Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
“Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ – this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Peter, in Acts 2:36
We can accept a message, a gift, a present, an invitation, but we cannot accept anyone who is greater than we are, biblically speaking. Many fall into a habit of using such non-bliblical Christian cliches as “accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior” in order to avoid dealing with such things as the call to repentance. Men could, conceivably, of their own will accept the idea that Jesus is both Lord and Savior, without ever repenting. But Jesus will never accept us without it.
The Father accepted Jesus (He can accept Jesus because He is greater than His Son) when Jesus ascended into heaven as our sacrifice for sin, and He glorified him to be everybody’s “Lord and Christ”, whether anyone on earth ever accepts that fact or not (Acts 2:36).
Even worse is the oft-heard Christian call for sinners to “make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior today!” Now will someone tell me how we mortals can make our Creator anything? He is what he is, and there is nothing we can do about it. Jesus is already God’s chosen “personal Lord and Savior” for us all, and that is who Jesus will always be. There is nothing we can do to make him what he already is. Jesus is even the Devil’s “personal Lord”. The Devil both knows it and hates it. Demons tremble at the name of Jesus because they know they have rebelled against the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his Father.
Living contrary to the will of the One who is already mankind’s personal Lord and Savior is the very thing that makes sin, sin. And submitting to God’s “personal Lord and Savior” for us all is the only way that anyone will ever obtain eternal life.