On Acceptance

Someone earlier this year posted on Facebook that "Christianity is all about acceptance!" Is that right? Let's take a peek at what scripture says about this! Where else would I look?

"Acceptance" is when a person receives something with gladness or have approval of a belief or idea. The accepting person believes in the premise at hand.  Most of us are accepting, but are the things we accept the appropriate things? That's the issue at hand!

What should we accept?

Romans 10:9 '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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

From the above we know that we must, not should or can, but we must accept Jesus as Lord in our lives! That's the paramount degree of "acceptance" that we're called to have!  Why must we accept Jesus as Lord? It's so that we might be saved!  This passage also speaks of "rejection". If we reject Jesus by "failing to call on him those will "be put to shame". You ask what "shame" is? Eternal damnation. Scripture is all about accepting Jesus and it must be him:

 John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Belief in Jesus isn't enough! Even the demons believe!"

 James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."

So you believe in Jesus. So far you're doing as well as the demons. You're not to be commended for just  believing in Jesus let alone be "saved" from wrath! What must be done in addition to "belief"? A believer must "accept" Jesus. What must we accept?

• Jesus is God.
•  He was born of a virgin, thus is the Son of Man.
• Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, thus is the Son of God.
• Jesus performed miracles that only God could.
• Jesus was without sin.
• Jesus was crucified on the Cross.
• It's by his blood that we're saved. He paid the penalty for our sins and made the sacrifice for all our sins; past present and future; ever committed by mankind.
• Jesus made the sacrifice for all who've sinned and since all have, he died for everyone.
• We are made righteous (if we accept) by the sacrifice made by Jesus.
• Jesus is the only way to be saved and our works are in futility. We can't be saved by doing good.
• Jesus, the Son of Man, died a real death, but defeated death when he arose alive.
• Jesus was resurrected and lives today. 
• He is our mediator and only one who petitions God for our prayers.
• Jesus is "The Tree of Life" who was in the Garden and now stands in Paradise.
• All that is written by Jesus is scripture is true. Scripture is God-breathed and is God's own Word.

How are we sure that we accept Jesus? There must be some evidence that we did. If we say that we  accept Jesus, but all we do is believe, then we lie to ourselves! There must be evidence for our assurance:

Matthew 22:36 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

We're told by God that as a Christian, we must follow his commandments! Since, these two commandments summarizes The Ten Commandments, if we love God and others, we'll obey all ten! That's not "works: because the obedience is not what is saving, but is how we love!

 Matthew 22:40 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

That's the "works" we're to show:

1 John 2:3 "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

Yes, believing is the first part, accepting the second, but loving is the third. How could we accept Jesus if we failed to love him? It's impossible! Hence, relative to Jesus, even "acceptance" isn't the whole! Are we to accept others? Does that help? That is part of loving isn't it?

Romans 15:7 "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God."

There's a contingency there! We're to "receive" others as Jesus loves the sinner:

John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

That contingency for Jesus to "accept" a person is that the person must have come to him. Jesus accepts those who believe in him, accepts him and follows his commandments. Yes, he forgives those who disobey, but it must be done with a contrite heart and repentance!  There is some limit, only God knows to what extent, where a person is not living righteous and has drifted into apostasy. If one flagrantly disobeys the will of God continually, then the "salvation" was only belief and not acceptance of Jesus and his commands. On the other hand with salvation we do not become automatons. We choose every day whether we follow Christ or not.

 Galatians 5:1 "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

Living for Jesus is called faith:

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God..."

Faith entails loving God and doing his will and walking in obedience. That means accepting Jesus and what he teaches. We can't pick and choose what we want to believe and reject what he tells us to do. That's disobedience, not acceptance. In fact if we're not obedient to the will of God, we pay some price. Either we're damned or we receive a lesser crown.

We know that Jesus loves all sinners:

Luke 15:1 "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."

Why would Jesus eat with the dregs of society; those who sin the most? Read John 3:16! He loved them so much that he didn't want them to go to hell! However, Jesus knocked on their heart's door. He wanted them to believe, accept him and change (love him and others). He wasn't there to tolerate their sins, but to save them from their sins! This is where the phrase "love the sinner, but hate the sin" is derived. That's exactly what we're to do! If we love others we'll not only tell them about Jesus, but rebuke their sin. That's what scripture is for (teaching, rebuke and correction):

 2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..."

Jesus ate with sinners to give them a choice! That's how much he  loved them:

Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Damning people for disobedience and grieving the Holy Spirit isn't very accepting! As such, then Holy Scripture is not only about "accepting", but also "rejecting".  This raises the question: "For what shall people be damned?" For nor believing (and accepting Jesus as I have shown) and for disobedience. Part of the obedience is witnessing to the world through the work of baptism. It's obedience! Likewise, obeying the commandments is obedience.

 Colossians 3:12 "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

And what we are NOT to accept:

1 Corinthians 5:11 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."

We don't accept those who claim to be a Christian yet are disobedient. This correlates to the teaching that whoever accept Jesus must obey!

2 John 1:10 "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."

ANYONE who rejects the teachings of God are not to be received! That's rejection; the opposite of acceptance. Yes, you still love them, but you are not to condone their behavior by consorting with them. Condoning wicked lifestyles is not of God, but is what they "world" calls "acceptance"! Those politically correct are not only propagating the lie that we are to "accept" sinful behaviors, but it's okay to go ahead and sin ourselves! We're never to judge, whereas the Bible says to not judge "harshly"!   Most people use "acceptance" as a means of continuing a sinful lifestyle. We're in an age of "social justice" where recognizing sinful acts is "intolerant"! Jesus came not to tolerate, but to  free from us from the bondage of sin. He taught obedience, not tolerance!

Acceptance and tolerance are most used by those who rationalize homosexual lifestyles. This includes progressive churches which teach only "Positive Christianity" and "Social Justice" and neglect salvation and the commandments! Here's what the Bible teaches about homosexuality:

 Leviticus 18:22 (ESV) "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."

In plain English, God considers homosexuality as "disgusting". That's not me saying that. It's God! Will you call you Creator and Savior a liar? Many say that Jesus never condemned homosexuality. Jesus IS God and God is unchanging. Sin isn't a variable. What is wrong is always wrong in the eyes of God (Jesus)!

1 Corinthians 6:9 (ESV) "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

 This isn't very "accepting" is it, but it's the inspired word of God. Paul was taught by Jesus and God inspired Paul what to write. Paul said that all these were reason enough to be damned. I'm not being intolerant by telling folks what God expects, but because I love everyone and want all to be saved, I must tell them what God's word actually says, not what we wish it said!

Those who truly love will rebuke! Yes, they will be intolerant for it's better to rebuke a person than condone their sin and cause them to perish for eternity! That's tough love. That's true love.

When I was in sin a good friend chastened me when no others did. He did this because he was my friend. Others who tolerated my actions encouraged by silence my disobedience. By their acceptance, I could have eventually forgot God.  I thank God for those Christians who aren't deceived by political correctness and social justice, both tools of the devil!