Know Them by Their Fruits, Not Their Miracles — Duane Troyer

Grace be with you all and peace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Yeah, I'm I'm thankful to for this this morning thankful for the baptism this morning and I was glad I didn't get to hear all of Daniel's opening, but I Heard him say that his thoughts were going to be fitting to the baptism.

I was glad for that. I I'm I just want to Give this message. I had been planning to give last week before the meeting got canceled and Which is the next portion of the Sermon on the Mount and so let's Let's stand we'll read this this portion of Matthew 7 it goes from Matthew 7 15 to verse 23 or Yeah, that's right verse 15 to 23.

Jesus’ Warning About False Prophets

We'll pray Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles are they?

So every good tree bears good fruit. But the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So then you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my father who is in heaven. 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.

Let's pray Oh Father in heaven, thank you for this opportunity and thank you for these words that you spoke to us these These grave warnings to heed. I just pray Lord that you would let them sink into our hearts.

I Pray as we explore them today that you would Just help us to understand what you're What you're saying and and how to apply it to our lives. Thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ for all you've done for us salvation and and The life.

The grace that comes only through you and through your son Jesus name we pray. Amen. We're getting to the end toward the end of this sermon that Jesus gave that we've been. That we've been going through for the past year now nearly and.

And Jesus is ending this sermon with With with some very very grave and dire warnings these these teachings that he's given that the in in the beginning of the Beatitudes and and and in this the main body of the sermon the As he's getting to the root of problems.

These are These are teachings are full of grace and life. They're the solution to the world's problems. I it it would seem to me like Jesus came here to earth and he he found the fruit that that Israel was bearing to be corrupt and diseased and of no value and So as John the Baptist said would happen.

He lays the axe at the root of the tree and he's getting to the source of these problems he's getting to the source of all sin and unrighteousness and The the the mosaic law that he references when he often he says you've you've heard that it was said and then he and then He quotes something out of the old law.

That law was given because of transgression. And that law couldn't couldn't give life. And and therefore Jesus found That found mostly dead fruit. And here that the Prophet Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah that he's going to be a new lawgiver and Here here in this sermon, he's giving a new law he's giving commandments that are life-giving and.

And now he's ending this sermon with these with this series of warnings he's last last time we looked at what he said about how how this way is narrow and Difficult and if if if that's not hard enough the gate the gate itself is hard to find.

Many people pass it by they don't even find it to start with. And and if that's not hard enough he's he's now saying besides besides the difficulty of just finding this path and And and squeezing through this gate and walking this narrow way there's a whole bunch of false prophets around and They are they are like wolves and they're about to destroy people.

And he warns us that there's going to be many people who call me Lord. And they're going to do good things, but they're lost. They're lost. I think I think these last two warnings to me are the most sobering they're in my in my in my Thinking life in my mental Part of my life.

They're the most wearisome to me. Like if Jesus if Jesus would have only merely like given these teachings that I can that I really believe are really beautiful and life-giving and and would have said now listen I Warned you you're gonna be persecuted bodily for that.

That would be one thing. That would be one thing I think I think that would not be so grievous. It would be hard difficult. I don't I don't enjoy bodily suffering. But at least at least it wouldn't be so hard to know what's going on.

But but when the devil comes as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness They bring confusion. They bring deception and they bring they bring all these things that are that that that that make it Mentally hard to to discern and to stay on on the narrow path with Jesus.

Not impossible at all, but something that we really need to be aware of and alert. One of the greatest things I long for it for the return of Christ is to be is Just to be released from this world full of deception full of Complexities full of gray areas full of full of these areas that we don't we don't know how God exactly will judge things and one thing one thing I I've realized over through life is that confusion.

Confusion is not the result of just evil. Confusion is the result of the mingling of things together that don't don't belong together. It's not it's it's not confusing when it's all dark and it's not confusing when it's all light.

It's it's confusing when it's when it's that. You know, it's that it's that gray part of the morning when you shine a light and it's too bright to do much good. But it's too dark to see very much. It's when most accidents happen on the road.

