A Mercifully-Brutal Reality-Check for Every Conscience :
“A good tree CANNOT bring forth evil fruit…
DEPART FROM ME, you workers of iniquity.”
—Jesus (Matthew 7:18-23)
1 · Your Resume vs. Christ’s Verdict
“Lord, didn’t we preach, cast out devils, feed the hungry… ?”
“DEPART — you practiced SIN while serving Me.”
Jesus does not deny the good deeds.
He rejects them because good deeds + ongoing sin = DEAD WORKS.
2 · What DEAD WORKS Really Are
- Dead works = any act of “obedience” performed while you also keep alive the works of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21).
- They may look holy, but they are rotten within, poisoned by hidden darkness (Eph 5:11).
- Christ’s blood is said to “PURGE your conscience from dead works” (Heb 9:14), not perfume them, not cover them with a tarp of grace.
Bottom line: If porn, bitterness, greed, or secret pride still have a bedroom in our heart, our ministry efforts reek of death.
3 · GRACE: Power to STOP Sin — NOT Permission to Hide It
| Abused Verse | Misuse | Truth That Cancels the Excuse |
|---|---|---|
| “Not under law, under grace” (Rom 6:14) | “I’m free to fail every day.” | Grace breaks sin’s dominion; if sin still reigns, we’re not under grace. |
| “By grace… not of works” (Eph 2:8-9) | “Works don’t matter.” | Eph 2:10 ➜ grace creates the new man for good works. |
| “Sinners saved by grace” | “God understands, I’ll always sin.” | Titus 2:11-14 ➜ Grace TEACHES & DISCIPLINES us to live soberly, righteously, godly in this PRESENT WORLD. |
Four Alarms on Grace Misused
- Received in vain — 2 Cor 6:1
- Turned into license — Jude 4
- Insulted — Heb 10:29
- Fallen from — Gal 5:4
Grace raises the bar: willful sin after receiving the light
brings a “much sorer punishment.” (Hebrews 10:26-31)
4 · Incompatible Realities
| LIGHT or DARK | SPIRIT or FLESH |
|---|---|
| 1 John 1:6-7 — walk in light or lie | Galatians 5:16 — walk in Spirit or fulfill lust |
| You CANNOT occupy both realms. | You CANNOT serve both masters. |
“Do NOT be deceived:
those who do such things
will NOT inherit the kingdom of God.”
—Galatians 5:21
It does not teach that "those who do such things without having them covered by grace." There is no picture or exception clause that provides
5 · Where Self-Deception Hides
- Open Contradiction: “Sure, I sin, but I also serve. God grades on a curve.”
- Passive Deception: “I prayed a prayer. I’m safe—obedience is optional.”
Both are forms of godliness that DENY the power (2 Tim 3:5).
Faith without obedience is DEAD (Jas 2:17).
6 · The Compassionate Cut
God is not taunting you—He is rescuing you.
The same grace that unmasks fake righteousness also empowers real holiness:
“Whom the Son sets free is FREE INDEED.” —John 8:36
If the gospel you believe cannot break porn, pride, lies, or secret grudges, it is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
7 · Your Crossroads — NOW
| LET GO | GRAB HOLD |
|---|---|
| Hidden sin, half-truths, “cheap grace,” blame-shifting | The cross, full confession, Spirit-powered obedience |
- Repent — come clean; no protected corners.
- Believe — grace is power, not cover-up.
- Obey — walk in the light; prove faith by deeds.
“Except you repent, you will all likewise perish.” —Luke 13:3
“Receive not the grace of God IN VAIN.” —2 Cor 6:1
Choose:
- Surrender and live—grace will teach, chasten, and empower you.
- Cling to dead works and hear, at last, “DEPART FROM ME.”
Mercy still stands open—but the axe is already at the root.