Does God Accept Me "Just As I
Am?"
I.
Introduction.
A. Occasionally I hear or read it said
that God accepts us "just as we are."
B.
I am
not entirely sure what that statement means.
C.
I
would very much like for someone who says, "God will accept me just as I
am" or "God has accepted me just as I am" to explain what that
means, using the word of God to establish the sentiment.
1.
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 Test all things; hold fast what is
good. Abstain from every form of evil.
(NKJV)
A. If I refuse to believe in Jesus
Christ.
1.
“To
Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him
will receive remission of sins."
Acts 10:43 (NKJV)
2.
The
unbeliever will not be accepted by God "just as he is".
3.
But
the lake of fire will accept him in his unbelief.
a.
Revelation
21:8 "But the
cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (NKJV)
4.
To
think that Christ will save you "just as you are" while you refuse to
live by faith is to be self-deceived.
a.
John
8:23-24 And He
said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world;
I am not of this world. "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your
sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your
sins." (NKJV)
B.
If
I refuse to repent of my sins.
1.
"I
tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish".
a.
Luke
13:5 "I tell
you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (NKJV)
2.
Paul
preached that sinners "should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting
repentance"
a.
Acts
26:20 "but
declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the
region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to
God, and do works befitting repentance.
(NKJV)
3.
So,
God will not accept the liar "just as he is" - he must repent of his lying and
"speak truth with his neighbor".
a.
Ephesians
4:25 Therefore,
putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his
neighbor," for we are members of one another. (NKJV)
4.
God
will not accept an adulterer “Just as he is"
a.
He
must repent of his adultery and stop his sinful relationship and conduct.
a.
(Revelation 9:20-21) But the rest of mankind,
who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their
hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass,
stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not
repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their
thefts. (NKJV)
b.
Some
brethren teach people that they should continue to live in their unscriptural
remarriage after they have obeyed the gospel.
a.
Matthew
19:9 "And I
say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and
marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced
commits adultery." (NKJV)
c.
The
words of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 7:24 are twisted to support this
encouragement.
a.
1
Corinthians 7:24
Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was
called. (NKJV)
d.
Convincing
sinners they may remain in an unholy remarriage that they believe has been sanctified
by baptism.
e.
But,
this passage describes people who are "with God".
f.
Does
not describe the adulterer before baptism nor does it rightly describe him if
he continues to commit adultery after baptism.
5.
If
you refuse to repent and cease your sin.
a.
No,
Jesus will not receive you "just as you are"
b.
One
cannot continue in sin and be accepted by the Lord.
a.
Romans
6:1-2 What shall
we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How
shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (NKJV)
C.
If
I refuse to confess my faith in Christ.
1.
Romans
10:9-10 that if
you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God
has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation. (NKJV)
2.
Do
you see the conditional nature of Jesus accepting a sinner "just as he
is"?
3.
If
the sinner will not confess Jesus before men, then Jesus will not confess him
before the Father in heaven (Matt.
10:33).
a.
Matthew
10:32
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before
My Father who is in heaven. (NKJV)
4.
He
will not be accepted "just as he is" without confessing faith - he
will be lost in sin.
D. If I refuse to be baptized for the
remission of my sins.
1.
"He
who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mk. 16:16)
2.
Not
the one who believes but refuses to be baptized.
3.
Many
souls will be lost because they comfort themselves believing God will accept
them "just as I am" in spite of their rejection of the Lord’s
commandment to be baptized to be saved.
E.
If
I refuse to be faithful to the Lord.
1.
"But
why do you call Me "Lord, Lord," and do not do the things which I
say"? (Lk. 6:46)
2.
That
warning should echo in the ear of every Christian who thinks the Lord will
accept him just as he is.
3.
Faith
without works (of faith) is dead.
4.
While
faith working through love avails in Christ.
a.
James
2:17 Thus also
faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (NKJV)
b.
Galatians
5:6-7 For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith
working through love. You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the
truth? (NKJV)
5.
Christian,
the Lord will not accept you "just as you are" if you are living unfaithfully.
1.
Not
if you do not believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of the living
God.
2.
Not
if you believe Jesus is the Son of God but you will not confess your faith
before men.
3.
Not
if you have confessed your faith but will not repent of your sin and remove it
from your life (Rom. 6:1-2).
4.
Not
if you reject baptism as essential for your salvation from sin (1 Pet. 3:21;
Acts 22:16).
5.
Not
if you are a Christian yet are not being faithful to Jesus in your daily life
(Gal. 2:20).
B.
God
will accept you (save you) when you surrender to His will and do what He wants
instead of remaining "just as you are."
Modified
Lesson from Joe R. Price.