Acceptable in the Beloved

(Ephesians 1:6)  “… accepted in the beloved.”

What it means to be acceptable in the beloved… this then is a privilege that no one but God Himself can ever refute, in fact because of the work of Calvary He will not refute it. But He rather disciplines the wayward child if need be. What a God we serve! Praise the glorious name of Jesus! His perfect work has taken the severity of God’s judgment that all of mankind deserves because of their sin and He now is able to focus in that sense on His beloved Son’s victory, which was a once and for all time sacrifice never to be repeated. God had this to say about our glorious Saviour and His beloved Son; “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

Regardless of whether we find ourselves in the place of judging ourselves because we are not quite living up to what we believe to be a good Christian example or whether we are secretly patting ourselves on the back because we are. It is not about us, but rather the Lord Jesus. If we reason with any other mind-set, we just as well might go back to the law and begin once again to sacrifice. This could never be accepted as this would then undermine the work of Calvary. But Christ’s work will stand for eternity, how thankful I am for God’s provision to me and all who belong to Him. In other word regardless of sin, (not that God would ever tolerate sin, He has proved His hate for it; He sent His only Son to the cross and even turned His face from the Lord Jesus when He paid the price for sin. He judged His own Son); “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

But because of what Christ achieved God the Fathers focus is on the conquering of sin in and through the Lord Jesus’ perfect work and not our failing where the shedding of bulls and goat blood would once again be needed to find forgiveness. The Lord Jesus has paid the ultimate sacrifice and there are no ifs and buts.

This then is the only reason we are acceptable in the beloved. It is crucial we understand this. We are no longer viewed as sinners even though we do still sin. The price has been paid in full, for all our sins, past, present and future. This is how brilliant Christ’s achievement was; God no longer looks upon the sin of man and has this to say; “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7) – As He looks down from heaven and even though men’s hearts are continually evil and all about sin, He sees amongst them those covered by the blood of His beloved Son and they are acceptable to Him. Praise and glorify the bravura of what Christ has achieved.

                                                                                                        

This is why the Apostle Paul makes this statement; “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:6) - What a place of honour! “It includes our justification before God, but the term “acceptance” in the Greek means more than that. It signifies that we are the objects of divine complacence, nay, even of divine delight.” (C.H.Spurgeon)

I pray that we would all learn to find grace before we so easily succumb to the sin that so easily besets.

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) – You are accepted in the beloved…

This is where every true Christian must begin their journey; if you have lost your ways go back to this place and God will bring about change in your lives when and where needed.

Signing off

Tyrone