ACCEPTED

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage (for Sat., Sept. 15, 2012)
Galatians 2:1-16

¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:16 (NIV)

There is such a tendency in all of us to believe that we must EARN acceptance. We have an innate need to be loved and valued. It is hard to believe that we could be get this love and acceptance simply because of who we are - not what we've done. 

The law serves a simple purpose to human nature. It gives us rules so we can clearly know if we are ok or not. The law is a means of figuring out what I need to do to be acceptable. 

There is one obvious problem however. If the law is a man-made code, we can pick and choose the ones we feel are important and disregard the lesser rules. If, however, the law is God-ordained and reflects His character, we are immediately in trouble. 

The law was never meant to be our means of acceptance. The law is actually designed to show us our disparate condition. As such, the law DRIVES us to Jesus. 

It is in Him and Him alone that I hear the wonderful word "ACCEPTED". It is in Him that I learn that I am ABSOLUTELY LOVED AND VALUED apart from all that I have done - both good and bad. 

This is the wonderful message of the Gospel. This is the word of God's grace. This is the best news you or I have ever heard.