That that is the confusion it's uh, I Think maybe I've told you this story before but or this this thing when I grew up in Ohio and Sadly a lot of the young boys that grew up in in the community. Which it's a very big community.

I didn't I knew a very small fraction of the people but they were known to to do pranks and especially at Halloween and. And there was the The Mount Hope boys were known to be real bad and they they would go to neighbors and and gather harnesses.

Horse harnesses which are which are all put together with buckles and I don't know there's probably Once you take them apart. There's dozens dozens of pieces and they would gather the harnesses of the neighbors Neighbors barns at night and they'd bring them all together and they take them all apart and throw them all on one big pile.

Just a really really rude thing but but the confusion just the mingling together of all kinds of things and then trying to go sort that all out and figure out What what rightly belongs where that's what confusion is.

But that's what the old serpent the devil's been doing from the beginning. And he's still doing it just offering a little bit of truth with a little bit of falsehood and Presenting it in an appealing way.

And so Jesus warns us here today and he says beware beware of sheep or wolves in sheep's clothing. They're not so noticeable from a distance. They kind of wear the same clothes they kind of speak the same language they kind of come to the same gatherings.

They eat us eat with us in the same meals. They're the most dangerous deceivers because because we have to get close to them to know them and In order to get close to someone you have to somewhat open yourself to them.

And when you open yourself to someone you make yourself somewhat vulnerable. Jesus is not saying that we ought not do this. He's not saying that we ought not get close enough to discern this rightly. But he's saying just beware.

They're going to be there. They're going to be there and they're not going to be quickly and immediately noticeable. These people don't seem so different outwardly but inwardly the nature is as different as a wolf is from a sheep.

A sheep is simple and humble and a wolf is shrewd and cunning. A Sheep is dependent and a wolf is independent. A sheep wants to be shepherded and a wolf wants to be dominant. A sheep is an animal of prey and a wolf is a predator.

Sheep gather wolves scatter. My uncle used to say that there's no such thing as a sheep in a wolf's clothing, but there's such a thing as Wolf in sheep's clothing. I think there's some truth to that another thing I've That that has.

And I've realized over the years is that a deceiver is Not just as he is not just a deceiver when he intends to deceive in Fact I think the number of people that do that are very very very small. There's very very few people that come in that that come into the.

They call themselves Christians, and they have this idea that I am going to deceive these people. I'm going to lead them astray and take them to the devil. That's not what we usually meet. It's simply people who are deceived.

They are deceived and deceive people deceive people. They may not have that intention and yet that doesn't make them not a deceiver. No wonder there's so many. And you know when we read through the old old Old Testament Especially the book of Jeremiah like one thing you'll notice is that the false prophets are many.

And the true prophets are few just like Jesus said that there's there's this this way is narrow and few find it like we talked About the last the last sermon and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there's many that are on it.

That's the case with the true and the false prophets to Jesus said in Matthew 24 28 and if it if that was the case in the days of Jeremiah. And that was the case in the days of Jesus just remember what Jesus yet said when he was describing the last days.

He said in the last days many will come in my name saying I am Christ and mislead many. He makes it sound like it's this is this is going to get worse. There's going to be more of them yet. And I I remember when I used to read that years ago I thought Jesus saying that many will come in my name and say I am Christ like as if he's saying There's many people going to arise and say about themselves I'm Christ and Though that happens occasionally if you Let's read that passage slowly, and this is what I think Jesus is really saying is that there's many going to come and Jesus Jesus is saying this remember this there are many going to come in my name and say that I am Christ.

And going to mislead many in other words. There's many going to come and they're going to say Jesus is Christ. They're going to come in his name and yet. They're going to mislead people. First John 4 1 says test the spirits because many false prophets have gone into the world in Acts chapter 20 Starting in verse 25.

