Finding Our Worth in God's Grace
Many people spend their lives seeking the acceptance of others: parents, friends, coworkers, even strangers. In a world full of rejection, abandonment, and conditional love, it’s natural to long for relationships that fill the aching void in the heart. We yearn to be welcomed, known, and valued for who we truly are, not for who others expect us to be.
But then comes God.
Unlike people, God offers unconditional acceptance. He doesn’t demand behavioral changes or moral perfection before we approach Him. He says simply, “Come as you are.” His grace precedes our transformation.
The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 1:6 (NKJV), “To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” In Christ, believers are not only tolerated, they are welcomed, embraced, and eternally accepted. This acceptance is not earned but freely given by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Tragically, many overlook this profound truth. They chase acceptance from others while ignoring the One whose love is infinite and unwavering. In doing so, they miss the rest and identity only He can offer. Yet it is God who made us, knows us intimately (Psalm 139:13–16), and invites us into relationship with Him, not based on our worthiness but based on His mercy (Titus 3:5).
God’s acceptance isn’t superficial, it is deeply transformative. It opens the door to reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18–19), forgiveness (Colossians 1:13–14), and wholeness (Colossians 2:10). In Christ, the believer is made complete. Through the cross, Jesus accomplished what no one else could. He bore the penalty of sin so that we might receive the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
This gift includes far more than salvation alone. Scripture says that God has “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3, NIV). These blessings: eternal life, adoption into God’s family, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and a new identity are given with no strings attached.
Could anyone ever earn such favor? Could anyone ever attain the perfection required to stand blameless before a holy God? The answer is no: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That’s why the Gospel is not about striving, but trusting. It is not about what we do, but what Christ has already done. “It is finished,” Jesus said on the cross (John 19:30).
Salvation, then, is not something to boast about. It is entirely the work of God (“not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:9, NIV). Christ is our representative, and by faith, we receive what only He could earn.
The moment a person believes, life changes. Acceptance in Christ brings peace to the restless soul. The search for significance ends. Transformation begins, not to gain acceptance, but because it has already been given. “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV).
No longer striving to be loved, the believer walks in love. No longer seeking to be recognized, they live from a place of eternal value. This is the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10—a life rooted in His gift, His plan, and His grace.