Does Using Christ's Name Create Anarchy?

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then I will tell them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

The word translated as "prophesied" is propheteuo, which has a broader meaning in the original Greek than in English. In English, it is limited to foreseeing the future, but in Greek it means acting as a prophet, that is, having a spiritual impulse "to teach, refute, reprove, admonish, comfort others." Today, we might call this spiritually ministering to others.

The word translated as "wonderful works" is dunamis, which means "power" and "ability." It means both the spiritual power to create miracles and the kind of earthly power held by the wealthy or armies. It isn't any kind of "works" at all.

The word translated as "done" is poieo, which as we have explained before means also "to make" or "produce."

Also, an interesting feature of the first verse is that the word "in" has been added to the phrase "in your name." In the original Greek, the verse actually says "...have we not acted as prophets your name: your name casts out demons and your name produces power." These people are those who recognize Christ as "Lord," kurios, and specifically recognize his power.

In the second verse, the term translated as "profess" is homologeo, which means literally, "to say the same." It also means "to concede," "not to deny," and "to praise." It means "to profess" in the sense of speaking openly as well, but often in the sense of professing oneself a worshipper.

The word translated as "know" is ginosko, which means "come to know," "to understand," and "to be acquainted with."

The term translated as "work" is ergazomai, which is another of those very businesslike words that Christ often uses. It means "to labor," "to trade," "to do business," "to earn by working," and "to acquire."

The term translated as "iniquity" is anomia, literally "the condition of being without law.' In English, the term for this is "anarchy," which comes from the same Greek word, an, which means "without." It also means being in contempt or violation of the law, that idea of lawlessness.

So a closer translation of this sencond verse is "Get away from me, you who produce lawlessness." This indicates that those who simply call upon Christ's name and recognize him as a source of power without recognizing the laws of God are a type of anarchist. Christ is saying that these people will use the name of God to justify whatever they want to do, but Christ is saying specifically that we cannot do whatever we want, even in God's name.