Spurgeon Meditations

 

Accepted in the beloved.

Eph 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 isnothing 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 thesame manner.% 09/24/AM For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king saying The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him." --Ezra 8:22 A convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band but a holy shame-facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be mere hypocrisy or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to preserve His own worshippers. He could not bring his mind to lean on an arm of flesh in a matter so evidently of the Lord and therefore the caravan set out with no visible protection guarded by Him who is the sword and shield of His people. It is to be feared that few believers feel this holy jealousy for God; even those who in a measure walk by faith occasionally mar the lustre of their life by craving aid from man. It is a most blessed thing to have no props and no buttresses but to stand upright on the Rock of Ages upheld by the Lord alone. Would any believers seek state endowments for their Church if they remembered that the Lord is dishonoured by their asking Caesar's aid? as if the Lord could not supply the needs of His own cause! Should we run so hastily to friends and relations for assistance if we remembered that the Lord is magnified by our implicit reliance upon His solitary arm? My soul wait thou only upon God. "But says one, are not means to be used?" Assuredly they are; but our fault seldom lies in their neglect: far more frequently it springs out of foolishly believing in them instead of believing in God. Few run too far in neglecting the creature's arm; but very many sin greatly in making too much of it. Learn dear reader to glorify the Lord by leaving means untried if by using them thou wouldst dishonour the name of the Lord.


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