November 30, 2010

God Invites Us As We Are
Acts 10:17-33

“You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean” Acts 10:28 (NLT)

Pastor's Blog:

Peter has just made this radical discovery that non Jews are just as loved by God as Jews. That was hyper-radical in his day.

I have often said that God accepts us just as we are. I am usually careful to add, however, that God won’t leave us there.

I now think a better way to express myself is to say the same thing, but to substitute the world “invite” for the word “accept”. God invites everyone into an eternal relationship with Him. He wants everyone, red, yellow, black, and white . . .everyone . . .in his forever family, none excluded.

The way anyone “gets in” is through God’s having opened the door by forgiving our rebellion and sin. He did this on the cross 2,000 years. This is the invitation. On the cross he said, “God forgive them”.

However, this does not mean we are finally accepted into His family. In order to be part of God’s family, I must accept the invitation. I must receive the gift. I must recognize that I get in as pure gift, not because I deserve it or have earned it any way. A gift is not a gift until it is received. I receive this gift by believing that God has forgiven me on the cross, that he has suffered for all my sin, and by living the remainder of my life as a “thank you” for what he has already done for me. At that point I am accepted.

Have you made this life altering acceptance of God’s invitation or are you just assuming that God accepts you as you are with no life altering corresponding response on your part?

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