On what basis is man made accectable to God?

[Aaron56]

The OP's question: "On what basis is man made acceptable to God?"

The scriptures provide a succinct answer: "By the finished work of Jesus Christ."

But

As with many things, there are many layers of understanding.

MAN, unredeemed and dead, is made acceptable to God in Christ. But what of the man who has already been transformed by the Spirit of God?

For example, Paul wrote this to believing saints in Rome:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

And to the believers in Corinth:

"Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him."

And to the believers in Ephesus

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord."

The word is the same in the Greek: euarestos which is "well-pleasing, fully agreeable, etc."

Paul is beseeching the saints to present themselves to God laboring to be accepted of Him and encouraging saints to find out what is acceptable.

These are all words or phrases of action completed by the believers.

Assuming that Paul's messages (above) are not to men dead in their sins but to men who are currently included in Christ, what can we, who are presently in Christ, say about being acceptable to God?

Anyone interested in this? If so, I'll expound.

 

[homwardbound]

The OP's question: "On what basis is man made acceptable to God?"

The scriptures provide a succinct answer: "By the finished work of Jesus Christ."

But

As with many things, there are many layers of understanding.

MAN, unredeemed and dead, is made acceptable to God in Christ. But what of the man who has already been transformed by the Spirit of God?

For example, Paul wrote this to believing saints in Rome:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

And to the believers in Corinth:

"Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him."

And to the believers in Ephesus

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord."

The word is the same in the Greek: euarestos which is "well-pleasing, fully agreeable, etc."

Paul is beseeching the saints to present themselves to God laboring to be accepted of Him and encouraging saints to find out what is acceptable.

These are all words or phrases of action completed by the believers.

Assuming that Paul's messages (above) are not to men dead in their sins but to men who are currently included in Christ, what can we, who are presently in Christ, say about being acceptable to God?

Anyone interested in this? If so, I'll expound.

Go ahead, Expound please

I see Love and acceptance are needed in every believer. I know this, I hear many if not all say, "I know God Loves me"
Yet, I do not feel or see I am accepted, being I have sinned again and do not want to, I now do what I hate. Therefore, I have to do to be in favor with Father and Son, even though the scriptures state it is done by Son for me! and he is risen where new life is given, to walk new as born new from God Father through Son Jesus.
Is this not feeling accepted getting in the way of the new life offered me?
I think so and am seeing why Paul wrote Romans 1- 8
Paul was Saul a Pharisee and Wass not fair to the people in any mercy to Stephan, as he saw Stephan go to his death willingly. Amazing thoughts hit my mindset, when I read Saul was there approving Stephan to get stoned to death, watching this person go willingly, and state he saw God and Son there for him. Then that road to Damascus happened, wow! woe is me as I see in Isaiah 6: 1-7

Isaiah 6:1-7

Authorized (King James) Version



6 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said,
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts:
the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Then I will willingly be led by God to get Baptized, to do as led to do, which God says to me is best for me to do. the same as Jesus did when he asked Father. "can there be any other way"
Then said "nevertheless your will Father be done not mine"

 

[Everlasting-Grace]

Wow there is a lot in this post. Lol. Remember when Nicodemus came to Christ and asked how to be saved? He said that to see the kingdom you have to be born again. And Nicodemus asked how does one get born again, right? In this passage Christ said you have to be spiritually reborn to see the kingdom and born of water, or baptism to enter it. That is also why Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Now if christ has a need to be baptized how much more do we who are unholy have need to be baptized?

The purpose behind this is that one you have to have a spiritual awakening to see how lost we are and that we need to be saved. Second we need to enter into a covenant with God that we will follow Christ until death (being submerged in the waters.) And be reborn a new being (coming up out of the waters. This symbolism is two fold as it represents the death of our carnal selves and rebirth of our spiritual selves. And the representation that we will follow Christ until our physical death and trust in His atonement that we will be resurrected.

Even with that, we will still sin, that is true, and it may seem hopeless at times. But the change from our carnal self to the spiritual self is that we will not have a disposition to do evil but good continually. That doesn't mean we will be successful at it. But it means that our desires are to do good, and that we turn to the Lord for help as we fall short. Remember in Roman's 8 it says that when Christ comes again we will be changed to be like him. At that time will we be perfected in Christ and be able to conquer sin and sit at the right hand of God with Christ as stated in the book of revelation.

There is a promise that in the end we will be perfected and be able to master ourselves enough not to sin. But it is only through the atonement of Christ and the grace of God that that is possible. The price has already been paid. And doesn't need to be paid again.

This goes along with the reference where it says that we sell ourselves for not. Itse because Christ has already paid for us, so we are not our own to sell. And because he already owns us. He will always come to claim those who are even the most broken who call upon his name.

Even one of the thieves who did next to him was promised to rest with him in paradise until the resurrection. Have hope.

there is no baptism in water or spirit or any other type in John 3.

 

[McPhersonX]

there is no baptism in water or spirit or any other type in John 3.

If that is true what then is Christ saying when he says in John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily,verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

And as a cross reference Acts 19:1-6

 

[Everlasting-Grace]

How are we made acceptable?

