Accepting Jesus...
How many times have you heard preachers (and other Christians) talking about sinners needing to "accept Jesus into their heart?" I've observed that such phrases are common in modern Christian vernacular, but such talk is hard to support from Scripture.
I think it's time for Christendom to get all such phrases out of its vocabulary. "Accepting Jesus" is (at least) an indicator of bad theology. In my studies of the Scripture, I cannot find anybody telling sinners to "accept Jesus into your heart." John the Baptist never preached like that, nor did Jesus! Peter didn't use such a phrase on the day of Pentecost, nor did Paul at Mar's Hill! Telling a sinner he/she needs to "accept Jesus into your heart" is simply not Biblical...
Sinners need not think that Jesus is the one whom has any need of their acceptance! Actually, the shoe should be placed on the other foot. Sinners need to be worried about whether or not Jesus will accept them! The Biblical message to sinners is that of repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus needs the acceptance of none, but we all must have Jesus' acceptance or else we shall perish on the Day of Judgment!
I think it's time for Christendom to get all such phrases out of its vocabulary. "Accepting Jesus" is (at least) an indicator of bad theology. In my studies of the Scripture, I cannot find anybody telling sinners to "accept Jesus into your heart." John the Baptist never preached like that, nor did Jesus! Peter didn't use such a phrase on the day of Pentecost, nor did Paul at Mar's Hill! Telling a sinner he/she needs to "accept Jesus into your heart" is simply not Biblical...
Sinners need not think that Jesus is the one whom has any need of their acceptance! Actually, the shoe should be placed on the other foot. Sinners need to be worried about whether or not Jesus will accept them! The Biblical message to sinners is that of repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus needs the acceptance of none, but we all must have Jesus' acceptance or else we shall perish on the Day of Judgment!
3 comments:
Christian jargon is bad enough, but unbiblical Christian jargon is a curse and we really ought to bury it right now. 'accept Jesus into your heart' indeed! How many people who are not from Christian homes actually know what it means? I don't think I do!!!
I suspect it originated as an 'explanation' of conversion (I think if it did it's a bad one), but it sounds too hopelessly Victorian to me.
But maybe I'm just thinking of Holman Hunt
Accepting Jesus means the sinner invites Christ into the life he is already living. Repenting means turning from a life of sin to the Savior for new life. People today want Jesus to save them in their sin not from their sin. Accepting Him let's them keep their sinful life. This plague upon Christendom needs a remedy and that cure is the Gospel of Repentance! Good Post
Amen to that, brother!
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