Workers of iniquity are workers without the Law. That is what the phrase means. Any other watered-down interpretation only serves to deceive.Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jhn 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
You can't force someone to believe anything if they don't want to.
You can't coerce someone into having faith in something or someone if they don't want to.
You can't threaten someone to be obedient and have it be out of love.
I show my love through loving, not because I am told to, but because that's who I am.
You can't make people love. It has to come from the heart. It has to be already in there growing.
If loving your neighbour is through "obedience" , is it genuine?
Just thinking..
Hugs
You show love and respect to your parents by obeying them. Your Dad asks you to mow the lawn, and you do it out of love and respect. Mom asks you to take out the trash, you do it out of love and respect. Saying, "I love you" is a nice gesture. But, it is meaningless without action.
Being a kind person and treating others well is a good thing. But, that is only half of the story. All the coercion talk ignores one major fact. YHVH, the God of Israel, sent his only Son to suffer a humiliating and excruciating death to save YOU from eternal damnation.
He has already done his part.
A little gratitude might be appropriate, don't you think?