Testing Spirits and Guarding the Flock

It says and now behold. I know that all of you that this is Paul speaking. And now behold I know that all of you among whom I went about preaching the kingdom will not will no longer see my face. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock. Among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd and shepherd the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

I know that after my departure Savage wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock and from among your own selves men will arise. Speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them therefore be on the alert.

Remembering that night and day for a period of three years. I did not cease to admonish each of you with tears. Paul says he was he was preaching to them the kingdom of God. He was he was he was he was we see this throughout sprinkled throughout Paul's writings in spite of in spite of.

The message that's out there. That that that Jesus or that Paul preached the new gospel to the Gentiles or something like that Paul was teaching the kingdom of God. He was teaching that the wholesome words of Jesus Christ and.

And he was telling them about these things and then he and then he gave him the same warning that Jesus is warning beware. After my departure, there's going to be there's going to be wolves coming in.

They're going to destroy the flock. Paul wrote to Timothy if anyone teaches otherwise and consents not to the wholesome words. Even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is proud and he knows nothing and when he gives this warning He's he's talking of men.

When he gives this warning about these these people who will who will both come in and will be raised up among among yourselves. He's talking about Christians, right? He's talking about people in the church.

He's talking about people who stand at the pulpits. He's talking about people who who lift their voices with us in in song and prayer and all these things. So I want to just I want us all to like realize.

Though though these things are wearisome and distressing. We've been warned. We've been warned. We've been fairly warned that this this is going to happen. This is not some strange thing. Just we don't have to be defeated by it.

We just need to beware of it. Here are some of the marks of a false prophet they they act as if they're one of us and When I mean us I'm not talking about This little group here. They act as if they're they're one with With the sheep or with the people the flock, but they have ulterior motives.

They promote themselves. They teach contrary to Jesus they teach parts of Of the gospel and they omit the vital things. They teach the truth, but don't live it. Some of these may not be found necessarily in every false prophet.

But these are just marks that if you if you see these things, it's the mark of a false prophet. They proclaim peace where there is no peace. They say smooth things. They ask for money they avoid Like The elders or the wiser people in the group or in the assembly and they speak with the young.

That that that trait when I say the young like the immature you might say Beware of the person who who does not want to who does not want to Meet up or Bring bring his his his thing that whatever he thinks he has to offer to to To the more mature people and just wants to offer it to the immature people that that is a wolfish trait in itself.

It would be exactly what the wolf intends to do as he goes in there is to separate the weak ones and the lame ones. And and pray on those. One of one of the I think this was Hermas maybe the shepherd of Hermas.

Not quite sure about that. He was talking about discerning false prophets. He said in the next in the next place he never he being the false a false person. Never approaches an assembly of righteous men, but avoids them and cleaves to the doubt.

Doubtful minded and empty and prophesies to them in corners and deceives them speaking all things in emptiness and gratifies their desires. For they too are empty whom it answers for the empty vessels placed together with empty is not broken.

But they agree with one another. These are just some of the marks of a wolf in sheep's clothing. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 11 verse 13 for such men are false apostles deceitful workers disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

No wonder. For even the Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants disguised themselves as servants of righteousness. Whose end will be according to their deeds.

These things are distressing, but Jesus has given us a fair warning. He wants us to realize that this this thing is to be expected. And like I said that we don't need to this doesn't mean we need to be defeated by them.

In fact He tells us how to know them how to discern them. We go back there to Matthew 5 or Matthew 7. He says you will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles.

Are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A Good tree cannot produce bad fruit nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, so then you will know them by their fruits.

Fruit Inspection and the Evidence of Character

We are to be fruit inspectors. And If If if we spend enough time with someone and yes, it takes time. We can we can have a look at what what is their life producing what. What what is the production of of what's in their heart?

We can we can taste that fruit we can cut into it we can inspect it. And that that doesn't mean that we should walk around In the church or in the assembly with this suspicion of everybody. I don't think that's very healthy.

But we can beware and we can take note you know in in in Revelation 2 and when when Jesus is speaking to those seven churches. He he he commends the church at Ephesus because he said you tried those who said they were apostles and are not Carefully inspect the fruit.

