The Bride is Blessed with Acceptance

1. Read: Ephesians 1:3

2. About the Text:

1) The Bible describes the Christians relationship with Christ in terms of marriage.

2) “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Romans 7:4).

3) Every spiritual blessing is in Christ Jesus.

4) They are the blessings of the bride and for the bride.

5) Only the bride has access to these blessings.

6) One of these blessings is acceptance.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Every in-law should understand this concept.

1) The bride of your son becomes part of your family.

2) She is accepted by virtue of His choice.

3) “Just as He chose us in Him” (Ephesians 1:4).

2. How – “in Him”

1) Jesus invites everyone – “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

2) Some respond and obey the gospel message.

a. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

b. “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5).

3) These are added to His body, the church, His bride – “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

3. When – “before the foundation of the world”

1) Before the world was even established God had this plan in mind.

2) He preordained that His Son Jesus Christ would be the instrument of salvation.

3) And all who responded Christ would belong to His Son.

4) In that way, God chose us for salvation, just as we choose to accept our son-in-law/daughter-in-law when our child makes his/her choice.

5) “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11).

4. For what purpose?

1) Holy and blameless

a. The bride is holy due to marriage – she is set apart for her husband alone.

b. Christ’s acceptance of us into His family produces holiness.

c. He cleanses us of our sins and we commit our lives to serving Him.

d. “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:22).

2) Before Him in love

a. A bride naturally loves her husband, and the husband loves the bride.

b. Christ loves the church, and the church loves Jesus Christ.

c. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

d. “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” (Ephesians 6:24).

1. We were predestined to adoption.

1) Adoption was a legal process that brought a child into a family.

2) The child gained full rights, privileges, and responsibilities in the family.

3) “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:4-7).

4) To be a Christian has the acceptance of full family membership.

2. By Jesus Christ to Himself.

1) Jesus is the Son of God.

2) By putting on Christ, we take on His identity.

3) “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-28).

3. According to the good pleasure of His will.

1) Jesus Christ joyously desired to accept people into God’s family.

2) “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).

3) “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

4) “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10).

1. To the praise of the glory of His grace.

1) The whole process of adoption shows Christ’s grace.

2) God was not forced to bring us into His family.

3) Jesus Christ was not forced to sacrifice Himself on the cross.

4) This means the whole process was by God’s grace/favor for mankind.

5) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

6) We are thankful that God chose, willed, and favored this adoption!

2. God made us accepted by this grace.

1) The word “accepted” literally means He graced us with grace.

2) The idea is to bestow the highest form of acceptance on another.

3. He bestowed this favor upon us in the beloved.

1) Jesus Christ is God’s beloved.

2) Those who are in Christ receive the favor God has for His beloved.

3) How did God accept Christ?

4) “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).

5) “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (Philippians 1:9).

6) “For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (2 Peter 1:17).

7) When we abide in Christ, we receive the same favor God has for His Son, Jesus.

1. The bride is blessed with acceptance because of . . .

1) Choice

2) Adoption

3) Grace

2. Invitation

1) Through Christ, God has accepted and loved us.

2) We must accept and love one another as Christ has accepted and loved us.

3) “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Colossians 3:12-13).