GREAT BIBLE WORDS
ACCEPTED
Ephesians 1:6
Ephesians 1:6
Ephesians 1:6, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
Introduction:
The average believer in Christ MAY NOT UNDERSTAND the great blessing that is ours by being “ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.” So many Christians have a VERY SMALL CONCEPT of what God has done for them when they trusted Christ as their Savior.
The average believer seems to be accepted in HIS OWN EXPERIENCE. When their spirit is lively and their hopes bright, they think God accepts them. HOWEVER, when they are DISCOURAGED and DOWN in the dust they are VICTIMS OF THE FEAR that they are NO LONGER ACCEPTED. That is not what the Scriptures teach.
I. WE ARE UNDER A STATE OF PRIVILEGE
A. To be “highly favored,” Luke 1:28, “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”
1. Mary had found FAVOR with God, Luke 1:30, “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”
2. She was under God’s PROTECTION as was the Apostle Paul later, Acts 18:10, “For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.”
B. To be blessed of God, Luke 1:42, “And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”
1. We are FAIRER in Christ than the children of men, Daniel 1:15, “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.”
2. Moses described the BLESSEDNESS of those who follow the Lord, Deuteronomy 7:14, “Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.”
II. WE ARE UNDER A STATE OF ACCEPTANCE
A. To make “ACCEPTABLE,” 1 Peter 2:5, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
1. IN the Lord, Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”
a. NOT having our OWN righteous, Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
b. But having the righteousness OF CHRIST, Romans 3:21-22, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22- Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”
2. In the beloved, Colossians 1:13, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”
a. Some Christians SEEM TO BE ACCEPTED in their OWN EXPERIENCE.
1) When they are HIGH and their spirit is lively, they feel HEAVENLY minded.
2) When discouragement comes they are DOWN in the dust FEELING unaccepted.
b. Those who LOOK TO Christ KNOW that they are “accepted in the Beloved,” Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
c. If our sins TROUBLE us, we know that God has PURGED our sins, Hebrews 1:3, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”
B. To make us LOVEABLE in Christ, Ephesians 1:4, “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:”
1. To RECONCILE us in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:18, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”
2. To show us the EXCEEDING RICHES of His grace, Ephesians 2:7, “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
C. To KNOW that we are IN THE BELOVED, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”