Acceptance

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23-24 (NIV)

If we were to just read Romans 3:23, we might feel obliged to admit its truth, but it would be pretty depressing. Most people would admit they're not perfect. That makes us all sinners before the glorious God.

The 'and' in verse 24 is a great thing, because it shows how we can be accepted by God. It's not by us pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. It's by the grace of God.

How does God reveal His grace to us? By sending His Son for our redemption. Redemption basically means that He sets us free from the condemnation we deserve.

How does Jesus set us free from the condemnation we deserve? By the fact He bore our condemnation upon Himself upon the cross. Through faith in Him we can be accepted by God, there's no other way.

'God, we admit we fall short of Your glory. Please accept us as we trust in Christ crucified on our behalf. In His name we pray, amen'.

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