Access Granted

 Carp's Daily Tidbits

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2

Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Today's Title: Access Granted

Today's Scripture: Romans 5:1-2

Access granted!  It sounds like a good beginning for a James Bond movie or the latest spy-detective novel, doesn't it?  I mean there’s something kind of mysterious and just a bit devious about having access to information no one else has.  But rest assured, nothing like that has happened. I've not been entrusted with any secrets of national importance.  I do not know who will be in the Super Bowl, and the knowledge of the winners in the upcoming Grammy Awards has not been imparted to me.

So what is all the hullabaloo about?  Exactly what information am I privy to that would cause such an uproar and be cloaked in secrecy?  Nothing really!  My job at the university has taken a slightly different tact than before.  I continue to be in the classroom but now I am also working with students as they plan their courses of study.  Based on the classes they've taken and their chosen areas of concentration, I am helping our department by advising them on the next steps they should take towards graduation.

The notion of access was not lost on the Apostle Paul.  He spells out in no uncertain terms how the Christian has direct access to God’s grace.  Paul reminds us that this access comes through Jesus Christ and him alone.  In Romans 5:1-2 he pens these words, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

From this brief passage of scripture, Paul describes our relationship both before and after accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  He says that after accepting Jesus we 1) are justified, 2) have peace with God, and 3) have access to God’s grace.  None of these are possible without Christ.  Without him we are at odds with God because of our sin.  Without Jesus we have no peace and without him we cannot participate in nor be recipients of God’s grace.

But when we accept Jesus and ask him to come into our hearts and save us from sin, then we become justified by faith, we have peace with God, and we stand in God’s grace.  Jesus Christ grants us this access—and it is full access—to God!  When we accept his free gift of salvation, our status changes and we can tap all the wonderful resources of God because of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

This doesn't require a top-level security clearance and it you don’t have to work for any underground or clandestine organization.  To have this kind of relationship, all you must do is to admit you are a sinner—and we all are (Romans 3:23)—and ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life.  Have you been granted access today?