"War and Peace with a Holy God"

T.G.I.M. First Monday of the New Year 🎉

"The word 'access' is crucial to anyone who has ever wrestled with a holy God.  

We see signs all around us about access. One sign may read, 'No Access,' and another reads, 'Limited Access.' At one time in history a 'No Access' sign was posted at the gates of Paradise. Even the Old Testament temple allowed ordinary people no access to the throne of God.

Even the high priest's access was 'limited' to once a year under very guarded circumstances. A thick veil separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. It was off-limits. Restricted. No admission was permitted to the rank-and-file believer.

The moment Jesus was slain, the instant the Just One died for the unjust, the veil in the temple was torn. The presence of God became accessible to us. For the Christian, the 'No Access' sign was removed from the gates of Paradise.

We may now walk freely on holy ground. We have access to His grace, but even more, we have access to Him. 

Justified people need no longer say to the Holy One, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.' Now we can feel welcome in the presence of a holy God. We can take our questions to Him. He is not too remote to hear our cries.

We come as those covered by the righteousness of Christ. I repeat: We can feel welcome in the presence of God. To be sure we still come in awe, in a spirit of reverence and adoration, but the tremendous news is that we can come:

'Therefore since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.' ( Hebrews 4:14-16 )

To be bold or confident must not be confused with being arrogant or flip. But when we come we must remember two things: (1) who He is; and (2) who we are. 

For the Christian the holy war is over; the peace has been established. Access to the Father is ours. But we still must tremble before our God. He is still holy. 

We are to fear God not with a servile fear like that of a prisoner before his tormentor but as children who do not wish to displease their beloved Father. We come to Him in confidence; we come to Him in boldness; we have access. 

We have a holy peace."

💜 

( quoted from The Holiness of God, RC Sproul, Chapter 7, War and Peace with a Holy God )