Reference: Acceptance
Hastings
ACCEPTANCE denotes the being in favour with any one. In English Version the noun is found only in Isa 60:7, but 'accept' and 'acceptable' are used frequently both in OT and NT to express the acceptance of one man with another (Ge 32:20; Lu 4:24), but above all the acceptance of man with God. In OT the conditions of acceptance with God are sometimes ceremonial (Ex 28:38; Ps 20:3). But of themselves these are insufficient (Ge 4:5,7; Am 5:22; Jer 6:20; 14:10,12), and only moral uprightness (Pr 21:3; Job 42:8) and the sacrifices of a sincere heart (Ps 19:14; 119:108; cf. Ps 40:6 ff., Ps 51:15 ff.) are recognized as truly acceptable with God. In NT the grounds of the Divine acceptance are never ceremonial, but always spiritual (Ro 12:1; Php 4:18; 1Pe 2:5). Jesus Christ is the type of perfect acceptance (Mr 1:11; Heb 10:5 ff.). In Him as 'the Beloved,' and through Him as the Mediator, men secure their religious standing and fundamental acceptance with God (Eph 1:6). In serving Him (Ro 14:18), and following His example (1Pe 2:20-21), they become morally acceptable in the Father's sight.
J. C. Lambert.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
But for Cain and his offering He had no respect or regard. So Cain was exceedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed.
If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.
And say, Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.
It shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may take upon himself and bear [any] iniquity [connected with] the holy things which the Israelites shall give and dedicate; and it shall always be upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord [in the priest's person].
Now therefore take seven bullocks and seven rams and go to My servant Job and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept [his prayer] that I deal not with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job has.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.
Remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah [pause, and think of that]!
Sacrifice and offering You do not desire, nor have You delight in them; You have given me the capacity to hear and obey [Your law, a more valuable service than] burnt offerings and sin offerings [which] You do not require.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
With my whole heart have I sought You, inquiring for and of You and yearning for You; Oh, let me not wander or step aside [either in ignorance or willfully] from Your commandments.
To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you [as the eastern pastoral tribes join the trading tribes], the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with acceptance on My altar, and My glorious house I will glorify.
To what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba [in southwestern Arabia] and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices sweet or pleasing to Me.
[And the Lord replied to Jeremiah] Thus says the Lord to this people [Judah]: In the manner and to the degree already pointed out have they loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will now [seriously] remember their iniquity and punish them for their sins.
Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer burnt offering and cereal offering [without heartfelt surrender to Me, or by offering it too late], I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.
Though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your cereal offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I look upon the peace or thank offerings of your fatted beasts.
And there came a voice out from within heaven, You are My Beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.
Then He said, Solemnly I say to you, no prophet is acceptable and welcome in his [own] town (country).
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
He who serves Christ in this way is acceptable and pleasing to God and is approved by men.
[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
But I have [your full payment] and more; I have everything I need and am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. [They are the] fragrant odor of an offering and sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.
Hence, when He [Christ] entered into the world, He said, Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but instead You have made ready a body for Me [to offer];
[After all] what kind of glory [is there in it] if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you take it patiently? But if you bear patiently with suffering [which results] when you do right and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God. For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example, so that you should follow in His footsteps.