Access to God

The privilege of entering into the presence of God through the work of Jesus Christ.

Only the pure have access to God

Psalm 24:3–4; 1 John 3:21–22 See also Psalm 41:12, Psalm 66:18–19, Psalm 73:28; Matthew 5:8; 1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 34:15–16

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully.

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God, and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.

The wicked do not have access to God

Psalm 101:7; Isaiah 59:2 See also Genesis 4:14, Genesis 4:16; Leviticus 22:3; Deuteronomy 31:18; Psalm 5:5; Isaiah 1:15, Isaiah 64:7; Jeremiah 7:15, Jeremiah 15:1, Jeremiah 23:39, Jeremiah 52:3; Ezekiel 39:23; Hosea 5:6; Micah 3:4

No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who tells lies shall stand in my presence.

But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

Access to God through the priests and sacrificial system

Access to God by this means in the OT

Exodus 29:44–45 See also Exodus 29:29–30, Exodus 29:36, Exodus 29:38–39

So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.

This OT access to God fulfilled in Jesus Christ

Hebrews 4:14–16, Hebrews 7:23–25 See also Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 7:18–19, Hebrews 10:10–12, Hebrews 12:18–24

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that 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.

Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

Access to God by the priesthood of all believers

1 Peter 2:5 See also 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Access to God through the Tent of Meeting and the tabernacle

Access to God by this means in the OT

Exodus 33:7–11 See also Exodus 40:1–2, Exodus 40:34–35; Numbers 1:51, Numbers 3:10, Numbers 3:38, Numbers 18:7, Numbers 18:22; 2 Chronicles 1:3

Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting, and anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. Then, whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand at the entrances to their own tents and watch Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance, and the LORD would speak with Moses. When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent. Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

This OT access to God fulfilled in Jesus Christ

Hebrews 9:23–24 See also Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:1–2, Hebrews 8:5–6, Hebrews 9:11

So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.

Access to God through the Most Holy Place

Access to God by this means in the OT

Hebrews 9:7–8 See also Leviticus 16:2, Leviticus 16:12–17, Leviticus 16:32–33; 1 Kings 6:16, 1 Kings 8:6 parallel 2 Chronicles 5:7; 1 Kings 8:10–11 parallel 2 Chronicles 5:13–14; 2 Chronicles 3:8

But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.

Access to God by this means fulfilled in Jesus Christ

Hebrews 9:3–5Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 10:19–22 See also Matthew 27:51 parallel Mark 15:38; Hebrews 6:19–20

He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Believers have access to God by grace

Psalm 21:6 See also Psalm 51:10–11, Psalm 145:18; Hosea 6:1–2; Acts 17:27; 2 Corinthians 4:14; James 4:8; Jude 1:24

For You grant him blessings forever; You cheer him with joy in Your presence.

Believers have access to God through Jesus Christ

Romans 5:1–2; Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 3:12 See also John 10:9, John 14:6

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 stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.