Acceptable to God? What does it mean to be acceptable to God?
The apostle Paul says “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Romans 14:17-18.
The “these things” appears to refer to verse 17, “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” When we serve Christ in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, this is acceptable to God.
What does righteousness require? Those who are righteous are in right standing before God. They meet or match God’s standard of holiness and right conduct.
One doesn’t have to be a Bible scholar to know that no one can meet God’s standard. The Bible teaches that there is none righteous. Romans 3:10. According to God, “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6
Paul tells us in Romans: For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:6-10.
So it is the blood . . . there is power in the blood . . . covered in the blood of the perfect sacrifice (Jesus), I can be seen by God as having the righteousness of Christ, the only one to ever meet God’s standard.
By grace I have been saved through faith, and that not of myself. It is a gift of God, not of my works, lest I should try to take credit for the work Christ completed on the cross.
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
