"ACCEPTED" by C. R. Stam

"ACCEPTED"
by C. R. Stam*
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In Ephesians 1:6 the Apostle Paul sings a doxology, as it were, "to
the praise of the glory of God's grace, wherein He hath made us accepted
in the Beloved".

In the story of the Prodigal Son it is touching to see the father
accept his wayward son back to his bosom --- and so generously! He does
not merely admit him back into his home; he clothes him with his best
robe, puts a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet and kills for him the
fatted calf so that they call all to "eat and be merry" in celebration
of his return.

But the prodigal was after all the father's son, whereas Paul bids us
"Gentiles in the flesh" to remember that originally we were "without
Christ...aliens from the commonwealth of Israel...strangers from the
covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world"
(Eph.2:12).

Hence it is even more touching to contemplate God's gracious
acceptance of us who were not sons but "aliens" and "enemies" (Col.1:21).

The word "accepted" in the above passage actually comes from the word
"grace" (Gr. karis) with which the verse begins: "...His grace, wherein
He hath engraced us in the Beloved One".

Thus God looks upon us now with delight; He delights to favor and
bless the believer because He sees him in Christ, His beloved Son.

This passage reminds us how God once broke through the heavens to
declare: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"
(Matt.3:17). And now He is delighted with us and blesses us with "all
spiritual blessings in the heavenlies" because we are in Christ, the
"Beloved Son". Not that we have attained to this position, far from it,
for "HE hath MADE us accepted" --- HE hath engraced us in the Beloved.


*Oh for the riches we have in the Lord Jesus Christ!*
*Thank you Lord for saving me, who was so unworthy.