More Than Acceptance
It all begins with an idea.
More Than Acceptance: The Life-Changing Power of Receiving Jesus
By Dr. Daniel LeBlanc
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Accept Jesus into your heart.” It’s common in church culture, evangelistic messages, and Christian tracts. But often, people use this phrase without truly understanding what it means in the context of the new birth. While the heart behind it may be sincere, this phrase is nowhere to be found in the Bible. More importantly, it doesn’t fully capture what it means to enter a real relationship with Jesus.
The Bible invites us to go deeper. It doesn’t ask us to merely accept Jesus as an idea or belief. It calls us to receive Him—fully, personally, and intentionally—by receiving God’s Holy Spirit, the very Spirit of Jesus. It also calls us to make Him Lord—not just someone we believe exists, but someone we follow, trust, and surrender our whole lives to. This kind of relationship isn't theoretical; it's transformational. When we receive Jesus, His Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. He lives His life through us. This is far more than believing a set of teachings—it is becoming one with the living Christ.
Even those who don’t understand spiritual matters often grasp the idea of someone being controlled by a negative force, such as demonic possession or psychological oppression. Likewise, believers are not merely agreeing with doctrines—we are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t just influence us from the outside; He lives in us.
This revelation is what transforms everything: receiving Jesus as Lord is far more powerful than simply accepting Him.
What the Bible Actually Says: A Revelation of True Salvation
The Bible is crystal clear about how a person experiences salvation. It uses specific, powerful terms to describe the moment someone receives God’s gift—eternal life. But this eternal life isn’t something you get when you die. It begins the moment Jesus comes to live inside you by His Spirit. Jesus is eternal life (1 John 5:11–12), and when He moves in, life truly begins—Spirit life, resurrection life, real life.
This transformation doesn’t happen through religion, rituals, or routines. It happens through a personal, Spirit-filled encounter with Jesus. The Bible gives us five words that describe this radical journey:
1. Believe in Jesus (John 3:16)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes (pisteuō, πιστεύω) in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
To believe is more than mentally agreeing. The Greek word pisteuō means to entrust, to rely upon, to place full confidence in. It means putting all your hope in what Jesus said, what He did, and who He is. It’s not passive belief; it’s active trust.
2. Receive Him (John 1:12)
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
The word lambanō (λαμβάνω) means to take hold of, to seize, to lay claim to something by choice. Receiving Jesus means inviting Him to take full ownership of your life. He doesn’t just come as a helper—He comes as King.
3. Repent and Receive Forgiveness (Acts 3:19)
"Repent therefore and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out..."
The Greek word for repent is metanoeō (μετανοέω), which means to change your mind or way of thinking. Repentance isn’t just sorrow for sin; it’s a complete shift in how you see God. Instead of seeing Him as a distant judge, you begin to know Him as a loving Father who lives in you.
4. Be Born Again (John 3:3)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The phrase "born again" comes from gennēthē anōthen (γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν), meaning "born from above." It means a new origin. When the Holy Spirit comes into your life, your old self dies and a new creation is born. You are filled with God’s own Spirit, who lives in you, comforts you, and guides you.
5. Confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9)
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
The word homologeō (ὁμολογέω) means to publicly declare, to align yourself in full agreement. And Kyrios (κύριος) means Master, Ruler, and King. Confessing Jesus as Lord means declaring that He now reigns inside you. You belong to Him. This is the "exchanged life"—you give Him your life, and He gives you His.
The Progression of True Salvation
Each of these five steps reflects a journey away from religion and into a living, Spirit-led relationship:
Believe: You put your trust in Jesus and know He live in you through the Holy Spirit.
Receive: You welcome Him to live in you by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Repent: You change the way you think about God which results in Holy Spirit giving new direction for your life..
Be Born Again: You receive a brand new life, empowered by His Spirit. Your old life is exchanged for a new life.
Confess: You publicly align with Jesus as the leader of your life and He speaks through you..
This is not about being religious. It’s about being reborn from above though God’s Holy Spirit..
Accepting Jesus vs. Receiving Jesus
While accepting Jesus sounds good, it often refers to mental agreement or a decision without surrender. Many people accept the idea of Jesus, go to church, and believe He died for sins—yet never receive Him as Lord. Many religions except Jesus and His teaching along side of excepting other religious figures, but they never receive Him.
John 1:12 makes it clear: those who receive Him, not merely accept Him, are given the right to become children of God.
To receive Jesus means to welcome Him as King, surrendering everything and embracing His life within you which is the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Why It Matters
The difference between accepting and receiving Jesus is the difference between religion and transformation. One leaves Jesus on the outside; the other invites Him inside, where He reigns.
Jesus didn’t come to make your life better; He came to exchange your life with His life in the form of God’s Holy Spirit.
He didn’t come to sit on the sidelines of your heart; He came to rule from within through His indwelling Holy Spirit.
He didn’t come for fans; He came for followers of His indwelling Spirit.
And the invitation still stands:
Don’t just accept Jesus. Receive Him.
Invite His Spirit to live in you. Trust Him with everything. Let Him take over.
When you do, eternal life won’t be something you wait for. It will be something you begin living right now.
Conclusion: Step Into Real Life—Receive Him Fully
The message of the Gospel is not a vague invitation to believe in a distant God. It’s a clear and powerful call to receive a living Savior who wants to dwell in you, walk with you, and transform you from the inside out.
When you receive Jesus, you're not just choosing a religion. You’re entering a relationship. You’re not just believing facts—you’re welcoming a Person. And you’re not just inviting Him to improve your life—you’re surrendering your life so His can begin in you.
This is what salvation truly is:
It’s Christ in you.
It’s His Spirit alive in your spirit.
It’s a new birth, a new mind, a new heart, and a new way of living.
So don’t stop at acceptance. Go all the way into the fullness of life by receiving Jesus as Lord.
Let Him lead. Let Him live in you. Let Him remake you.
Because only when Jesus moves from being outside of your life to living on the inside—by His Holy Spirit—do you truly experience the miracle of salvation.
Receive Him today. Receive life. Receive His indwelling Holy Spirit.
