Manifold Truth...I'm Accepted!

MANIFOLD TRUTH...I'M ACCEPTED!!!

In this episode: The question arises if you got kids?!?! Do they always listen? Don’t answer that…lol. Is there a difference between accepting them and approving of them? These are very different aspects of your relationship with them. Well, if that’s true. We wonder if that’s true of God’s relationship with His children?? Let’s talk about it…

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Transcript

“Manifold Truths”

Biblical essentials for our modern times.

I’m Accepted! The Acceptance of our Heavenly Father. 

Ø  You got kids?!?! Well…do they always listen? Probably didn’t take long for you to answer that question. Is there a difference between accepting them and approving of them? Seemingly, these are two different aspects of how we relate to them. Well, if that’s true for us in a natural sense…can it be true for how our heavenly Father relates to us in a spiritual sense? Let’s talk about it...

Ø  There is a difference between God's acceptance and God's approval. Religious confusion complicates these very different aspects of our relationship with God. God's love for us is not expressed as a matter of approval. He may not approve of some aspect of our lifestyle; nonetheless, He accepts us and loves us as His children. The Apostle Paul addresses this in the following verse.

Ø  Ephesians 1:3-4 

§  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. (v. 4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

Ø  He extended His acceptance to us before time began in order that we might have the opportunity to earn His approval. This is the understanding that bridges the gap between grace and the Law. What this tells us is that our standing and relationship to the Father is something God committed Himself to before the world was made and before we ever had an opportunity to know Him.

Ø  God first sees our life and godly character as His responsibility to provide and then our opportunity to respond. He holds Himself responsible to see that we are provided (through Christ) the resources to fulfill all His expectations. Living for God is not a matter of brute force or will power but God’s sovereign provision. Our part is to give our life to Him and cooperate with the purpose He seeks to unfold in our lives.

Ø  Ephesians 1:5 

§  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Ø  The word “adoption” in the above verse does not mean Biblically what it commonly means to us today. We were not adopted as an orphan into God's family…we were born into it. We have a native-­‐born entitlement to the privileges of the kingdom of God if we have received the new-­‐birth experience.

Ø  The term “adoption” in Eph.1:5 is referring to an ancient family rite in New Testament times when a father would authorize his son to do business in his family’s name. The adoption Paul is speaking of is the bestowal of kingdom privilege and responsibility preplanned by God for us before the world was created. 

Ø  God knew us and preplanned for us to be born into the family of God and, ultimately, be authorized to do business in His name just as Jesus did the Father's business while on earth.

Ø  Ephesians 1:6-7 

§  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (v. 7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

Ø  We are accepted as a child of God as a result of something the Father did for us-­‐-­‐He made us accepted. We cannot do anything to be accepted by God other than to act in confidence that this is so.

Ø  We are loved of God. We are redeemed by the blood Jesus spilled on the cross. We are accepted, loved, and redeemed by what Jesus did for us, not what we have done for him, or others. We do not earn the love of God. All prayer is answered through the love of God, and not by grand promises and resolutions to do better. These things do not move the heart of our heavenly Father to favor us toward our needs. His willingness to answer prayer is not because we are holy but because Jesus is holy.

Ø  Luke 11:11-13 

§  “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if sinful people know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will your heavenly Father give to you...”

Ø  God blesses us, loves us, and moves in our life (not based on who we are or what we have done) but based on who Jesus is and what He has done and our committed relationship to His Lordship. We cannot earn or deserve the blessing of God. When He answers our prayers, He is giving us what Jesus earned for us on the cross. We are not getting what we deserve; we are getting what Jesus deserves.

Ø  John 14:13-14 

§  And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 

Ø  Christian tradition generally teaches that a believer may only access Heaven's resources in the context of good works measured according to church standards, but we have not been commissioned to preach or teach church tradition, but the Gospel. God only has one standard…Surrender! This is the foundation for living out our relationship to Him. 

Ø  Luke 22:41-43

§  Jesus knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.

Ø  This type of divine inspiration is only met by those believers who are secure in their walk with God and motivated by love (not fear), and have surrendered their life entirely to God.

Ø  Because Galatians 5:6 Tells us…

§  “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

Ø  Now we can see the Christian anthem a little bit differently than we once did before, which says in John 3:16…

§  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

Ø  Jesus died for us not because we were so great…but simply because he LOVED his Father to the point, he “surrendered” his life on our behalf, so that the world might believe how much God loves us!!! Now we can approach God on the basis of…  

Ø  Hebrews 10:19 which reads…

§  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Ø  We come to the Father by the Blood and not by religious works. The blood of Christ is our claim to every promise of God. Our failures, sins, and mistakes have no bearing on our standing with God. We come to Him pleading access by the Blood rather than our virtues. We can run to His presence in full assurance that His arms are wide open to receive us on the basis of Christ’s shed blood.

Ø  As a child of God, we have authority over the works of the devil, victory over sin, and access to the blessings and promises available to us by the prayer of faith. All this comes out of God's acceptance of us and is based on who Jesus is and not who we are. We need never try to earn His acceptance; because it’s been blood-bought by Jesus dying on the cross for our benefit. 

Ø  Amen!