passage. He contrasts doing the Father’s will with working iniquity. Furthermore, the rejected people possessed impressive religious works—prophecy, casting out devils, and wonderful works—yet those works did not substitute for doing the Father’s will.

This passage brings several of the concepts together: perfection, good works, doing His will, God’s work within the believer, and being well pleasing in His sight. So the New Testament does not leave the phrase “the will of the Father” undefined. It repeatedly identifies God’s will as a holy, obedient manner of life produced in those who belong to Christ. And in the immediate context of Matthew 7, the opposite of doing the Father’s will is identified by Jesus Himself as working iniquity.

The Principle in the Old Testament

Before examining Christ’s words, however, an important question must first be answered. Is this principle unique to the New Testament? Or has God always required His people to continue in righteousness in order to inherit His promises?

The Scriptures reveal that this principle did not begin with Christ’s earthly ministry. It is firmly established throughout the Old Testament. Long before Jesus warned that not everyone calling Him Lord would enter the Kingdom, the prophets declared that a righteous man who turned from righteousness would not be remembered for his former obedience. The clearest Old Testament statement is found in the prophecy of Ezekiel.

This verse deserves careful attention. Notice several important observations.

1. God calls this person ‘the righteous.’

The passage does not begin by describing a hypocrite or someone pretending to serve God. God Himself identifies this individual as the righteous. Throughout the chapter, Ezekiel distinguishes between three different people, and these are presented as three different conditions:

2. The righteous man turns away.

The critical action in the passage is not that he occasionally stumbles. The Scripture says he turneth away from his righteousness. This describes a deliberate departure from a righteous manner of life. The Hebrew expression carries the idea of turning aside, departing, or abandoning a former course. God is describing a genuine change of direction.

3. His former righteousness is no longer remembered.

Perhaps the most startling statement in the passage is: “All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned.” This is one of the strongest declarations in the Old Testament. God does not merely say that the man’s later sins are added to his previous righteousness. Instead, He declares that the former righteous deeds are no longer brought into account because the man abandoned the path of righteousness. The emphasis falls upon the man’s present spiritual condition, not merely his past.

4. God asks a rhetorical question.

“Shall he live?” God Himself answers: “…in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” The answer is unmistakable. The issue is not whether the man was once righteous. The issue is whether he remained in righteousness.

A Principle, Not an Isolated Verse

Some might argue that Ezekiel 18:24 is an isolated statement. However, God repeats the same principle later in the same book, demonstrating that this is a settled truth rather than an incidental remark. The repetition in Ezekiel 33 confirms that the Lord intended His people to understand this principle clearly. Accordingly, our next section will examine Ezekiel 33, where God restates the same doctrine almost verbatim, reinforcing the necessity of continued righteousness.

Continued Righteousness: A Principle Repeated by God

One of the strongest evidences that a doctrine is intended to be understood is when God repeats it. Throughout Scripture, the Lord often establishes truth in the mouth of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). Likewise, when He repeats a declaration through the same prophet, He emphasizes its certainty and importance.

The principle introduced in Ezekiel 18 is not left to stand alone. Fifteen chapters later, God repeats it almost word for word.

The Second Witness

Comparing Ezekiel 18 and Ezekiel 33

Notice the striking similarities. This is not a new doctrine. It is the same principle, reaffirmed by God. Whenever the Lord repeats Himself in Scripture, the repetition deserves careful attention. Here, the repeated warning underscores that He is addressing an enduring principle of His righteous judgment.

The Present Condition of the Individual

One truth becomes increasingly evident. Throughout these passages, God evaluates people according to their present relationship with Him. Notice the contrast that Ezekiel repeatedly presents:

This demonstrates a consistent principle: God’s judgments respond to a person’s present walk before Him.

All His Righteousness Shall Not Be Remembered

This phrase deserves special attention. God does not say that the righteous deeds never occurred. Neither does He deny that the individual once walked uprightly. Rather, He declares that those former acts of righteousness will not stand as the basis for acquittal if the person abandons righteousness and persists in sin. This emphasis prepares the reader to understand why Scripture repeatedly exhorts God’s people to continue, endure, abide, remain steadfast, and persevere.