The Acceptance Letter

Applying to colleges is something that many high school juniors and seniors both look forward to and dread at the same time. Once the often tedious application has been filled out and sent off, the wait begins. And then the letters begin to arrive. They're called acceptance letters but can also become rejection letters.
The college’s required criteria must be met in order to be accepted. When filling out the application the students list their accomplishments including grade point average. In addition to grades extracurricular activities, community service, and any other accomplishments are put on these letter these applications to impress.
The day comes and the letters begin to arrive. There is great joy when a student’s top choice of colleges returns a letter that states he or she has been accepted to their program. All of the hard work has paid off and the next step in the future has been determined. Now all that is needed is for the student to acknowledge and accept the offer.
Acceptance to a college is often based on activity and accomplishment. We have received another type of acceptance letter. This acceptance is entirely different comes from Almighty God. It is found in the Bible.
The application process is simple. There are no minimum requirements to be met. All the activities in the world do nothing to impress. The qualification is simply to be born into this world. Every member of the human race has already been accepted by God, our creator. 
In the scripture we find our acceptance letter. This acceptance is based completely on God's unconditional love. This love precedes any good works. “But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.” (Romans 5:8 AMP)  We could not do anything in order to earn this acceptance. We can also never lose this acceptance by anything that we do.
Once we have received our acceptance letter by hearing the good news of Jesus Christ, it is our turn to respond. Jesus’ death has paid the price for our eternal salvation. We must simply receive that life by believing in it and in Him. “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (John 3:16 AMP) This one act acknowledges that we wish to be among those were called the children of God. “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life” (John 5:24a AMP)
An acceptance letter is only the beginning of collegiate life. Once a student begins to attend, they become a part of the student body of that school. These activities include studying and doing what is necessary to pursue a chosen degree.
Likewise, a true son or daughter of God will want to do the works the Father has called him or her to do. Our acceptance is not based on this work. It is simply the response of having a grateful heart to a loving Father.  “Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him.” (John 14:23 AMP)
If at some point we are not responding with obedience and love, we do not lose our acceptance. God does not put us on a probationary list as happens in school. He responds to us with forgiveness and new chances. Jesus told a parable of a prodigal son. (See Luke 15) God will respond in the same manner as this father. “So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently].” (Luke 15:20 AMP)   We have no fear of ever being cast out.
We can be secure in this acceptance. It is not about anything we say or do. It is simply about God’s unconditional love for us. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 AMP)
So read your acceptance letter over and over in the Scripture. Be happy and secure that you are forever loved.