accepted in Christ

“How marvelous 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 has 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 they 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.”

-Charles Spurgeon

I read this earlier this evening and it really spoke to me. Whenever I have spiritual struggles or I fall into some sort of sin, I have a tendency to beat myself up even though I genuinely repent. The key lies in seeing ourselves as being accepted in Christ. The enemy is subtle. We battle against our own flesh, the world, and the Devil who first tempts us to sin, then he condemns us for sinning and loads us with guilt deceiving us from going before the Throne for forgiveness, restoration, and cleansing by the blood of Christ. When we stop viewing our standing as a matter of what we do and start believing in what Christ has done, then we will be freed from this performance based religiosity from the pit of hell. This doesn’t mean that we can simply excuse our sin or that there won’t be consequences. However, if we truly realize our acceptance in Christ, then this will act as the most powerful defense against falling into temptation. Although the battle is fierce and the temptations are real and there will be times that we will all fall, go to the Cross. Confess your sin. Repent and rest in the Blood that was shed for you!

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom Yahweh counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit...I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Ps 32.1-2, 5