Many Christians today ask, "can God accept me for who I really am?" They think that probably, God cannot accept them because of their troubled pasts, their weaknesses, and imperfections. Such a thinking cripples them from seeing what they need to see:
Their real identity in Christ.
Do you know who you really are?
Today, there are even many Christians who are baffled at the idea that God loves them. Some even think that it's impossible, because "how could a loving God love a/an [insert adjective here] person like me?"
Well, that's where we get it wrong.
The Bible tells us that before we are in Christ, God sees us only one way: a sinner.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Whatever we were before we met Christ, it doesn't change the fact that we were sinners. Regardless of what our sins may be, we are all the same: sinners. But because God loved us so much, He sent His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to save us.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Now, does that mean God loves our sinfulness, our imperfections, and our weaknesses?
He loves us all and accepts us regardless of who we are, but to accept our sinfulness? No, He doesn't. He wants that sinfulness away from us, because He loves us.
A love that transforms
Many make the wrong assumption that because we believe in Christ, we can all get to heaven. Well, the Bible gives us a list of things that won't be accepted there:
"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)
If we are Christians and yet practice these things, then we haven't understood salvation yet. Salvation requires that we believe Christ's death and resurrection, and repent of our sins, the same ones His blood was shed to forgive. (see Hebrews 9:22)
Christ's finished work more than just saves us from sin and gives us the only way to God and to heaven. It actually puts us at the starting point of a lifelong journey of perfection called "sanctification."
Sanctification, which is done by the Holy Spirit, is the process by which God takes away all unrighteousness from us (see 1 John 1:9). This process began at salvation, where Christ's blood washed us clean (see 1 John 1:7; 1 Corinthians 6:11). It continues daily, as we are transformed from glory to glory (see 2 Corinthians 3:18), and ends on the day of Christ (see Philippians 1:6).
Who you really are
So now, friend, to summarize what I just said, you need to stop asking if God accepts you for who you think you really are, because you're not who you think you are.
Sin and the devil tried to destroy you and tell you that you're unacceptable before God, but Christ came destroying the works of the devil in order to bring all men to the Father. (see 1 John 3:8-9)
In Christ, you're a child of God. You're saved and redeemed, a beloved child called to pursue Christ-likeness and holiness. Who you were before you met Christ is not who you are now that He has saved you.
Friend, realize that you are now a different person. God loved you when you were a sinner, but He didn't want you to stay that way. He wants to transform you and conform you into the image of His own Son, Jesus Christ (see Romans 8:28-30). Choose to accept nothing but that.
