Q & A

Emotions

Q: Why do I always feel that God rejects me?

In Romans 8:15-16, Paul encourages believers to think of our heavenly Father in the most intimate way, as a Daddy. This relationship is in contrast to one of fear, which commonly existed between a slave and a master. God desires an intimate relationship with us. He has taken it upon Himself to remove every possible barrier.  Paul echoes the same idea in his letter to the Galatians: “When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (4:4-5).
Jesus speaks of our being born into the family of God (John 3:3), and Paul uses the term adoption. Both are pictures of the same spiritual reality—those who were outside the family being brought into the family. Again, the emphasis is relationship—Father and child.

God does not intend for us to consider Him a stern judge peering over the bench at the accused. Yet many believers have this perception of Him. For some reason they never get out of the courtroom and into the family room. To them, God is always a judge and never a father.

This view is so unfortunate. But even worse, it is a precursor to doubting other basic doctrines of the faith. I’ve talked with Christians who fear that the gavel may strike again—this time with a guilty verdict. The good news is that after the Judge pronounced us “not guilty,” He welcomed us into His family. That is apparent from Jesus’ words in John’s gospel: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and  believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and  does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).

As a believer, you will never be judged for your sins.  That is a settled issue. At the moment of your salvation, knowing all the sins you were yet to commit, God adopted you into His family.

Including in His family was not a courtesy extended to poor, wretched sinners. It was His goal from the very beginning.  And not just from our very beginning but from the beginning of time: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…in love, He predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself” (Ephesians 1:4-5).

God chose to adopt you as His child before the foundation of the world. Why? For one reason and one reason only: He wanted to.  That is what Paul means by the phrase, “according to the kind intention of His will” (Ephesians 1:5). God did not send Christ to die because He felt sorry for you.  He sacrificed His only begotten Son so that He could make you His adopted child. God wanted you!
 
I have heard of unwanted pregnancies; I have never heard of an unwanted adoption. Couples adopt children because they want children.  God adopted you into His family for the same reason. He knew your shortcomings. He knew your inconsistencies. He knew all about you.  But He wanted you just the same.

Now, I have been speaking to believers, but if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there is a barrier between you and God. To learn more about how Jesus overcame this barrier for you, so that you can walk daily in the assurance of God’s acceptance, click here.