The starting place for acceptance with God is a true understanding of grace, that is, that salvation is a gift that is entirely undeserved and is provided only because God is merciful. Acceptance before the Father is provided in Christ alone rather than any supposed worthiness.

It is misguided and a dangerous misconception to base God’s acceptance of you on your worthiness, or attempt to comfort others with the concept that, “underneath it all, you are actually beautiful in character, and therefore truly deserving of God’s love.”

Why?

You Aren’t, and the Bible Makes that Very Clear

Though all people are created in the image of God, all of us are sinful, abusing our status, both by nature and behavior and are therefore deserving of judgment rather than acceptance by God.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17)

“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2)

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