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Is 'come as you are' biblical?

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TL;DR:

Although the phrase “come as you are” is not found in Scripture, its truth is nevertheless biblical. Christ freely accepts anyone who “comes as they are” and willingly receives His gift of salvation, allowing Him to change them into a new creation.

what does the bible say?

The specific phrase "come as you are" is not found in Scripture. However, understood rightly and in the context of the totality of Scripture, the phrase does seem to contain some very important truths. In our own fallen nature, we can offer God nothing that can come close to saving ourselves. Our best efforts are “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), and our hearts are desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). The idea of achieving salvation through our own goodness is completely false, and we have no choice but to approach God just as we are in our sinfulness. Mercifully, God has graciously chosen to accept us as we are and to meet us there. He fulfilled the work of salvation for us, and we are called to come as we are and to trust in His finished work.

from the old testament

  • God made a one-sided covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:12-21).
  • There is no one who does good (Psalm 14:1-3).
  • Our best effort is still a stench in God’s presence (Isaiah 64:6).
  • Our hearts are desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
  • Only God can remove our stony hearts and replace them with flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).

from the new testament

  • Jesus welcomed the sinners and outcasts (Matthew 9:10-13).
  • Jesus invites us to rest our burdens on Him (Matthew 11:28-30).
  • Jesus invites us to believe in Him (Mark 1:15).
  • We must be re-born through an act of God (John 3:1-8).
  • Jesus offers us living water for our spiritual thirst (John 4:10).
  • Jesus will produce living water in our very souls (John 7:38).
  • Jesus does not condemn us for our sin (John 3:16-18; 8:3-11).
  • The Holy Spirit will convince us of sin and righteousness (John 16:8).
  • Our act of faith is to believe in Jesus (Acts 19:4).
  • Only Jesus can save us from our own sin nature (Romans 7:24-25).
  • We are to be living sacrifices, surrendered to the transforming power of the gospel (Romans 12:1-2).
  • We are being transformed into Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).
  • We are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
  • We are given the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
  • It is only by grace we have been saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).
  • The Spirit who began our salvation will see it through (Philippians 1:6).
  • We who were dead were made alive by Christ (Colossians 2:13).
  • We are saved only because we have received mercy (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
  • He alone can cleanse us from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

implications for today

The phrase "come as you are" is intended to combat the false belief that we must make ourselves acceptable to Christ by ceasing from sin or doing good deeds before coming to Him. This we cannot do and could not be further from the truth. In fact, it is the exact opposite of Christ's teaching. Scripture tells us that our good deeds cannot save us . Even our best works are as filthy rags when viewed by our holy God . If we could make ourselves righteous before coming to Christ then His sacrificial, substitutionary death would not have been necessary for our salvation. Christ Himself stated that He came to save sinners. He did not come to save those who in their sinful pride believe themselves to be righteous but those who know they are not righteous. Jesus calls all who are weary and burdened by their sin to come to Him and find rest for their souls in Him. He calls not just sinners but the foremost of sinners to come to Him).So, does Jesus demand anything from those who would come to Him? Yes, He demands that we be born again spiritually. It is not enough to make moral improvements: we need new hearts, hearts that are repentant and believing. As a result of being made alive to God and becoming new creations in Christ, our lives begin to change. Although we do not become sinless after this rebirth, we have a different mindset toward sin. We desire to depart from sin, we mourn over our remaining sin, we are convicted by the Holy Spirit when we do sin, and we confess our sin to God. After our spiritual rebirth, we also begin to exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, and peace. All this is a result of coming to Christ and not a precondition for coming to Him. We come as we are, but we do not remain as we were.

understand

  • God calls us to come as we are, but He does not leave us where we are.
  • Come as you are means we come to God in our sinfulness.
  • We cannot come to God in our goodness because our deeds are like filthy rags compared to Him; instead, we come to God as we are, surrendering our lives to Him and trusting in His death and resurrection for salvation and the forgiveness of sins.

reflect

  • What holds you back from coming to God openly, just as you are?
  • When you consider that God accepts you as you are, how does this impact your understanding of Him and how you approach?
  • How has your relationship with God changed you over time, and what areas of your life still need transformation?

engage

  • Many people believe they are good enough to come to God or feel like they need to make themselves good enough to come to God. This is not true. God calls us to come as we are, as sinners in need of salvation. How can we help others understand how God calls us to come to Him for salvation and to grow in the sanctification process?
  • What does it look like in real life for us to come to God "as we are" yet allow Him to transform us over time?
  • How can the truth that God calls us to Himself wherever we are shape the way we invite others, especially unbelievers, to experience and know this?

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