How can we apply the concept of "accepted before the LORD" in our actions? Setting the Foundation “to be accepted on your behalf, your offering must be a male without blemish from the cattle, sheep, or goats.” Understanding “accepted before the LORD” • In the tabernacle system, only an unblemished sacrifice was “accepted.” • The word “accepted” speaks of favorable welcome into God’s presence. • That requirement foreshadows Christ, the flawless Lamb who satisfies the Father once for all (Hebrews 10:14). Christ, Our Perfect Offering • John 1:29 – Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” • Ephesians 1:6 – We are “accepted in the Beloved.” • Because His sacrifice meets every demand of holiness, believers now stand permanently welcomed. Living as Those Already Accepted “Therefore I urge you, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual service of worship.” Our daily life is now the offering. Being “accepted” in Christ shapes conduct rather than breeding complacency. Practical Ways to Walk in Acceptance 1. Whole-hearted Worship • Hebrews 13:15 – Offer “a sacrifice of praise.” • Sing, pray, and listen with undistracted hearts, because worship is received in Heaven. 2. Pursue Moral Integrity • 2 Corinthians 7:1 – Perfecting holiness. • Turn from anything that would have made an Old Testament animal “blemished” in a spiritual sense—deception, impurity, bitterness. 3. Active Compassion • Hebrews 13:16 – “For with such sacrifices God is pleased.” • Share resources, time, and presence with hurting people; mercy smells like incense in God’s throne room (Philippians 4:18). 4. Faith-Fueled Obedience • 1 Samuel 15:22 – “To obey is better than sacrifice.” • Each prompt of Scripture or Spirit becomes an altar where we lay down our own way. 5. Steward Your Calling • 1 Peter 2:5 – Offer “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” • Use gifts—teaching, serving, giving—with excellence; God counts them acceptable because they pass through Christ. 6. Endure Trials with Joy • 1 Peter 1:7 – Tested faith “may result in praise, glory, and honor.” • Suffering faced with trust becomes an offering no fire can consume. Daily Checklist □ Start each morning confessing Christ’s sufficiency; rest in being already accepted. □ Examine motives: am I seeking applause of people or smile of God? (2 Corinthians 5:9) □ Offer tangible good—an encouraging word, a meal, a generous gift. □ Close the day with thanksgiving, surrendering any failures to the blood that keeps me accepted. Final Encouragement Because the perfect Lamb secures our standing, every act done in faith, purity, and love rises as an “aroma pleasing to the LORD.” Keep the altar of the heart clear, and live boldly in the freedom of being forever accepted before Him. |
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