February 5

We have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. - Ephesians 3:12.

HERE we see that while the Lord Jesus Christ is the object of our faith, he is also the, medium of our access unto God, and that, to enjoy this privilege, our faith is as necessary in one sense as Christ is in another. The one is meritorious, the other instrumental. Here is the way of access, but faith is necessary to approach God with boldness and confidence. Let us observe three things respecting this faith in Christ, and the freedom we enjoy through it in drawing near to God.

First, We have boldness and access with confidence through the faith of him as the gift of God. “God so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son;” and the Apostle says, “How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” The conclusion is obvious, that if he should give us the greater he will not withhold the less. If he has given us the one without asking, he will not deny the other upon our asking.

Secondly, We have boldness and access by the faith of him as the sacrifice for sin. When a man is convinced of sin, nothing but this will satisfy him. Now he can come and plead with God through the atonement of the Lord Jesus.

Thirdly, We have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him as our risen and exalted Saviour.

Thus God raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that our hope might be in God. As “he was delivered for our offences,” so “he was raised again for our justification;” and “he ever liveth to make intercession for us.” He is our “advocate with the Father.” He pleads on our behalf. Thus we have boldness and access with confidence through the faith of him. What is our worship? Is it having access unto God? Is it drawing nigh to God, and honouring him with the lip while the heart is far from him? or are we concerned to “worship God in the Spirit,” to “rejoice in Christ Jesus,” while we have “no confidence in the flesh?”

This is the happiness of a believer in Jesus, who is free and welcome to have access with confidence and boldness to God. Let us make use of this privilege both for ourselves and on behalf of others, being more enlarged in our desires, more emboldened in our hopes, and more importunate in our supplications.

“Thou art coming to a King,

Large petitions with thee bring;

For his grace and power are such,

None can ever ask too much.”