Especially if he's a teacher that is influencing your thinking. That's why You know it's it's one thing to be deceived. It's another thing to deceive others. It's why it's why James says that teachers will face the stricter judgment, and there shouldn't be many of them.

They're in in verse 16 when he says you will not. When he says grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles are they like grapes. Grapes and figs are useful. They're they're nutritious.

They're valuable. I'd be I'd be pretty sure that in the Garden of Eden Before the curse happened there were figs and there were grapes there. But those thorns and thistles there. They're a product of the curse.

And you don't get blessings from curses. The farmer the farmer who cultivates Grapes and figs he gets rid of thorns and thistles. They're they're detrimental to the to the to the Crops or the production he can yield his fruit production so every Good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree Cannot produce bad fruit nor can a bad tree produce good fruit depending on what translation you might use it'll say. It might say like a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit or something like that and There there is a there's actually a.

I'm not a Greek scholar, but we have one here. But I looked into this just a little bit like the word when it says Every good tree Bears good fruit those two goods are different. I don't know exactly I Don't know exactly all the nuances in it in that and it also is different when it says a bad tree Brings bad fruit those two bads are two different words.

And and the little bit that I could that I could look at it. It seemed to me like it would be reasonable to and and it it fits in my mind a little better. If if I think of it this way every beneficial tree brings forth a valuable or honest fruit and Every rotten and worthless tree brings forth diseased and harmful fruit.

I'm not saying that would be an accurate translation, but it seemed like it'd be a reasonable. By the definitions of it and and some of the words used in the definitions. It would be reasonable to say that now I can make a little more sense out of that.

If you if you turn it around it would be like saying valuable fruit comes from a beneficial tree and diseased fruit comes from a worthless tree. I Think I think that's really understandable. And and and then he says there in 19 every tree that does not bear good fruit Is cut down and throw it thrown into the fire so then you will know them by their fruits.

These these fruits that he's talking about. They're the production of what? What or the result or the outworkings of what a man is? Inside in other words. The words and the works of a man are his fruit in Fact Justin Martyr went so far to just say by their works.

You shall know them. John the Baptist said bear fruit in keeping with repentance that would be like saying bear fruit that That Are evidence of a repentant heart. Bear fruit that shows that the axe has been laid at the root of the old tree and you've been grafted into the new tree or vine.

Abiding in Christ and Bearing Fruit

You know there in John 15 when he talks about the vine and how Jesus is is the true vine and where the branches he says he says some very interesting things there like like Apart from me you can do nothing.

He says and he says and he says so so in order to bear fruit We must abide in the vine. Okay, and then and then he goes on to say that He that abides in the vine is he that keeps my commandments. And so or we must abide in his love is what he says.

And and the way that we abide in his love is that we keep his commandments, and so there's this like there's like this this love. Obedient this this love faith obedient relationship with Jesus. That that has that has him doing what he does and has us doing what we need to do and the partnership of that Is what produces fruit and an honest and valuable and genuine fruit that pleases God in that same passage.

He said herein is the father glorified that we bear much fruit. I think in this context here in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is basically saying every teacher that comes around and does not keep these commandments.

I'm giving you He's not a sheep no matter how much he might look like one. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing. And and I think that's further verified by these next verses. In verse 21 he says not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven.

But he who does the will of my father who is in heaven will enter. I Sometimes when I the that verse and these next couple of verses I mean I I Think Jesus did know what was going to happen in the future.

I think he didn't know what was going to happen for for the next centuries. With with this movement that he started, but sometimes it just feels like he said those things just for that. He said those things for our day and age.

You know one could think he said that precisely for for Christianity of the 21st century, but but humans are humans and and and this is not new to this generation for many will say Lord Lord or Not everyone who says Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven.

But he who does the will of my father who is in heaven who came to teach and show us the will of the father. It's Jesus. He's Everything. He uh Everything in the Old Testament is pointing towards Jesus.

