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Proving What Is Acceptable To The Lord

The inspired writer Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:8-10 – NKJV: “Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), proving what is acceptable to the Lord” (emphasis mine).

Human history is replete with things people produced and offered to God, only to face the consequences of His displeasure. In each of these cases, the people believed at the time that they were doing good. Why? Because what they did was acceptable to themselves (cf. Proverbs 14:12 – NKJV; Proverbs 16:25 – NKJV; Judges 17:6 – NKJV; Judges 21:25 – NKJV).

For example, when we sit down in a restaurant, does the waiter or waitress immediately begin to bring us our food and drink? Of course not. The first words they usually say to us are, “What are we having today?” If we order a steak, the waitress or waiter will clarify the order by asking us how we like it cooked. If our meal comes with a baked potato, they will ask whether we want butter or sour cream on our potato. If we want coffee, they will ask whether or not we drink it with cream or sugar.

What’s the purpose of all these questions? To simply find out what is acceptable to us. Just as the waitress or waiter in the restaurant is there to serve the diners, we to an even higher degree, are here to serve God. Before we can even begin, we must find out what is acceptable to Him. What does He want us to do? When and where does He want it done? In what manner does He intend the task or tasks to be carried out?

This is exactly why God has given us His word so we can find out and know what is acceptable to Him. Paul tells us in 2 Peter 1:3 – NKJV that:

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.”

The Scriptures plainly inform us of how God wants us to live and how we can live godly lives before Him. We don’t have to wonder, “Will God like this? Will He approve of this action?” In as much detail as is necessary, He has told us what things He will accept. Our responsibility is to find out from the inspired Scriptures just what those things are.

For this reason, we’re told that the Scriptures are profitable for “instruction in righteousness” and that they equip us “for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 – NKJV). The Bible enables us to find out what pleases God, and how to do those things. When we ignore God’s instructions regarding righteousness, we end up trying to establish our own, with disastrous results (cf. Romans 10:1-3 – NKJV).

Even though we possess some characteristics that reflect the image of God (Genesis 1:27; cf. Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:23-24; Colossians 3:9-10), we do not think or understand as He does regarding sin (Isaiah 55:6-9 – NKJV). What might make perfect sense from our perspective might be abhorrent to God (cf. 1 Samuel 15:14-23). The only way we can know is to find out what God has revealed through His word, and follow that explicitly. The very fact that some things are acceptable to God presupposes that other things must be unacceptable. To revisit our example, the waitperson understands that we do not want or will accept everything on the menu. That’s why he or she takes our specific order to avoid bringing us something that’s not to our preference.

Presenting to God what is unacceptable, means a penalty far worse than an undersized gratuity. As examples, Nadab and Abihu, the eldest sons of Aaron, lost their lives because they “offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them” (Leviticus 10:1 – NKJV). Saul had the kingdom of Israel torn from his rule because he allowed the people to keep as offerings what God had ordered destroyed (1 Samuel 15:1-35 – NKJV).

Jesus affirmed that He will reject many who fail to do the will of His Father, even though they do “many wonders” (?) in His name (cf. Matthew 7:21-23 – NKJV). It’s not difficult to find out what is acceptable to the Lord. All we have to be willing to do is to read and study:

“the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 3:15 – NKJV).

Through diligent study and application of the Bible’s teachings (2 Timothy 2:15 – ASV; Hebrews 5:14 – NKJV, we won’t have to wonder what is acceptable to God — we will know and understand what is acceptable to Him (Ephesians 3:4 – NKJV; Ephesians 5:8-17 – NKJV; cf. Philippians 4:18 – ASV; 1 Timothy 2:1-3 – ASV; 1 Peter 2:5 – ASV; 1 Peter 2:18-20 – ASV).