Acceptance by God

Anyone who has lived in this world for any length of time has experienced rejection at one time or another.  It is an inevitable part of life.  Rejection is even more a part of a Christian's life in this world.  [Note: I am not trying to scare away those people who may not have already accepted Jesus into their hearts and lives.  The Christian life isn't easy.  However, it is still very much worth it!]

Since Jesus Christ experienced rejection, we can also expect to suffer rejection from others.  "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held him in low esteem."  (Isaiah 53:3, NIV)  He suffered much for us.  Likewise, we will also suffer persecution and rejection.  

The disciple Luke affirms the rejection in the life of a true follower of Jesus Christ.  "Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown."  (Luke 4:24, NIV)  As a matter of fact, we are told that we will have trouble in this world.  (John 16:33)  However, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us.  (Romans 8:37)

Little Shepherd boy, David, was initially rejected by both his father, Jesse, and Samuel.  But the Lord told Samuel, "...The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  (1 Samuel 16:7b, NIV)  David went on to become a king and ruled a country.

Therefore, it does matter what people think or say about us.  We are not to allow people's opinions of us to affect us in a negative way.  We are also not to allow the rejection by people to adversely affect us.  It only matters what our Father thinks and says about us.  His opinion is the only one which really makes a difference.  He accepts all of His children.  (Romans 14:3; Hebrews 12:6) 


Our Father sees and knows us like no other person can or will ever know us.  "God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us."  (Acts 15:8, NIV)


The beloved disciple, John, talks more about our acceptance by God and others.  "Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."  (John 13:20, NIV)  Therefore, we can expect to be accepted by those who accept Him.  

In addition, the Apostle Paul tells us to honor God by our acceptance of others.  "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."  (Romans 15:7, NIV)

No matter what happens in this world---we who are God's children are accepted by Him.  We can rest in that assurance.  We can also rest just knowing that when others don't accept us our Father will always accept us.  It makes a huge difference. 


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

The Believer's True Identity - Part 2

I recently shared with you that it is very important for the body of Christ to know their true identity for a few different reasons.  For one, members of the body have to know their spiritual identity before they truly know who they are in Christ.  In addition, believers of Jesus Christ need to know their actual identity in order to receive everything that Jesus died to give them and all that includes as well.  They can only know their true identity when they look into the spiritual "mirror" of God's word.  Knowing their spiritual identity also helps the believers to know their purpose in God's plan.

First of all, we are adopted by God.  (Ephesians 1:5)  We are adopted into His spiritual family.  We are part of God's family once we accept Jesus into our hearts. 

Next, we are accepted by God.  It does not matter what we do or where we are spiritually.  God accepts us and loves us unconditionally.  (Ephesians 1:6)

We are truly blessed by God.  (Ephesians 1:3)  He has spiritual blessings stored up for us because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.  We must believe that we are blessed in order to receive all of our spiritual blessings.

Additionally, we are chosen by God before the beginning of time.  Before the foundation of the world was laid, God chose us to be His people.  He created us for His purpose and plan.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.  According to Dictionary.com, the term 'redeemed' means cleared by payment or bought back.  We were purchased at a price.  That price was Jesus.  We are forgiven of all sin once and for all time.  (Ephesians 1:7)

We are justified by God through our faith in Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 2:15-17; James 2:23-25)  According to Dictionary.com, the term 'justified' means 'to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.'  Therefore, we who are justifed are innocent or guiltless in God's eyes.  It is not due to our own human acts but due to Christ's one act of love. 

We are blameless. It means that we are without blame or fault before God our Father. He sees us just like He sees His son, Jesus. (Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

Next, we are also sanctified by God.  (1 Corinthians 6:11; John 17:17, 19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4)  He sanctifies us by His word...His truth.  According to Dictionary.com, the term 'sanctified' means 'made holy; consecrated'.  We are purified and freed from sin. 

We are already holy. (Ephesians 1:4, 4:24; Colossians 1:22, 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; 1 Peter 1:13-16) Jesus is holy. His spirit within us is holy which helps us to be holy in our behavior.

We are already pure too. (1 John 3:2-3) Like Jesus, we are pure because of His spirit within us.

In addition, we are called by God to do great work for Him.  (1 Corinthians 7:20, 24)

We are anointed by God.  (1 John 2:20-21, 27)  God knows all things.  His spirit within us knows all things and teaches us all things.  We must cooperate with Him and His spirit within us.

We are complete in Christ Jesus.  His spirit within us makes us fully complete and whole.  (Colossians 2:9-10)  We do not lack anything in Him. 

We are perfect in Christ.  His spirit within us is perfect which makes us perfect just like Jesus.  (Matthew 5:48)

Lastly, we are righteous in Jesus.  We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  (Galatians 3:6; Ephesians 4:20-24, 6:14; 1 John 2:29, 3:7)

It helps to know our true identity in Christ Jesus in order to be the women God has created us to be for Him, His purpose, and His plans for us.  When we believe what God says about us instead of what other people say to us or about us, it will not only change us but change our lives for the better.  We will no longer be deceived by the devil.  We will have everything God wants us to have and be everything that God wants us to be.  We will be living the abundant life...walking into all of the blessings of God.  (John 10:10)  We will be living in God's perfect will.  (Romans 12:2)  We will experience as much as heaven on earth as possible.  (Matthew 6:10)


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.