It's all it's all pointed in that direction. It's about him. It's it's it's it's wanting us to realize when he comes he's the one to listen to. I Know I've I've I've said made mention or read this passage and many of these messages in the Sermon on the Mount.

I'm just going to read it again in Deuteronomy 18. This is Moses speaking and remember how that was at Mount Sinai. Hmm. When the people heard God and They came to Moses and trembled and said we don't want to hear this again.

This is too much. You just speak to us and here toward the end of Moses's life. He's saying The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren him you shall hear. According to all you asked from the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly saying Let us not hear again the voice of the Lord our God nor let us see his great fire anymore lest we die.

Then the Lord said to me what they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren and I will put my word in his mouth. And he shall speak to them all that I command him.

That prophecy is Jesus. The Hebrew writer begins his letter by saying that God who had sundry times and divers manners spoke In in times past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son.

And he goes on to say that he he is the express image of the father. In Colossians Paul says. In him in Jesus dwells all the deity in a bodily form the fullness of God all dwells In the bodily form of Jesus.

So if we want to know the will of God in our lives It's found in Jesus all and I think it's in Colossians 2 where it says all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ. We just need to seek it out.

In in Luke in Luke chapter 4 verse 43 Jesus said I must preach the kingdom of God. And he said for this purpose. I came. I'm going to read a few quotes here. This first one is from Justin Martyr where he says let those who are not found living as he taught Be understood not to be Christians.

Even though they profess the teachings of Christ with their lips for it is not those who make a profession. But those who do the works who shall be saved. This is not according to his words. Not this is according to his words.

Not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my father who is in heaven. Hermas the Shepherd of Hermas said this the man who has the Lord embedded in his heart Can also be Lord of every one of these commandments, but for those who have the Lord only on their lips but with hearts They are hard and far from the Lord.

The commandments are hard and difficult therefore You who are empty and fickle in your faith need to implant the Lord in your hearts. And you will know that there is nothing easier sweeter and more manageable than these commandments.

Herein is the difference between someone who recognizes these teachings of Jesus as the grace of God and They're they're no longer a burdensome thing to follow like a whole bunch of laws. But they're a joy, and there's nothing sweeter than this.

Lawlessness, Miracles, and the Final Judgment

In verse 22 here in Matthew 70 says 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.

There there is something there is something about us humans who are Who are fascinated with things that supersede the natural? And I don't think I don't think that's wrong to be fascinated by it. I think there's been many many a miracle that has helped the hesitant soul to to believe.

But the one the one resounding message or the two resounding messages in the scripture is one. Miracles are not the evidence that someone has favor from God and to. That those who need signs and wonders in order to believe are not the ones who will endure to the end something sensational something something supernatural and and and and and miraculous excites us.

We like to be mystified. It's why a mystery novel grips our attention and keeps us in the book until we're to the end. People flock to Jesus because he did miracles. King Herod wanted for a long time wanted to see Jesus simply because he wanted to see one of his signs.

Simon the sorcerer offered money to be able to do this this supernatural thing. It's in us. It goes all the way back to the garden when Adam and Eve fell for that wistful thought that Maybe they could know that unknown.

Maybe they could tap into that realm of super knowledge and be godlike. Many many times people fall for this and Notice here that he doesn't say That at the end a few people Will say Lord Lord didn't we do these things?

He doesn't say some people will say we did these things. He says many will come to me in that day and say Lord Lord. We did these miraculous things in your name. And he's going to say I never knew you.

God can do whatever he wants to do. He can demonstrate his power through whomever he wants to whoever he chose chooses. It doesn't make that person a disciple of Christ. In John chapter 4 Jesus seemed very pleased with the Samaritans Who believed on him because of the words that he spoke and you go a few verses later.

And he rebukes the Galileans because he said Unless you guys see signs and wonders you won't believe. One of the reasons is that people who seek signs and wonders in order to believe are never satisfied.

