He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Ephesians 2:17,18
I’m sure you worked for someone who told you that they had an open-door policy. It means that you, the employee, could walk into the office of your supervisor, manager, or department head to talk. They made assurances that you could say anything; ask questions, make suggestions, file complaints, or report abuse. There were promises that your conversations would be kept in strictest confidence. Whatever you said would be taken very seriously and followed up on.
I’ve worked for more than a few who said they had an open-door policy. But I never really saw it in action. No matter how many assurances were made, people didn’t trust them. They were afraid what it might mean for their jobs. Their careers. Their families.
But when God offers an open-door policy, it’s really true.
When Jesus died, and paid for all our sins, we were given open access to God. Being completely and totally forgiven, there is now nothing between us and God. Any and all crimes against God have been paid for. Anything in our past, and anything in our future, have been totally covered by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
And what did that do? It created the one and only eternal open-door policy. We have the right, the privilege, the authority to directly enter into the presence of God. We don’t have to work our way up the organization. We don’t need to ask permission before moving up the heavenly food-chain.
It’s not like traveling on an airplane at all. There is no finding a flight. No buying a ticket. No paying. No boarding pass. No driving to the airport. No waiting in line. No security check. No walking to the gate. No getting in line to board. No showing your boarding pass to the gate agent. No walking down the jetway. No looking for your seat. No putting your luggage overhead. No buckling your seatbelt.
Think of it like this. Jesus’ sacrifice opened up a road, a highway to God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Actually, it was more of an express lane. Once you get on, there are no interruptions. No turns. No lights. No ramps. No tolls. No stops. Nothing between you and your final destination.
Jesus not only makes our peace with God, now he proclaims it. He announces it. He spreads the word of full and free direct access to God. There are no levels to work your way up. No checklist of good deeds to earn God’s peace.
No more working your way up through lower gods. No more needing to find a priest who’d try and work you in. No more offering sacrifices. No more paying just to get in line.
No wonder it’s called the gospel – the good news. And the funny thing about news is that it’s always, always, always about what’s already accomplished. News isn’t about what needs to happen, or what’s going to happen. News is what has happened. God’s good news is all about what’s already happened.
I was raised with the idea that I couldn’t go directly to God. I was too dirty. Too unworthy. To broken. Even after confessing sins, I wasn’t good enough. I had to keep trying to live a good life, do things that would please God in order to get his attention. But, of course, I could do nothing but fail. I hid my face in guilt and shame.
When I first heard that all my sins were paid for by Jesus on the cross, there was only one thing I could do. I shook my head in disbelief and said, “You’re kidding?” And when I was asked if I’d like to receive his payment for my sins, again there was only one thing I could say. “Absolutely!”
After praying for Jesus to take my sins, and giving him my life, something happened. For the first time in my life I knew that my sins were forgiven. No more looking over my shoulder to see how and where my past was going to torpedo me. And when the enemy did try to attack me, I took them to the cross and said, “Look. Paid in full.”
You too can have direct and free access to the God who made you. The one who loves you with an eternal love. The one who truly fulfills you. Gives you purpose and meaning.
This is God’s open-door policy. The truly ultimate open-door policy where there are no hidden agendas. No one hiding in the shadows. No one’s getting ready to jump on you. Attack you. Destroy you.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10
There’s a big difference between Jesus and everyone else. He’s not a thief. He’s not here to steal, kill, destroy. Just the opposite. He’s come to give us real life. A life that’s full to the brim and spilling over. A meaningful life. A life with purpose.
Isn’t this exactly what we yearn for?
Noodling Questions
Describe the meaningful parts of God’s declaration that all your sins are forgiven.
What distracts your being near to God? How do you get back to being near?
How can you take greater advantage of having direct and intimate access to God?
Comments