Acceptance
August 3rd, 2008
The matter of acceptance is absolutely essential in every persons life. Medical doctors know that if a mother rejects her baby the child is in danger of dying . When the former Soviet Union broke up , adoption agencies were allowed to offer children for adoption to people outside the USSR. The children
seemed normal at first, but by the time they were two or three years old they could not bond with the adoptive parents. Sociologist discovered that the children received only minimal care as infants , little holding and nurturing therefore leaving them unable to bond with their new families.
The opposite of acceptance is rejection, and in today’s bookstores their inventories are filled with books on how to deal with rejection.
Am I accepted ?
Deut 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. NKJV
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. NKJV
Through faith in Jesus Christ we become God’s sons and daughters.
Ps 100:3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. NKJV
Because we are accepted, we then should accept others.
Rom 15:7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. NKJV
Jesus promises not to reject us.
John 6:37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. NLT
Although God’s people have rejected Him many times turning to idolatry , He continually drew them back to Himself , not utterly rejecting them.
Jer 31:3 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:”Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. NKJV
Even when we fail and fall short, missing the mark , the avenue of acceptance remains open.
Ps 6:9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer. NIV
Although it may seem like a paradox, discipline is a sign of acceptance.
Heb 12:6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
NLT
Ps 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
68 You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
69 The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
72 The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver. NKJV
Trials and tribulation, difficulties, and troubles of all kinds does not mean that God has rejected you. It just means your moral integrity is being tested.
Isa 43:1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. NLT
Some might say that those promises are only for Jews, however, consider this declaration.
Gal 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. NKJV
Once we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are accepted as sons and daughters of God. We belong to him and then He begins the work of sanctification in us.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV
The seal of ownership
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,”Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, NKJV
2 Cor 1: 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. NKJV
Rom 14: 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. NLT
No favorites
Acts 10:34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. NLT
The Law of Acceptance
John 13:20 I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.” NLT
Eph 1:6 He made us accepted in the Beloved. NKJV
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