Who is Jesus Talking to with Depart from Me I Never Knew You? - Michael Edwards
Many believers feel fear when Jesus states, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” It sounds like those referenced have the appearance of being believers.
“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?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Matt 7:22-23 NAS
1) The biggest piece of evidence that the verses in question are addressing only unbelievers comes from the fact that the only unforgivable sin is unbelief: What is the One Unforgivable Sin?
2) Here is an important key to understanding the verses we are about to review: Jesus states " I never knew you." So, how does the Bible tell us a person is known by God?
But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 1 Cor 8:3 ESV
Therefore, those who God does not know, are those who do not love God, thus unbelievers.
We love God because he first loved us by sending his son to pay for our sins. In other words, Christians believe the gospel, so we love God because He first loved us.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10 ESV
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 ESV
Unbelievers in the gospel do not believe Jesus is God's Son, the Savior of the world so they cannot love God as Christians do.
They (Pharisee's, unbelievers) said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” John 8:19 ESV (emphasis mine)
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