Accepted in Christ!Having predestinated us
unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
to the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted
in the beloved.
Ephesians 1:5-6
ROMANS, VERSE BY VERSE
by William R. Newell
There is no cause in the person
why grace should be shown,
we must stop trying to give cause to God for His care.
We have been accepted in Christ, who is our standing!
We are not on probation.
As to our life past, it does not exist before God.
We died at the cross, and Christ is our Life!
Grace, once bestowed, is not withdrawn.
God knew all the human exigencies beforehand,
His action was independent of them,
not dependent upon them.
To believe, and to consent to be loved
while unworthy, is the great secret.
To refuse to make 'resolutions' and 'vows'...
for that is to trust in the flesh.
To expect to be blessed,
though realizing more and more lack of worth.
To rely on God's chastening (child training)
as a mark of His kindness.
To 'hope to be better' (hence acceptable)
is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
To be disappointed with yourself
is to have believed in yourself.
To be discouraged is unbelief --
as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
To be proud, is to be blind!
For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
The lack of Divine blessing, therefore,
comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion.
To preach devotion first, and blessing second,
is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace.
The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion;
Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing:
our devotion may follow,
but does not always do so -- in proper measure.
