Who Are The “Many”?

I was reading in Matthew 7 recently and “Many” jumped off the page.

“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 who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Who’s in the “Many” people group? Am I in it? I struggled with this for weeks. Then recently God showed me who I believe the “Many” are.

“Many” call themselves “Christians” and believe they’re saved because they’re good people, or they serve in the church. They do a lot of good things for the needy and widows and orphans.

They do all the “right” things, but forget the most important of all–knowing Jesus. Cultivating intimacy and a loving relationship with the Savior.

Jesus told the church at Ephesus, which He dearly loved, “Yet, I hold this against you. You have lost your first love.” Revelation 2:4

I believe God is showing me the “Many” are those who think their “good works” are going to be enough to “earn” their ticket to heaven.  And I think Jesus is telling us otherwise in this passage in Matthew.