It's a phrase often heard within Christian circles: "Have you accepted Jesus into your heart?" Or, "Choose to receive Christ and you will be saved." These are common thoughts, often spoken with good intentions, to guide someone toward faith.
While I understand this is rarely said with the intention of implying we must do something to be saved, I wanted to dive into this subject. It's an opportunity to help myself and you, my readers, see that "accepting Christ into our hearts" isn't something we can do.
If you're like me, you've faced moments when your mind feels like it's gone haywire. For me, these often come during seasons of anxiety. Clarity disappears, and everything feels confusing. The idea of "accepting" Jesus by my power feels impossible.
But let's be clear: This isn't a condition of our spirit. It's a condition of our mind—an organ that can be affected by sickness or stress. We can't equate our mind's thoughts with the core of our beliefs. Therefore, it can't be our mind that chooses to "accept" Jesus and bring us to faith.
As Martin Luther put it, "I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ."
Born into sin, our natural inclination isn't toward God. So, if it's not our choice, what then?
Here's the truth: salvation is a gift, given by God. We don't "accept" it as much as we receive it, because He initiates.
As Luther also said, "The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith." The Holy Spirit actively works faith in our hearts and keeps it there.
At Pentecost, recorded in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit didn't ask the apostles for permission to work through them. He simply came, empowering them. The Holy Spirit doesn't ask for our "acceptance" to begin working faith in us; He gifts it.
What often feels like our moment of "acceptance" is actually our response to the faith already born within us by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Notice those crucial words: "this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
Here's an analogy: Imagine being led into a dark, dusty, forgotten room. You've heard rumors of a masterpiece being in that room, but you can't see it. In the dark, you might even doubt its existence. You can't "choose to see" it, as you have no light source to shine around the room.
Suddenly, a light floods the room. The masterpiece is undeniably there. The light doesn't ask for permission to illuminate the painting; it does. Your eyes, now able to perceive, can see the beautiful piece of art. Your "acceptance" isn't an act of will to make the painting appear or to make yourself see it; it’s the natural response to seeing what the light enables you to see that was already there, just hidden by darkness.
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The dark room represents our natural inability to "see" or "accept" God.
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The hidden masterpiece is Jesus Christ and salvation, present but obscured.
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The light is the Holy Spirit, illuminating our hearts without our prior initiation.
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Our natural response of seeing represents the faith worked within us by the Holy Spirit, leading to belief and trust.
So, what does this truth mean for us?
It means we can release the burden of feeling like we have to "do" something to earn or maintain salvation. Our assurance isn't in our own "acceptance," but in God's steadfast, initiating work. We can trust in the finished work of Christ and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
What we see as "accepting Jesus" is in Romans 10:9-10: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." The internal faith (created by the Holy Spirit) leads to the external declaration of our faith. Our confession is the evidence of the Spirit's work.
Thank God that our faith isn't dependent on our fickle hearts or anxious minds, but on the work He does in us.
Your Sister in Christ,
Kelsey
P.S. I know language can be nuanced, and phrases like "accept Jesus into your heart" are often deeply meaningful to those who use them. My intention here isn't to dissect anyone's personal spiritual vocabulary or to suggest that this phrase is spoken with ill intent. Instead, I simply wanted to look at the words themselves and remind us all of the truth that it is the Holy Spirit who works faith within us, a gift we receive, not earn.
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The ideas and inspiration for this post came straight from my heart. I love exploring faith and encouraging you to wonder. However, writing isn't exactly my superpower. So, to help bring these thoughts to life in a way that truly connects with you, I use AI as a writing assistant. My hope is always that the message resonates and encourages you on your journey.
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