“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.

On this day...

• Nahum 3 - 2023
• Nahum 2 - 2023
• Always Tell the Truth - 2009
• Standard of Truth - 2009
• The Way Into the Holiest: Expositions on the Epistle to the Hebrews, 1893 - 2009
• THE SECRET OF GUIDANCE - 2009
• Frederick Brotherton Meyer - Evangelist - 2009
• Proclaiming the Excellencies of Christ, Not Prosperity, Among the Nations - 2009
• Statement on Poverty - 2009
• We Beheld His Glory, Full of Grace and Truth - 2009