I Never Knew You

 

Matthew 7:23 records the words of Jesus no believer wants to hear; it’s a most unsettling sentence.

Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’ (NRSVUE)

Understand that this was not an indictment against unbelievers, as Jesus Himself said, these will be persons who had prophesied in His name, cast out demons in His name and would have done many mighty works in His name (see v 22). Jesus was referring to followers, people who claimed to belong; people who performed in His name.

His words were addressed to those who believed they belonged to the household of God.

For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God? (1 Peter 4:17 NRSVUE)

But Jesus said that not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven (Matthew 7:21 NRSVUE) so that merely believing you belong is not an automatic access pass.

You see, knowing Jesus is one thing but Jesus knowing you is another. This knowing has nothing to do with facts, this has to do with intimacy, covenant knowing in the way that Adam knew Eve his wife (Genesis 4:1). It’s actually the same word found in Jeremiah 1:5 (NRSVUE).

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…

When Jesus said, I never knew you, He brought together two Greek words, oudepote (never) and ginōskō (knew), which in effect say, “not even at any time did I have an intimate relationship”.

This was not fear mongering on Jesus’ part, He was exposing something that had already taken root among believers and sadly it’s still happening today. It’s so dangerous in its subtlety that Jesus had to shine a light on it; it’s when churchgoers replace relationship with performance. Where doing in Jesus’ name is substituted for an intimate relationship with Jesus – relationship replaced by activity.

Too many of us are so busy doing ministry that we have completely ignored relationship. We seek recognition for church involvement, we stand to make public testimonies of our faith, we show visible results for the things we’ve done, we’re fluent in religious language, yet none of these activities, though commendable, address the issue Jesus has exposed.

It’s not about what you do, it’s about who you are to Him. Salvation is not transactional but relational, it is abiding, it is union, it is connection, it is adoption, it is knowing – you knowing Jesus and more importantly Jesus knowing you. It’s not outward activity done solely for man’s approval but inward reality that bears good fruit (see Matthew 7:15-20) to the Father’s glory, as a result of your intimate relationship with Jesus (see John 15:5-8).

Matthew 7:23 is a statement purely about relationship, the ultimate spiritual connection – not yours to Jesus but His to you.

Beloved, the question at the final judgment won’t be what you accomplished in Jesus’ name. The question will be if He ever knew you.

Does Jesus know you now? You can be working for Jesus but not walking with Jesus; talking about Him but not with Him; know of Him but not known by Him because you have not established an authentic, mutual relationship with Jesus.

You can do something about it today so that you’ll never have to hear Jesus say I never knew you.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “I Never Knew You” © 2026 June 25, 2026