Most people who believe in Jesus would say they have “accepted Christ.”
But have we ever stopped to ask what that really means?
In today’s world, accepting Christ is often presented as a feeling, a decision made in a moment of emotion, or a simple confession of belief. Yet, in the pages of Scripture, accepting Christ was never a shallow act—it was a total surrender. It was a change so deep that it reordered a person’s loyalties, identity, and way of life.
Jesus said,
“He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”
— John 12:48 (NASB95)
If His Word will be our judge, then to accept Christ means to accept everything His Word declares—without trimming, ignoring, or reshaping it to fit our preferences.
Accepting His Word, Not Just His Name
Many are eager to accept the name of Christ but hesitate to accept His teachings.
Yet Jesus made it clear:
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” — John 14:15 (NASB95)
To accept Christ means to take Him as both Savior and Lord—the one who rescues us and the one who rules us. We can’t have one without the other. When the early church began, believers “were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). They didn’t decide which parts to follow. They accepted the whole message.
True acceptance means that His Word—not our traditions, not church customs, not emotions—becomes the final authority for our faith and practice.
Accepting His Call to Obedience
When people first heard the gospel preached in Acts 2, they were cut to the heart and asked, “What shall we do?” Peter’s answer was not vague:
“Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
— Acts 2:38 (NASB95)
To accept Christ, then, is to accept His call to repent—to turn from sin and self-rule—and to be baptized into His death and resurrection.
“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
— Mark 16:16 (NASB95)
Obedience doesn’t replace faith; it proves faith is real. A heart that truly trusts Jesus will gladly submit to His commands.
Accepting His Design for His Church
If we accept Christ, we must also accept what He built.
“I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” — Matthew 16:18 (NASB95)
Scripture says there is “one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:4–5). The church Christ established is not divided by denominations, human creeds, or competing doctrines—it is unified under His Word.
Accepting Christ means seeking to be simply a Christian, belonging to His body as described in Scripture, not part of a man-made movement. The church of the New Testament followed a simple, spiritual pattern: they gathered on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7), to pray, to sing (Ephesians 5:19), and to give (1 Corinthians 16:1–2).
Their worship was not about performance—it was about devotion. Their organization was simple: elders and deacons serving under Christ’s headship (Philippians 1:1). Their mission was spiritual: to teach, to build up, and to serve. To accept Christ means to accept His design, not to improve upon it.
Accepting His Standard of Living
Paul wrote,
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
— Romans 12:2 (NASB95)
To accept Christ is to accept His call to holiness—to walk away from the world’s corruption and live in the light. It means putting to death old habits of sin (Colossians 3:5) and bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23).
Acceptance is not a word we say; it’s a life we live. Christ doesn’t ask for part of us—He asks for everything.
Accepting His Mission
When we truly accept Christ, we accept His mission as our own.
The church exists not to entertain, not to compete for attention, but to be “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Our calling is to carry His gospel to the world, to serve the needy, and to strengthen one another in love and truth.
Christians are His hands and feet—living witnesses of His grace. Every day we either accept that mission… or we decline it.
Accepting His Name and No Other
“The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” — Acts 11:26 (NASB95)
When we accept Christ, we wear His name alone. We are not defined by denominations or titles that divide us. We are defined by Him—by the One who bought us with His blood. To accept His name is to honor His sacrifice and to find our identity in Him alone.
The Heart of True Acceptance
At its core, accepting Christ is about surrender—heart, mind, and will. It’s saying, “Lord, I believe You, I trust You, and I will follow You no matter what.”
Paul wrote,
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
— Galatians 2:20 (NASB95)
That is what real acceptance looks like: Christ living through us—directing our choices, shaping our character, guiding our worship, and ruling our hearts.
A Call to Action
If you’ve “accepted Christ” only in name, maybe it’s time to accept Him in truth.
Accept His word. Accept His will. Accept His design for your life and His church. Accept His call to obedience. Accept His cross—and the new life that comes with it.
The question isn’t whether you believe Jesus is real.
The question is whether you will receive Him on His terms.
“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” — Luke 6:46 (NASB95)
Will you accept all that He is—and all that He commands?
The Simple Gospel 