I never knew you

Jesus said "I never knew you"
Matthew 7:21-22
Not everyone who says their a christian really is one, they may even do the works of a christian, but are they truly "His"? They may be trying to be a christian without Christ. How can that be?? These people may just be "religious"! vs. 23 Jesus says "I never knew you". That means no, not at anytime. I never knew you. To truly know someone you have to spend time with that person and have a personal relationship with that person. So Jesus is saying I never had a personal relationship with you. Verse 23 says, "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" Lawlessness means: without law, not regulated by law. Not restrained by law, unruly, licentious. SYN. (see anarchy)
To me that is saying, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness (you who try to do things your own way, not followimg God's way, unruly and not restrained by God's laws.) Trying to conform Christianity according to how you want it to be, not submitting to the Lord. How can you be a christian without Christ?? Duh! However, that is what some people are trying to do. It is really sad, we must pray for these people so that on the day of judgement, they won't have a rude awakening. I had often thought about this verse, and thought to myself, "How can these people do all these things in the name of the Lord, if they were not truly His?" I discovered, my friend, that is "religion" it is not having a "relationship". The sad thing is, some people would rather have religion, than to to truly have a relationship with Jesus. They are missing out on so much, if they only knew! That is why it is our job as disciples of Jesus to tell them the good news!