“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)
Because we’ve been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are no longer His enemies. We are no longer opposed to Him and deserving wrath. Through Jesus, we have shalom with God, and that changes everything.
Faith has also given us access. We are not distant anymore, left in the depths hoping to get close. Through Jesus, we have been brought into a place of highest privilege, where we can stand in grace and come into God’s presence. Entering God’s presence behind the veil was once limited to one person at certain times. Now it is open to all believers through Christ.
This access is through Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:18 says that through Jesus, both Jew and Gentile have access to the Father by one Spirit. Galatians 4 says God sent His Son to buy our freedom, then sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. So now we are not slaves of the law. We are God’s children, and we can cry out, “Abba, Father.”
That means our access to God is not only wider, it is longer. We can all be in His presence 24/7. The same Spirit that was upon Jesus is now in us, and everything in the Father’s house is open to His children. So today, rejoice in this peace, stand on His promises, and thank Jesus that through faith, you have been brought near.