For May the 12th 2013

5/12/13

Not long after we started going to that little store-front church the pastor’s mom ask me before church started one evening; if I played with marbles. I can still fell the guilt that I felt when she asks me that question. We were alone near the front of the church and I just could not answer her. I thought it was some kind of a test to see if I was a sinner and played with marbles! Playing with marbles, after all was a form of gambling you know, and I stood there in fear of being found out to be a sinner! She ask again; “well do you?” I got even more fearful and still did not give an answer. About that time my cousin came up and she ask him if he played with marbles, immediately he said yes and to that answer she gave him a large can of marbles that her 3 boys, now grown men, had played with when they were little boys, boy did I fell dumb and kinda betrayed.

I tell you that story because it shows what most people believe about their salvation, and the assurance of it. Somehow we have the attitude that we have accepted Jesus into our hearts and that we keep Him there if we do the right things and if we measure up or pass the test today and move farther along in our maturity  we get to keep Him and our golden ticket to heaven. The word of God is clear that it is God that has chosen us, He accepted us.

Paul says in Ephesians:

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

Paul said that God made us acceptable  “he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”