By invitation only ∙∙

By invitation only ∙∙

We can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. – Hebrews 10:19

Hebrews 4:14-16

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.
15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

No Trespassing Signs

At some point in life, most of us have come across a No Trespassing Sign. It’s a clear and unmistakable message to stay away. Some signs, like the one at the infamous military base Area 51, are laced with an added sense of mystery and danger:

Area 51 Warning
Restricted Area
Use of Deadly Force Authorized
No Trespassing

Except for a few bold, risk-taking, perhaps somewhat reckless individuals, most of us would take such warnings seriously and stay out. Few would risk ignoring them, fully aware of the potential consequences.

Restricted Access to God’s Presence

This concept of restricted access reflects an essential spiritual truth found in Scripture. Throughout history, God’s presence was deliberately guarded, ensuring reverence and protection. When the tabernacle, and later the Jewish temple, were built, a thick veil separated the Holy of Holies, where the glory of God dwelt, from the rest of the world. This veil didn’t require printed warnings. The people understood that the Father had authorized the use of deadly force. Crossing this sacred boundary without approval meant instant death. God established strict measures to maintain the holiness of His presence.

The Day of Atonement and the High Priest

Only one person, the High Priest of Israel, was allowed beyond the veil, and only on one specific day each year. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the nation. This solemn act emphasized the separation between humanity and God that sin has caused. The veil was not just a physical barrier; it also symbolized the spiritual divide created by sin.

The Veil Torn at Christ’s Death

Everything changed when the Lord Jesus Christ died. An extraordinary event occurred at the moment of His death. The thick veil of the temple, which had stood as an unyielding barrier for centuries, was torn in two from top to bottom.

Matthew captures this profound moment, Matthew 27:50-51, “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”

The End of Separation

The tearing of the veil was far from a coincidence. It signified the end of the separation between God and humanity, made possible through Christ’s sacrifice. Before this moment, only priests could access certain areas of the temple, and only the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies under strict conditions. The Lord Jesus Christ, the ultimate High Priest, removed these barriers once and for all and made direct access to God available to all believers.

A New Way Opened

The common people weren’t permitted to enter the sacred areas of the temple; they could only approach the outer limits. Even the priests could only go as far as the veil, and only the High Priest went beyond it, once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 9:1; Hebrews 10:1). The Old Testament legal system regarding the exclusivity of the Holy of Holies and the veil separating all humanity from entering was an object lesson of the collateral damage of sin: separation from God. But Christ fulfilled and transformed this system, opening the way for all who follow Him.

Bold Access to God

Through Jesus’ priestly work, every believer now has direct and unrestricted access to God. The fear of rejection has been replaced with an open invitation. Wiersbe reflects on this beautifully, saying, “Every believer in Christ is invited, even encouraged, to ‘come boldly unto the throne of grace.’”

What Jesus accomplished on the cross was not just the payment for sin but the initiation of a new relationship with God. The restrictions are gone. The curtain has been torn. Through faith in Christ, we can now approach God freely, confidently, and with joy. This is the ultimate invitation to move past the boundaries of separation and enter into a deep connection with our Creator, embraced by His unwavering love and grace.

REFLECT & PRAY

I am forgiven. I am accepted. I am welcomed into the loving presence of my Father. It feels so wonderful, almost too good to believe—but it is true!

Father, thank You for all You have done for me. You accomplished what I could never do on my own. You have taken away my sin and guilt, removing every barrier that once kept me from Your loving arms.

INSIGHT

The Invitation to Come Boldly

We are not only invited to approach the throne of our Father but encouraged to come boldly. Yet, the separation from God was never about the ominous presence of the veil alone. The actual barrier was our sin and guilt, which created an insurmountable distance between us and Him.

Isaiah 59:2 explains this clearly: “Your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen.”

However, through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, this separation has been removed. His sacrifice took away the guilt of our sins, allowing us to stand accepted in the Father’s presence. We have this confidence not because of our own worthiness, but because of His finished work (Constable).

The Boldness We Now Possess

Our ability to approach God with boldness rests entirely on the work of Christ. He is our living High Priest, continually interceding for us. This relationship is not limited to rare moments of access, as it was under the Old Testament system. The high priest then could enter the Holy of Holies only once a year, while we have an “open invitation” to come into the presence of the Father whenever we wish. What an unimaginable privilege this is! Wiersbe highlights this when he reminds us that we are called not just to visit but to remain in the presence of the Father every moment of every day.

Hebrews 4:16 beautifully captures this truth, saying, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

The Greek word translated as “boldly” or “with confidence” is parresia. Parresia conveys an “attitude of openness and freedom resulting from the lack of fear when in the presence of someone powerful or high-ranking.” Guthrie explains, “It also suggests a joyful confidence and ease when approaching God. One of the most striking aspects of our faith is the boldness with which the children of the King approach the Father without fear.

The Father is the King of the universe, the omnipotent Lord God. He inspires not merely respect, but an overwhelming sense of awe. Despite His magnificent splendor, His beloved children are not hindered by an awe that could otherwise paralyze them in His presence. One of the most striking aspects of our faith is the boldness with which the children of the King approach the Father, free from fear.

The Father’s Desire

The Father does not want us to approach Him timidly, anxiously, or burdened with fear of how He might respond. Instead, He invites us to come “boldly” into his presence, trusting in His love and eagerness to provide comfort and assistance. Charles Stanley notes that He is ready to meet every challenge we face with the grace and mercy we require.

This confidence in approaching God can best be understood through the image of a child’s innocence and trust. Picture young grandchildren arriving at their grandfather’s house on Thanksgiving Day. The moment they see him, they light up and run to him, climbing onto his lap with complete joy and assurance of his love. They hug and kiss him, knowing he will eagerly return their affection. Their excited boldness is not only welcomed but deeply desired by their grandfather.

That is precisely how the Father wants every child of the King, His children, to approach Him. Like a loving grandfather, but infinitely more so, He yearns for us to come close, without hesitation or fear.

By Invitation Only

Of course, this invitation to come boldly isn’t open to everyone automatically. It is reserved for those who have entered the Father’s kingdom through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The moment we become children of the King, this invitation is extended to us permanently. We are welcomed into His presence as beloved members of His Forever Family, free to approach Him with joy, confidence, and the assurance that His arms are always open.

This is the heart of our relationship with the Father. We are not outsiders hesitantly knocking on a door, but children eagerly running into the loving arms of an omnipotent, gracious God who delights in welcoming us home.

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© Dr. H 2025