As believers, the hope of heaven is the light that guides us through the trials of life. It’s the promise of eternal peace, the fulfillment of all our longings, and the ultimate reunion with our Creator. But there is one fear that looms large in the hearts of many—a fear that is more terrifying than death itself: the fear of standing before God and hearing the words, “I don’t know you.”
Jesus Himself warned us of this possibility in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
These words are sobering. They remind us that our salvation is not just about what we say or even what we do in Jesus’ name, but about truly knowing Him and being known by Him. The greatest tragedy would be to live a life of religious activity, only to find at the end that we were never in true relationship with the One who matters most.
The fear of hearing, “I don’t know you,” should not drive us into anxiety or despair, but rather into a deeper pursuit of Christ. It’s a call to examine the authenticity of our faith and our relationship with God. Are we following Jesus out of genuine love, or are we merely going through the motions? Do we seek His presence daily, or do we treat our relationship with Him as a formality?
Jesus desires intimacy with us. He longs for us to know Him as He knows us. This means more than just attending church services, reading Scripture, or serving in ministry—it means cultivating a life of prayer, surrender, and obedience. It’s about letting Him into the deepest parts of our hearts, allowing His Word to shape us, and being led by His Spirit.
While the fear of rejection is real, Scripture also offers us the assurance that we can be known by God. In John 10:14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” He knows those who are His, and His sheep recognize His voice.
To be known by God is to live in a relationship with Him that transforms us from the inside out. It’s a relationship marked by trust, love, and obedience. When we walk in this relationship, we can have confidence that we will not hear those dreaded words at the end of our lives, but rather, we will hear the joyful welcome, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
The fear of being unknown by God should also lead us to live with an eternal perspective. Our time on earth is fleeting, but the choices we make here have eternal consequences. Let us, therefore, live each day with the awareness that our ultimate goal is not just to get to heaven, but to be with the One who made heaven for us.
This perspective should shape our priorities, our relationships, and our actions. It should compel us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31).
While the fear of hearing “I don’t know you” can be paralyzing, it can also be a powerful motivator to pursue a life that is truly aligned with God’s will. It’s a fear that drives us to our knees in prayer, that pushes us to seek God with all our heart, and that reminds us of the importance of being in a genuine relationship with Him.
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Ultimately, our greatest fear can be transformed into our greatest joy when we live in the assurance that we are known by God. As we walk closely with Him, we can look forward to the day when we will stand before Him—not in fear, but in the confidence that we are His, and He is ours. Let this be our motivation every day: to live in such a way that when we finally see Him face to face, we will hear the words we long for most, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.”
