How do we approach God?
By Nick Bibile
Eph
We will continue where we stopped last time. We saw very clearly last time even the angels were amazed of Gods wisdom, such a great salvation he provided for unworthy sinners like us. The gospel is the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even the angels are subject to him, all principalities and powers are under one head, the Lord Jesus.
How do you approach God? Some approach God through a new experience, emotions. Some one has to pump their emotions high with music or with emotional preaching so they can get high on emotions; many are deceived that they can access God this way. Some approach God through their traditions, lighting candles, incense, worshipping an image. Some say that they cannot approach God as they are sinful so they ask the priest or the minister to pray on behalf of them so they can approach God. The question is how do we approach God? Our way, the church way or Gods way? There is only one answer and thats Gods way. Gods way is not through our zeal or emotions but according to his instructions only.
During the past U.S elections (2004) 56% of the red states of the map believed that the Bible is the literal word of God and 44% of the blue states believed that the Bible is the literal word of God. Morality was the biggest issue for President Bush to win the elections. But let me ask you a question. If we believe that America will become morally good, having the Ten Commandments in public places, prayer in schools, stopping homosexuality and abortions we as a nation will be more blesses as we are approaching God in the right moral way. Absolutely no. There were very moral and religious people (Pharisees) during the time of Jesus but they were wrong. You have to come Gods way. Even though 56% of the red states believed that the Bible is the literal word of God, when it comes to very important issues like sin and salvation how many would not agree with some important scriptures.
Let us learn from Nadab and Abihu.
Le
10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer and
put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the
LORD, which he commanded them not.
Le 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died
before the LORD.
Nadab
and Abihu went to the temple only the high priest can go, did put incense
before the Lord and offered a strange fire; it is not the fire that came from
heaven, but an earthly fire. They took the commandments of the Lord very
lightly, but God killed them on the spot. They thought they were doing the
right thing, but they went without instructions, without directions to the holy
place, it was a misguided zeal not according to knowledge.
Joh
14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
The
unbelievers cannot enter to the presence of God as Jesus is the key in opening
and closing the door to the presence of God.
Re
3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he
that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth,
and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
The word of God is the rule of our faith and the word of God is the final authority as Christians we do not walk by sight but by faith. Let us continue on Ephesians 3:12 as it gives the answer.
Eph
First of all we need to understand that God is infinitely holy and we are unholy. There is no way an unholy man come boldly to the infinitely holy God.
Ps 143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Many people approach God with confidence and boldness, just because someone approaches God with confidence and boldness as Ephesians 3:12 say, does God accept his approach? The key is does God going to accept your way of approach to him?
Remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:10-14. They both approached God through prayer. The Pharisee was very religious and thought he was good not like any other sinners, he had confidence and boldness in approaching God. But his confidence and boldness was based on his own system of religion not on the truth. The other man the tax collector approach God not in his confidence or boldness but pleading for mercy as being a sinner. The answer is that the tax collector was justified before God and not the Pharisee.
Eph
How can the true
Christian have so much confidence and boldness to approach God?
God is the Judge of the universe. He is a righteous Judge.
He will not compromise with sins. His judgments are severe. He destroyed the
earth with the flood, rained fire and brimstone on
Now when you appear before a Judge as you are being accused and there is this lawyer who is accusing you of all of your wrong doings, you cannot go by your self. You need an attorney to represent you, an attorney that you will have confidence so you can face the judge with boldness. In the same way Satan is called the accuser of the brethren. He is accusing of all your sins to God. Satan can make all the lawyers of this world to nothing when you compare his brilliance and tactics, accusing the Christians in very legal way. But praise God the true Christians have another attorney who represent us and that is Jesus Christ.
1Jo 2:1 My little
children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Note he is righteous. In him there is no sin. He is very God of very God, the law was satisfied. He took the punishment on behalf of the true believer. God looks at the believing sinner as Satans accusations are very legitimate, God sees the believing sinner as white as snow there is not a spot of blemish all guilt and sin removed by the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true Christians substitute, the debt has been paid.
It is godly sorrow that produce repentance. Remember the story of the tax collector, thats godly sorrow. Have you truly repented of your sins? If you say you have no sins then you make God a liar.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
We can access the Father with boldness and confidence not in our performance but in the performance of Jesus Christ.
No one can approach
God unless he or she is justified before God.
God is infinitely holy and we are not, first of all for us to access to God we need to be justified before God. Justified has to do although you are guilty and deserve punishment but now you are pardoned and the guilt is removed through Jesus Christ. The true Christians are made righteous before God in Christ Jesus.
Ro 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Ro 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Here is the key; we are justified by faith now we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus. If you dont have peace with God there is no way you can approach God, before we were enmity with God now we have peace with God.
We are not justified because of our faith. Faith came to us
by the word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. (Rom
Christ did it all. It was Christ who redeemed us from the curse of the law, he redeemed us through his blood, forgave us our sins. He fulfilled the law by the holiness of his human nature by obedience even unto death of the cross; he was able to perform obedience and satisfied the Father on our behalf.
Without the righteousness of Christ imputing to the believing sinner there will be no faith. We did not choose him because of our faith but he chose us. (John 15:16)
1Jo
Ro 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Note very carefully on Romans 8:1 are you walking after the Spirit or after the flesh? If you are walking after the spirit according to the word of God in the fellowship of Christ, you love Christ and read his word, pray, meditate on him, having a sweet communion with him then you are not condemned. But if you have only a religion, become a hypocrite, on Sunday you wear the mask of Christianity then you are fooling your self. Because soon after church you will go back to your worldly ways to your pet sins. You have no time for God.
Everything is naked and open before God; you may fool a lot of people including you but not God.
Hebrews 4
13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are
naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Our mediator, High Priest
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16Let
us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time of need.
Christians are not perfect but when they truly repent of their sins and walk in Gods way they are forgiven in Christ, its all because of his grace.
Ro
Another part why the true Christian has boldness and confidence in approaching God is because of their conscience is clear. Martin
Luther said, "My conscience has been taken captive by the Word of God, and to go against my conscience or scripture is neither right nor safe."
Heb
Oh the precious blood of Jesus that not only removes the guilt and cleanses all sins but removes the guilty conscience in the true Christian. The blood of Christ is infinitely precious, perfectly justifying, always cleansing and fully sanctifying.
Heb
But there are those who call themselves Christians but not true Christians in reality who make time to come to church on Sundays and sometimes they enjoy coming, outwardly they will praise God. They will not plead guilty before God and will never change as their conscience is not awakened by the spirit of God, they will go on their ways as they have no fear before God.
Christ is the only door that is opened to heaven.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
At his death the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, (Matthew 27:51) now we can approach God and come to his presence by Christ alone.
Just imagine God has opened the heavens through Jesus Christ to the believers. How do you spend your time on earth if God has opened the heavens through Jesus Christ? You can approach God boldly and confidently through the Lord Jesus.
Many have no desire to approach God as they fulfill earthly desires as they have a passion for this world rather than God and they are consumed with the things of this world. They cannot see Christ the door as the door is covered with materialism, idolatry, greediness, gluttony, pleasures and the comforts of this earth, their eyes are downward instead of upward. Pray and ask the Lord for mercy and grace, pray for passion for his word, pray for growth in Christ, pray that you will serve and worship God.