Spurgeon: September AM
* 09/23/AM
"Accepted in the beloved."
--Ephesians 1:6
What a state of privilege! 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 . How marvellous
that we, worms, mortals, sinners, should be the objects of
divine love! But it is only " in the beloved ." Some Christians
seem to be accepted in their own experience, at least, that is
their apprehension. When their spirit is lively, and their
hopes bright, they think God accepts them, for they feel so
high, so heavenly-minded, so drawn above the earth! But when
their souls cleave to the dust, they are the victims of the fear
that they are no longer accepted. If they could but see that all
their high joys do not exalt them, and all their low
despondencies do not really depress them in their Father's
sight, but that they stand accepted in One who never alters, in
One who is always the beloved of God, always perfect, always
without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, how much happier
they would be, and how much more they would honour the Saviour!
Rejoice then, believer, in this: thou art accepted "in the
beloved." Thou lookest within, and thou sayest, "There is
nothing acceptable here !" But look at Christ, and see if there
is not everything acceptable there . Thy sins trouble thee; but
God has cast thy sins behind His back, and thou art accepted in
the Righteous One. Thou hast to fight with corruption, and to
wrestle with temptation, but thou art already accepted in Him
who has overcome the powers of evil. The devil tempts thee; be
of good cheer, he cannot destroy thee, for thou art accepted in
Him who has broken Satan's head. Know by full assurance thy
glorious standing. Even glorified souls are not more accepted
than thou art. They are only accepted in heaven "in the
beloved," and thou art even now accepted in Christ after the
same manner.