The Israelites had to bring their perfect sacrifice to the entrance of the tent of meeting in order to be accepted before the Lord; its blood was their atonement.

What do we need to do now to be accepted before the Lord, to be able meet with Him?

Christ was our perfect sacrifice. His blood is the blood for our atonement. By His blood we can enter into the tent of meeting and be in God’s presence. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence and our good Father hears our prayers and doesn’t turn away from us.

Jesus died for all sin, yet all aren’t saved. Jesus said, “If you deny Me before men, I will deny you before My Father.” He wasn’t lying. Having raised your hand or gone forward at some altar call years before doesn’t make a difference.

In Matthew 7:21-23, those crying out, “Lord, Lord,” knew Jesus, at least in a way. They thought they were saved. They thought they were ready because they had worked in Jesus’ name. But you can’t earn your salvation. They are turned away by Jesus because of their sin. They weren’t accepted.

There is a debate over whether or not you can lose your salvation. Whenever there are two firm sides, each with Scripture to back them up, it’s likely a “both/and” situation, as my husband and I say.

It is true that nothing outside of us can separate us from the love of God and that no one can snatch us out of His loving hands. It’s also true that those who deny Jesus, He will deny, and that those who take the mark of the beast will suffer God’s wrath.

In those verses about what can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39), it doesn’t mention sin. It doesn’t list our own choices. We can choose to walk away. God does not force us to come to Him. He does not hold us captive against our will. We have to choose Him. We have to follow Him. If we wander off the trail, God is our Good Shepherd who will come after the one who has strayed to bring them back.

It’s not that one sin causes rejection. It doesn’t mean that years of distraction disqualifies us from having Him come after us to get our attention and turn us back. Being disciplined by God is the mark of being a child of God.

But the mark of not being a child of God is walking in sin, choosing life outside of Him, ignoring His words and warnings, choosing to love yourself instead of loving God. The mark of God’s love in your life is your obedience.