The next stop we make here in Ephesians is in 1:6 where we are told that “He made us accepted…” We could say “He has graced us with special honor” or He has highly favored us. Notice that this acceptance which is graced with honor and high favor is in “in the beloved” that is in Christ Jesus. At Jesus baptism God spoke audibly and said “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” Again God spoke the same words on the mountain of transfiguration, and added “Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5, proving that He is the beloved. It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy…” Titus 3:5, that we are accepted by the Father! It is totally because of Him. As we commit ourselves to Jesus as our Redeemer, and believe on Him as our Savior, we become joined to Him (as in marriage), and 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “…he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” As a new bride is immediately accepted by the grooms father as his very own daughter giving her complete access to the household and all that pertains thereto, even so Ephesians 2:18-19 tells us that through Christ Jesus we now “have access by one spirit to the Father (and) are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” Galatians 3:26 assures us that we are “the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (KJV); and Romans 8:17 reminds us that “if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” Wow what a possession we gain, first we are adopted into the family (see last week’s meditation), and now we see that we are accepted, I mean lavished with family oneness and become joint heirs with Jesus, which means we have equal access with Him to everything the Father has! I am accepted!
An heir with Jesus
By Rose Hill
Being part of God’s family,
We are an heir.
And in the blessing of Jesus,
We have a share.
Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.