Religious clichés are common. “God helps those who help themselves.” “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” “Money is the root of all evil.” None of these is biblical but many use them as statements from God. Other religious clichés are used to excuse poor behavior. “Christians aren’t perfect just forgiven” we’re reminded. “We’re all sinners” offers more relief from a guilty conscience.
The use religious clichés is not new. Scripture records and corrects a number of them. For example, Corinthians justified sexual immorality with the phrase, “food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them.” They argued that the body was not of eternal and spiritual significance, therefore, immorality was acceptable. This misguided rationalization (based on Greek mythology) occasioned a corrective response from the Apostle Paul (cf. I Corin. 6:12-20).
A more contemporary cliché that could be misleading is the statement: “God accepts us as we are.” Is this true? According to Jesus, it depends on what you think you are. Jesus told a parable about certain people who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt” (Luke 18). Jesus referred to two men going up to the temple to pray — the one a Pharisee, the other a tax-gatherer ( a despised person in first century Judaism). The Pharisee began by thanking God that he was not like the sinners of society and then went on to recite his own notable virtues. The tax-gatherer stood at a distance with downcast eyes, pleading for God’s mercy and identifying himself as a sinner. The conclusion? The admitted sinner was accepted before God and the self-righteous Pharisee found no approval with God.
This parable reminds us that only those who see themselves as sinners in need of God’s mercy will be accepted by God. The best of human achievements cannot grant us favor with God. Only those who humbly acknowledge their unworthiness are granted acceptance with God. Put another way, “what we are” is the problem. All people have fallen short of God’s glory and are in need of His merciful salvation.
The Bible says; “God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble” (I Peter 5:5-6). The proud person rejects God’s authority over his life and defiantly declares his independence of the Creator. This person could be self-sufficiently religious (as the Pharisee) or totally irreligious. The issue is far deeper then external activities.
The broken and contrite heart God will not despise (Ps. 51:17). Through the prophet Isaiah, God said: “To this person will I look (with favor,) to him who is humble and contrite of spirit and who trembles at my word” (Isa. 66:2). Does God accept us as we are? It depends on what you think you are?
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To the author and all those who responded to the article; surely God does EXCEPT us as we are, spelling and meaning intended. Otherwise, what means this verse? 'Touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you." Surely God DOES require preliminary actions, primarily repentence. But what is repentence? It is turning away from sin. But, what is sin? It is the breaking of the Law of God. And what is the law? Jesus explained this for us, or did he just explain it to Satan? 'Man shall live by every word that procedes from the mouth of God.' When God explains that He does not change, and His word stands forever, then His Son comes and says the same thing, you are dangerously skating on thin ice if you believe a man who says something different. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/22/07 12:16:24 PM
Age 48, AZ
Kinda telegraphs the illiteracy of the author and the organization publishing his work to confuse "accept" and "except" in the title. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/20/07 03:58:32 AM
Age 19, CA
I think you're using the phrase out of context. Obviously, we are not saved "just as we are"; God needs to regenerate us before we even have the ability to accept His grace. But what is true is that God extends His grace to people regardless of who they are and what they have done. So yes, in this way God accepts people for who we are. God understands we are completely against Him, and if we had our way, we would live without Him and oppose Him forever. But (fortunately) God gives us grace and love and acceptance anyway. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/19/07 11:02:56 AM
Age 43, KS
I believe he does but thankfuly he loves me too much to leave me just as I am. I'm either a work in progress, or a work without progress. If I'm in the latter catagory I don't have much hope in eternal life. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/18/07 08:58:46 PM
Age 62, TN
Interesting article. Go online and type in "Just As I Am", the old standby hymn of invitation and read the story of the writer and also the words of the song. I believe that one will be accepted by the Lord when he (she) admits the state they are in and repents of their sin and continues to do so. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/18/07 08:45:20 PM
Age 45, WI
I can understand why he says it depends on what you think you are. Having said that I think the cliche' is used primarily because God forgave us while we were yet sinners. You don't have to clean yourself up before God will accept you. He does the cleaning up when we come to him humbly with a heart that is broken and contrite. I would just like to caution those who would use this kind of view. If people think they can clean themselves up first and then come befor God, they are fighting an impossible task. Thanks for the opportunity to talk about this important issue. Click here to reply to this post
Steve you are making it to easy on those that are content in their sin. You can be a rightous man and still have a humble heart when you compare your work to Gods standards.
Abraham was obviously not perfect but God was impressed with his willingness to obey Gods " commands, statutes and decrees" The average Christian lifestyle today is pathetic! The man who continues in sin will die. It is a rejection of Gods will and shows that their has been no submission of the human will to Gods will.
I know a number of people who are proud of their humility! And have no desire to achieve great things to bring honor and glory to their God. Your article gives them cover to continue to be a Christian failure and and think they are honoring God
Thanks Todd Click here to reply to this post
Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/18/07 06:04:10 PM
Age 42, NM
When I hear the phrase, "God will accept you as you are," I often respond by saying, "Yes, you can come to God the way you are, and He is willing to accept you. But He will not leave you as you are." Often when people use this phrase because they want to be accepted without having to change their behavior. Sorry, my friend, it doesn't work that way. Repentence is necessary, which is, turning from sins to God. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/18/07 05:56:13 PM
Age 25, VA
Of course it is true that God only accepts those who recognize their need for forgiveness and approach His throne with contrite hearts. I think that everything in the article is true, as should every Christian who is strongly grounded in the Word, but this truth is so fundamental to the faith that it should be obvious.
Is there seriously anyone out there who actually believes you can come to God with a proud heart not in need of any repentance at all? Furthermore, the whole point of accepting Christ as Savior is because we recognize that we are sinners and need His grace. Why would anyone with a proud heart and a false opinion of "who they are" even want to receive this gift of salvation? I would say that they wouldn't, because their pride would blind them into thinking they didn't need it!
In other words, this article seems like an exercise in preaching to the choir. Why stir up needless controversy with such a provocatively titled article that contains a basic truth all Bible-believing Christians have in common to begin with? Click here to reply to this post
Re: Re: Does God accept us as we are?
Posted On: 09/23/07 06:30:34 AM
Age 42, IL
Unlike you, I see communities of believers fraid of confronting grevious sins in their members/brothers and sisters because of this idea that God accepts us where we are at. This idea extends to the practice of then viewing that it is not the Christian pastor or elders place to expect righteous behavior from those who claim to be Christ followers. God does call us out of our sin and while we were yet sinners, but we are NOT to continue in and practice sin on continual basis. (live in boyfriends/taking money under the table so that you don't lose your unemployment benefits/using foul crude language/telling sexual or off color jokes/cheating on tests or taxes and bragging about it) This attitude has had many who convinced that since I am just a "messy" Christian its OK that I dont even try to live and practice right living or holiness, because God will accept me as I am. Click here to reply to this post
