Accepted by God?

Unlike people, God accepts freely. It costs him significantly because we have hurt his dear children and we have insulted him, but he has paid the price and is willing to receive people. We make the mistake of trying to reform ourselves, but we are too far gone for that.

What does the Bible say about God accepting us?

1. Jesus accepts - Luke 5v27-32
2. Becoming accepted - Ephesians 2v11-13
3. Price of acceptance - Colossians 1v20-23
4. Peace with God - Romans 5v1-2

Jesus accepts

Luke 5:27-32

Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. How was Levi accepted by Jesus?
2. At what personal cost was Levi accepted by Jesus?
3. What came first for Levi, being acceptable or being accepted?

Thought to consider

In a divided and at times self righteous world, huge barriers can be raised to accepting other people. Jesus stands above this and accepts people who have a heart to follow, no matter their current state.

Becoming accepted

Ephesians 2:11-13

Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What labels for unacceptable people were used in Jesus’ day and what labels are used today?
2. What privileges come to those who are acceptance by God?

Thought to consider

Jesus offers full acceptance to those who are accepted by him. There are no tiers of acceptability in God’s kingdom.

Price of acceptance

Colossians 1:20-23

and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What is our state before God when we have been accepted by him?
2. What separated us from God before we became accepted?
3. What did it cost Jesus for us to be accepted?

Thought to consider

In human relations people give acceptance grudgingly and in increments. God goes the whole way. The cost to him of accepting people like us was so high that there are no half measures to our acceptance.

Peace with God

Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. How is our new state with God described here?
2. What from Jesus and from us contributed to this new state?
3. What does it mean to have peace with God?

Thought to consider

God has given us a place with himself and he has cancelled every shadow or barrier that might stand between us. This has come to us because Jesus was willing to take on himself everything that we deserved. The opportunity has come when we call on God to save us, an act of faith.

Overview questions for reflection or discussion

1. Who is or is not accepted by God?
2. What is the difference between being accepted by people and accepted by God?

Overview thought to consider

People are not very good accepting one another – even those who pride themselves in doing exactly that. God accepts anyone who comes to him asking for help. He accepts anyone who answers his call.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio