Being Approved by God

Jesus Was Approved by God

TThere can be no doubt that Jesus Christ, the only-begotten son of his father in heaven, was approved by God. We know this because God himself tells us so from heaven. The first occasion is at Jesus' baptism, where God's spirit, in the form of a dove, descends upon Jesus Christ, and God's voice is heard from heaven.‍

Matthew 3:16-17 ". . .After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God's spirit coming upon him. 17 Look! Also, there was a voice from the heavens that said: 'This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.'"

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The second time God's voice is heard is during the transfiguration, when Jesus takes three of his disciples up to a lofty mountain. The account states:

“. . .Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light. 3 And, look! there appeared to them Moses and E·li´jah, conversing with him. 4 Responsively Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, it is fine for us to be here. If you wish, I will erect three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for E·li´jah.” 5 While he was yet speaking, look! a bright cloud overshadowed them, and, look! a voice out of the cloud, saying: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him.”. . .” (Mt 17:1-5)

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On the third occasion in which God's voice is heard, Jesus requests God's name to be glorified. In response, his father says:

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“. . .Father, glorify your name.” Therefore a voice came out of heaven: “I both glorified it and will glorify it again.””(Joh 12:28)

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On the first occasion, God tells us that his son is approved. On the second occasion, God tells us the same thing and adds that we should listen to his son Jesus. On the third occasion, Jesus requests that God's name be glorified. Hearing God's voice from heaven is not an everyday occurrence, so these three occasions must be significant for us to consider.

The Bible also teaches us that we too can become approved by God. We have fallen far from perfection, yet through undeserved kindness from Jehovah, this hope is available to us.

‍Only God Can Judge a True Heart

So, how does one become approved by God?

To become approved by God, one must possess the right heart condition. Jehovah looks at the hearts of imperfect humans:

1 Samuel 16:7 "But Jehovah said to Samuel: 'Do not pay attention to his appearance and how tall he is, for I have rejected him. For the way man sees is not the way God sees, because mere man sees what appears to the eyes, but Jehovah sees into the heart.'"

God searches for those rightly disposed to receive the knowledge and understanding of him that leads to everlasting life:

John 17:3 "This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ."

First, he looks into our hearts, and once the approval process begins he draws this person to his son Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us that:

“. . .No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him. . .” Joh 6:44

This drawing is the beginning of a process that will ultimately allow us to draw closer to God as well.

Jesus Shows His Approval

During his ministry here on earth, Jesus Christ performed many miracles and signs to show that he was Gods son. From healing the sick, to feeding thousands of people from just a few loaves of bread and fish, and even raising the dead, and yet many of those people who saw these works still refused to believe that he was the son of God.

At one point he asks his disciples "Who are men saying the Son of man is?" They said: “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them: “You, though, who do you say I am?” In answer Simon Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In response Jesus said to him “Happy you are, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father who is in the heavens did.” Mt 16:13-17

Why did those who witnessed the many miracles of Jesus not recognize him as the Christ, yet the apostles did? Because God opened their eyes and revealed to them that Jesus was the Son of God, just as Jesus told them.

Consider that the Pharisees saw the man Lazarus, dead for four days, raised up by Jesus, and still didn't recognize that he was the Son of God. Why?

Jehovah did not reveal that Jesus was the Son of the living God to the Pharisees because of their heart condition. They were not drawn by the Father to his son, and were not permitted to recognize Jesus as the only-begotten Son of God.

Before anyone can come to truly know Jesus and who he is, God must first draw that person to Jesus and reveal him to them.

That is the first step.
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Intellectual Capacity to Know God

The next step is for Jesus Christ to do the same for his Father. Jesus Christ is the perfect image and reflection of his father, and he is the only one who fully knows him. Jesus tells us:

Matthew 11:27 "All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one fully knows the Son but the Father, neither does anyone fully know the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him."

John confirms this truth:

1 John 5:20 "We know that the Son of God has come and he has given us intellectual capacity that we may gain the knowledge of the true one. And we are in union with the true one, by means of his Son Jesus Christ."

Jehovah sees a person whose heart is receptive, open, and willing to make adjustments in their life to become acceptable to his purpose and standards. Jehovah then draws that individual to Jesus, who is the perfect image of God and who serves as a gatekeeper between humanity and the Father. Once the individual begins reflecting the qualities of Jesus Christ in their life, Jesus reveals the Father to them by giving them the intellectual capacity to gain the knowledge of Jehovah, the only true God. It is at this point that an approved condition begins to take shape.

Knowing Jehovah through his son Jesus Christ is the evidence that a person has entered an approved condition before God. This is not merely knowing God's name, as the Pharisees knew the name of God, but being given the intellectual capacity to gain true knowledge of Jehovah. That knowledge produces something the Pharisees never had: hope. Through Jesus Christ, a relationship with the Creator begins to grow, and as the person draws closer to God, Jehovah draws closer to them.

Those who reach this approved condition will then receive the blessings Jehovah promises to those who love him and want to worship him as the only true God through Jesus Christ. They will receive his spirit, to help them bear more fruitage, to understand the deeper things of God, to sustain them through trials in this world, and, God willing, to enter his eternal Kingdom. The approved condition, as Paul reminds us in Romans 5:4, is not the end of the journey. It is what produces hope, and that hope does not lead to disappointment

“. . .Therefore, now that we have been declared righteous as a result of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have gained our approach by faith into this undeserved kindness in which we now stand; and let us exult, based on hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but let us exult while in tribulations, since we know that tribulation produces endurance; 4 endurance, in turn, an approved condition; the approved condition, in turn, hope, 5 and the hope does not lead to disappointment; because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit, which was given us.” Ro 5:1-5

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