For it is by Grace we have been saved (made acceptable) Through faith.

the work of God on the cross

 

[Magenta]

what then is Christ saying when he says in John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily,verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

The washing of His Word is a phrase used in the Bible (Ephesians 5:26) to describe how Jesus sanctifies
and cleanses His church with the washing of water by the Word, removing spots, wrinkles, and blemishes,
and this is how He prepares her to become the glorious church before He receives her as His bride. The
cleansing by the Word is an ongoing process in the life of the believer. The Holy Spirit renews our minds
through the truth — God’s Word.

Titus 3:4-5

Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.

Priests were required under the law to be cleansed before assuming their duties.

 

[Everlasting-Grace]

If that is true what then is Christ saying when he says in John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily,verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

And as a cross reference Acts 19:1-6

You will not find the word water baptism in john 3.

Jesus told nicodcemus, ye must be born again (literally born a second time)

That means there are two births

one in water (physical) one in spirit (spiritual)

That which is born of flesh is flesh (the first birth)

that which is born of spirit is spirit.

the water and flesh represent the physical birth

the spirit represents the spiritual birth we go through when we are born again

acts 19 is not how we are born again, Jesus explained to nicodemus how we are born again in John 3

 

[McPhersonX]

The washing of His Word is a phrase used in the Bible (Ephesians 5:26) to describe how Jesus sanctifies
and cleanses His church with the washing of water by the Word, removing spots, wrinkles, and blemishes,
and this is how He prepares her to become the glorious church before He receives her as His bride. The
cleansing by the Word is an ongoing process in the life of the believer. The Holy Spirit renews our minds
through the truth — God’s Word.

Titus 3:4-5
Priests were required under the law to be cleansed before assuming their duties.

Then why were those apostles sent out to baptize in Jesus' name for all the saints?

 

[McPhersonX]

You will not find the word water baptism in john 3.

Jesus told nicodcemus, ye must be born again (literally born a second time)

That means there are two births

one in water (physical) one in spirit (spiritual)

That which is born of flesh is flesh (the first birth)

that which is born of spirit is spirit.

the water and flesh represent the physical birth

the spirit represents the spiritual birth we go through when we are born again

acts 19 is not how we are born again, Jesus explained to nicodemus how we are born again in John 3

Just because the word baptism isn't explicitly used the context seems pretty clear. You have to be spiritually reborn or belive in christ before you would be baptized in his name otherwise why would you be baptized if you did not believe?

 

[Everlasting-Grace]

Then why were those apostles sent out to baptize in Jesus' name for all the saints?

why were they told to assemble together. to obey Gods commands etc etc?

he told them to make disciples. and baptize THEM.

they are already saved. (born again)
.

 

[Everlasting-Grace]

Just because the word baptism isn't explicitly used the context seems pretty clear.

Yes, And nicodemus asked Jesus, How can this be.

And Jesus told him exactly how. And he did not tell him to be baptized..

You have to be spiritually reborn or belive in christ before you would be baptized in his name otherwise why would you be baptized if you did not believe?

People get baptized all the time and do not really believe the belief Jesus told us to have in John 3..

 

[Aaron56]

OMG WE'RE ARGUING ABOUT BAPTISM AGAIN!

 

[Nehemiah6]

OMG WE'RE ARGUING ABOUT BAPTISM AGAIN!

It can't be helped. There are still some who are adamant about their belief that water baptism washes souls clean.

 

[Everlasting-Grace]

OMG WE'RE ARGUING ABOUT BAPTISM AGAIN!

I would not call it an argument

I would call it a call to arms to defeat a false gospel.

 

[FollowerofShiloh]

Eternal Life as a Reward for being Saved are both Gifts that only God can provide.

But living Abundantly is a choice we can make by choosing to follow the proven principles God has put into place.

 

[McPhersonX]

It can't be helped. There are still some who are adamant about their belief that water baptism washes souls clean.

I never said it washes souls clean. I just said it was requisite. People haven't been reading clearly, or they read it with a presumptuous notion and communication gets scrambled.

 

[Magenta]

Then why were those apostles sent out to baptize in Jesus' name for all the saints?

There are certainly various opinions on this. Some believe baptism is a necessary work to augment salvation while others are just as adamant that no works whatsoever are required, but we all seem to agree that it is an act of obedience. Jesus acted in obedience also though He had no sins to repent and/or be cleansed of... and He did fulfill all righteousness, which we put on by grace through faith.

Ephesians 4:5-6
If there is only one salvic baptism, I do not believe it is by Earthly water...

 

[Nehemiah6]

I never said it washes souls clean. I just said it was requisite.

Same difference. If it is essential for salvation, then exactly what does it accomplish WITHIN?

 

[McPhersonX]

Same difference. If it is essential for salvation, then exactly what does it accomplish WITHIN?

So do you believe covenants with the Lord are not essential? Did God stop making covenants with people?

 

[TheDivineWatermark]

If there is only one salvic baptism, I do not believe it is by Earthly water...

Right.


Col2:12 - "12 And having-been-buried-with [G4916 (one word in Grk)] Him in THE baptism, you were raised with Him through the faith in the power [/of the operation] of God, who raised Him from the dead."






also...

Romans 6:3 - "3 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ [note: baptized into Jesus Christ, not baptized in "water"] were baptized into his death?"