Question: Matthew 7:21-23 says, "Not every one who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of My Father who is in the heavens. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many works of power? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, workers of lawlessness." How does this portion of the Word relate to saying that we are in the name of the Lord Jesus?
Answer: To know the meaning of any portion of the Bible, we must first know its context. Matthew 7:21 is part of the conclusion of the Lord's teaching concerning the kingdom's constitution given on the mountain (Matt. 5—7). The Lord concludes His teaching on the mountain by reminding us that as His believers we have His name and that we may use His name. Yet He warns us that in using His name, we must be regulated by the Word of God, by the will of God. Matthew 7:24-27, as a continuation of verses 21-23, reveals that the kingdom people's living and work must be founded on the word of Christ as the new King for the accomplishment of the will of the heavenly Father. We cannot use His name wildly and without restriction. To say that we cannot exchange words with our wives and be in the name of the Lord is easy to realize because exchanging words is evil. But to cast out demons in the name of the Lord is something good. Yet whether or not we do such a good thing still must be regulated. Many preachers of the gospel may be rebuked by the Lord because their preaching may have been done in the name of the Lord but without any restriction.
There are many aspects to our Christian life. We have been baptized into Christ and have been made one with Christ. This is a fact whether we feel it or not. Whenever we mention the name of the Lord Jesus, we are reminded of the fact that we are in Christ. This is one aspect. Another aspect is that we not only need to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus, but we must also be regulated by God's Word, by God's will. To do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus is the basic aspect of our Christian life. There is also an aspect of regulation. Even within the realm of the Lord Jesus' name, there are regulations. We should be regulated by God's Word.
Question: How do we deal with our children in the name of the Lord Jesus?
Answer: First, if you could tell your children when you are about to discipline them that you are doing it in the name of the Lord Jesus, this would be quite good. I have been a father for many years. I have found out that in dealing with children, the hardest thing to overcome is anger. Paul said, "The fathers, do not provoke your children that they may not be disheartened" (Col. 3:21). If in dealing with children, you are able not to provoke them, you are an outstanding brother or sister. So for this reason, I encourage you to say to your children that you are dealing with them in the name of the Lord Jesus. To say this will reduce and even stop your anger. When you are angry, do not deal with your children. When you are angry, you lose your qualification and position to deal with them. You must deal with your children at a time when you are really in Christ.
Second, when you deal with your children, what you should say and what points you should take care of depend upon your understanding of the Word. Paul said, "Nurture them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4). This means that you must know the Lord's Word. Otherwise, you have no way to nurture your children according to the Lord's discipline and admonition.
In dealing with our children, the hardest thing we parents must deal with is anger. When our anger rises up, we say things which are not according to the Lord's Word. So we must learn to say to our children, "I am going to discipline you in the name of the Lord, not in my anger. I am not going to teach you according to what I like, but according to what the Lord likes or does not like."