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May 20, 2009
Acceptable to God
These verses and quote and their concepts really hit me yesterday listening to Beth Moore. In a stage where I'm feeling like I'm failing a lot as a mom and wife, it's helpful to know that God accepts my efforts and sacrifices through Jesus. And God reminded me how often I am making the mistake that the Jews did: pursuing righteousness by the law instead of by faith. I so easily get mopey when I don't meet my own expectations for myself or what I know or imagine God's to be for me. This is a good reminder to get over myself and accept God's grace and just keep trying with his strength. I'll never achieve perfection this side of heaven, but he promises to bring me to completion someday. Life is too short and there's too much he has planned for me to waste it feeling defeated. Hope this is an encouragement.
...You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15
Commenting on the words "acceptable to God" in 1 Peter, John Calvin says:
It ought also to add not a little to our alacrity, when we know that the worship we perform to God is pleasing to him, as doubt necessarily brings sloth with it. It is, indeed, certain that no one will seriously and from the heart devote himself to God, until he is fully persuaded that he shall not labor in vain.
But the Apostle adds, "through Jesus Christ." There is never found in our sacrifices such purity, that they are of themselves acceptable to God; our self-denial is never entire and complete, our prayers are never so sincere as they ought to be, we are never so zealous and so diligent in doing good, but that our works are imperfect, and mingled with many vices. Nevertheless, Christ procures favor for them.
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. Romans 9:30-32
Posted by Shannon at May 20, 2009 07:13 AM
Comments
Which came first, the problem or the solution? Luklciy it doesn't matter.
Posted by: Kaedn at January 4, 2012 08:45 PM