Topical Bible: Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Accepted Time

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Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of "The Accepted Time" in the Bible refers to specific periods designated by God for particular purposes, often related to salvation, grace, and divine favor. This term underscores the importance of recognizing and responding to God's timing in the unfolding of His redemptive plan.

Biblical References:

1. 2 Corinthians 6:2 : "For He says: 'In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!" This passage, quoting Isaiah 49:8, emphasizes the immediacy and urgency of responding to God's offer of salvation. The Apostle Paul uses this to urge the Corinthians to seize the present opportunity for reconciliation with God, highlighting that the "accepted time" is not a distant future event but a present reality.

2. Isaiah 49:8 : "This is what the LORD says: 'In the time of favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances.'" Here, the "time of favor" is associated with God's promise to restore and bless His people, pointing to a future fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of a new covenant.

Theological Significance:

The "accepted time" is a period marked by God's initiative in offering grace and salvation. It is a divinely appointed season when God actively reaches out to humanity, inviting them to partake in His redemptive work. This concept is deeply rooted in the understanding that God's timing is perfect and that His plans unfold according to His sovereign will.

From a theological perspective, the "accepted time" is not merely a chronological moment but a kairos moment—a time of significant opportunity and decision. It calls for a response of faith and repentance, urging believers to recognize the urgency of aligning with God's purposes.

Practical Implications:

For believers, the "accepted time" serves as a reminder of the importance of living in readiness and responsiveness to God's call. It challenges individuals to discern the seasons of their lives and to act in accordance with God's timing. This involves a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading and a commitment to seize opportunities for spiritual growth and service.

Moreover, the concept encourages the Church to proclaim the message of salvation with urgency, recognizing that the present age is a time of grace where God's offer of redemption is available to all. It underscores the responsibility of believers to be ambassadors of Christ, sharing the good news and inviting others to enter into the "accepted time" of God's favor.

In summary, the "accepted time" is a biblically significant period that highlights God's gracious initiative in offering salvation and the necessity for a timely human response. It is a call to recognize and embrace the divine opportunities presented in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 49:8
Thus said the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Corinthians 6:2
(For he said, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Acts I
... succession of events than in definite dates and periods. ... The mother of Jesus is here
mentioned for the ... The particular time within the ten days, at which this ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts i.htm

Translator's Preface
... in Books Ten and Eleven, deserve more particular notice. ... depth of Augustin's
speculations as to Time, [108] and ... been an absorption"and in some periods in no ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/translators preface.htm

Life of Socrates.
... At the same time he mentions the Novatians as ... He was not, however, particular about
the logical consequences ... Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine Periods. ...
/.../scholasticus/the ecclesiastical history of scholasticus/ii life of socrates.htm

John the Baptist --visit of Jesus to John, and his Abode in the ...
... to the banks of the Ganges, if particular traits had ... and of the Jewish spiritual
teachers of this time, were derived ... of the Dead Sea.[4] At the periods when he ...
/.../renan/the life of jesus/chapter vi john the baptistvisit.htm

The Outbreak of the Arian Controversy. The Attitude of Eusebius.
... of subsequent centuries, except at certain periods, and was ... very good reason for
laying particular stress upon ... our heart and soul, from the time we recollect ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/section 5 the outbreak of.htm

"Pray Without Ceasing"
... at one stroke overthrows the idea of particular times wherein ... profitable to meet
with God at set periods, for these ... not in twenty sentences at a time, for such ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/pray without ceasing.htm

Divine Calls.
... Paul's in this particular,"that for our instruction ... religiously, have from time to
time truths they ... notions they entertained at different periods, of what ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon ii divine calls.htm

The Plan of the Work.
... character of those who at various periods have contended ... in another, have transmitted
to us particular accounts of ... and which even to the present time are held ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/chapter i the plan of the.htm

References
... The Land and the Book, give fuller detail concerning particular localities, but ... Periods,
Sec.Sec.251-256 ... John differs from synoptics in the time, the place, the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rhees/the life of jesus of nazareth/references.htm

Ancestors of the Blessed virgin
... time of Moses and Aaron and in particular from the ... consent lived in continence for
long periods, living in ... The time was noted, and the distant sick person was ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/i ancestors of the blessed.htm