It's why they never endure to the end. Jesus was doing very many many signs and wonders and some people came to him and said show us a sign. And he said it is a wicked and adulterous generation who seeks a sign and there will none be given.

You know I sometimes wonder. Have you ever wondered like? What why why is it that people do these things that are miraculous and seem miraculous and some of them are fake? There's people who put up good shows and you know like you know like these churches that that Through music and lights and Releasing smoke in the in the in the in the in the In the room and stuff like that make it seem like God's glory is coming coming in and if you know the facts there's somebody doing all this stuff, and they get everybody thinking that the Presence of God is really here like I'm not talking about that kind of stuff.

I'm talking about things that things that seem a bit more believable somebody. Something miraculous actually happens and somebody did it in Jesus name. And and then you and then you look at this person's life, and you're like I don't know I don't I don't see the life of Jesus being lived out in this person.

Those things those things are are a bit mind-boggling, but I remember a couple years ago When I was up in Wisconsin Brother Kent Kent Brubaker was talking about this and he he said he he thinks That that that the father Honors the name of his son, and he thinks he thinks people can do things in Jesus name and God honors that name.

And he does something about it even even though that person isn't necessarily a disciple of Christ and at first. At first I kind of resisted the idea, but but the more I thought about it the more I thought That is altogether possible.

And I'm still not totally certain about it, but I think it is is reasonable and possible. Because one of the things we see here in Scripture is that that many people will do things in his name. Miraculous things in his name, and he's still going to say but but you I didn't know you.

The point Jesus is making here is the same one that Paul makes in first Corinthians 13 when he says if I speak with the tongues of angels. And If I can prophesy and I know all these mysteries and he went so far as to say and even if I give all My things to the poor and I die as a martyr and I am NOT abiding in this love faith.

Obedient relationship with Jesus. It's it's hollow. It's a tingling symbol. It's rotten fruit. Jesus will say to people like that on that last day I never knew you. Depart from me you who practice lawlessness.

This might be the first time that Jesus revealed to his followers that he's not only the Messiah. He's not only the king. He's not only the new lawgiver. He's the judge. He's going to be the final judge.

People will come to me in that day and say that and I will tell them Depart. The modern gospel might jump on this verse and say see it says Jesus said I never knew you that means this person was never saved but I I Don't think that's what I don't think that's what that meaning is.

I think that term that that that idiom or that term. I never knew you throughout the Bible. Simply means I deny you or I refuse To have anything to do with you. It's an expression of disapproval. We read it in in the parable of the ten virgins when when when the bridegroom says when they knocked on the door and the Bridegroom says I I don't know you.

It's in the parable of the sheep and the goats who were separated to the left and the right and he says to the goats Depart from me. I never knew you he disapproves of them. And he says you are you who practice lawlessness.

Depending what translation you use it might say you who? Practice iniquity or something like that. But I think that the Greek word anemia here just means I think it means something like without law. And this whole this whole passage Is is a warning this whole passage we're looking at today is a warning.

That there would be many many both leaders and Followers both teachers and hearers who profess Jesus as Lord and Savior. But don't practice the law of Christ. Rather they practice lawlessness. They'll have to depart from him it.

It seems like it's possible that when Jesus says this thing depart from me you who practice lawlessness that he's actually Quoting out of Psalm 6 there's it. There's there's pretty much the exact wording of that in Psalm 6.

And if you look at that Psalm David is David. It's not a very long song, but but I won't go there right now, but David is pleading for mercy. He's he's saying heal me. Oh Lord. He's saying I'm weary with my groanings.

He's saying I water my couch with tears. There's there's no self-justification there. It's just a crying out and then he says Depart from the to the people who were who were causing this to him. He was saying depart from me you you you who practice lawlessness and These people who Jesus is talking about when he to the people to whom he says Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.

They are justifying themselves. But we've done this and we've done that and we've done it in your name in a parallel passage in Luke. They say well, we we we ate and drank with you. We fellowshiped with you.