Access To The Father

During the days of the U.S. Civil War, there was a soldier in the Union army who had lost his older brother and his father. The young man naturally began to think about his mother and sister back home. With no one to help them with the spring planting on the farm, he felt he was more needed there than in the military. Finally, he decided that he would travel to Washington, D.C., to plead his case to President Lincoln. When he arrived in the nation’s capital, he went to the White House, approached the doors, and asked to see the president. However, he was told, "You can’t see the president! Don’t you know there’s a war on? The president’s a very busy man. Now go away, son! Get back out there and fight like you’re supposed to." So he left, very discouraged. He was sitting on a little park bench not far from the White House when a little boy came up to him. The lad said, "Soldier, you look unhappy. What’s wrong?" The soldier looked at this young boy and began to tell him everything about his situation.

Then something amazing happened. The little boy took the soldier by the hand and led him around to the back of the White House. They went through the back door, past the guards, past all the generals and the high ranking government officials until they reached the president’s office itself. The little boy didn’t even knock on the door but just opened it and walked in. There was President Lincoln with his secretary of state, looking over battle plans on the desk. President Lincoln looked up and asked, "What can I do for you, Todd?" Todd replied, "Daddy, this soldier needs to talk to you." And right then and there the soldier had a chance to plead his case to the President, and his request was granted.

"FOR THROUGH HIM WE BOTH HAVE ACCESS BY ONE SPIRIT UNTO THE FATHER."

The Christian has access to the Father through the Son. It is the Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who takes us by the hand and brings us to the Father’s throne and says, "Father, here is someone who wants to talk to you" (Illustrations Unlimited, 72-73).

This verse brings us face to face with the mystery of the holy Trinity.

"For through HIM we both have access by one SPIRIT unto the FATHER."

You cannot possibly understand the Christian faith unless you believe in the Trinity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.

Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

The three Persons in the Trinity are interested in us and have worked together to save us.

The problem of sin, your sin and mine, was as serious as that—that it necessitated the action of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to deal with it.

I. WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE BLESSING OF KNOWING GOD AS OUR FATHER.

A. We have ACCESS unto the Father.

"In whom we have boldness and ACCESS with confidence by the faith of him" (Eph. 2:12).

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS RENT IN TWAIN FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM" (Matt. 27:50-51).

Access to God is really what eternal life is all about. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

B. We have access UNTO THE FATHER.

Look back at verse 16: "And that he might reconcile both unto GOD in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." Now look at the change in verse 18: "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto THE FATHER." Why doesn’t Paul say "unto God"? Because through Christ and by the Spirit God has become our Father. We have access to the One who is not only God, but is also our Father.

Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by addressing God as "Our FATHER which art in heaven" (Matt. 6:9).

The apostle John writes, "Truly our fellowship is with the FATHER, and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3). He does not say that our fellowship is with "God"; he says that our fellowship is with "the Father."

After fleeing Hitler’s Germany in the late 1930s, Albert Einstein found refuge in America. He purchased a quaint, old two-story house on a tree-lined street within walking distance of Princeton University. There the world’s foremost mathematician entertained some of the most distinguished scientific and political personalities of the age. He discussed with his noted guests the issues which intrigued his celebrated mind—from physics to religion to human rights. Many of the greatest ideas which have shaped our modern world were conceived behind the green shutters of that modest little house.