Word Study "Access"

Believers have access to God the Father through the Holy Spirit because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Access (prosagoge) comes from two words ago meaning, "to go," and the preposition pros meaning "toward, facing" (Wuest). It is a leading or bringing into the presence of another, and denotes "access." The idea is to have freedom to enter through the assistance or favor of another (Vine).

The word is used in Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18; 3:12. The apostle Paul used the word to picture God's grace as a safe haven for the Christian. The believer has a permanent safe haven in which we now live in the rich experience of God's saving grace (Rom. 5:2). "We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand."

We have obtained as a permanent possession our introduction by faith into the grace in which we stand and exult in glory.

The verb proago means "approach, a drawing near." The apostle Paul writes we both have our access in one Spirit through Christ to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). All three persons of the Trinity share in the work of the redemption. It is "through Him [Christ] . . . in one Spirit to the Father."

It is God's eternal purpose in Jesus Christ our Lord that "we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him" (3:12).

The Holy Spirit leads or brings us into the presence of God. We have freedom to enter through the assistance or favor of another. The word was used to introduce a person into the presence of the king, the place where a ship docks or "landing stage" in a safe haven or harbor. The ship would have access into and rest in a safe haven. We have entered through the atoning death of Jesus Christ into the permanent unlimited favor of the haven of God's infinite grace.

The apostle Peter used the root verb prosago, meaning "approach, drawing near" in 2 Peter 3:18 when he wrote "in order that He might bring us to God."

We now have an entree into the presence of a holy God on the basis of the saving work of Christ. Jesus declared that He alone is our access to God (John 10:7; 14:6; cf. Acts 4:12).

Abiding Principles and Practical Applications

1. Because of God's saving grace in Jesus Christ we are acceptable to Him and have assurance that He is favorably disposed toward us.

2. Because Jesus came and died as our substitute and by means of that death for our sins and His resurrection He literally became the Door or Gate by which sinful people can come into the presence of God and abide with Him. It is the "new and living way" (Heb. 10:20), and it is "through Him we . . . have access . . . to the Father" (Eph. 2:18; 3:12).

3. If we are believers we have the right to enter God's presence in prayer, and worship with confidence that He will receive us and answer us.

Key Scriptures

Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18; 3:12; John 14:6; Acts 4:12

Message by Wil Pounds and all content on this page (c) 2004 by Wil Pounds. Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent. Scripture quotations from the New American Standard Bible (c) 1973, and 1995 Update by The Lockman Foundation.