February 7 OUR ACCESS TO GOD "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" (Romans 5:1, 2, NIV). This title portrays Christ as the exclusive avenue to God. The word translated access occurs only three times in the New Testament and is used only by Paul. The imagery of access to God is suggestive of a ruler's audience chamber into which none may enter without an officially accredited escort. The royal chamber is off limits without such an escort. Spiritually, Jesus is the royal escort who ushers us into the heavenly audience chamber and personally introduces us to God. No one can approach God's audience chamber alone since our sins have separated us from Him (see Isaiah 59:2). Because of Christ's once-for-all-death on the cross, He is able to escort us to God. He declared, "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6, NKJV). As our escort, Christ does not only "bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18, NKJV) for a one-time audience. His introduction creates for us a permanent status of friendship with God. As such, we have peace with God and can therefore approach Him as Father with boldness and freedom. This confidence is available only through a growing faith in Christ (see John 14:6). The following words beautifully express Christ's work as our access to God: "In the Father's acceptance of Christ on man's behalf, we are assured that through the merits of His Son, we may find access to God and may be accepted in the beloved. Jesus, the world's Redeemer, has opened the way so that the most sinful, the most needy, the most oppressed and despised may find access to God."--The Messenger, December 15, 1892. My Prayer Today: Lord, I praise You because Christ has escorted me to You, and now I have free access to You. Amen.