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I. ACCESS TO THE FATHER. The access of the text is the access of reconciliation and peace; all enmity is removed, all differences cleared up. But it is more than this — access to the Father; He is seen. In the case of servitude, servants have access to their master; but here is access, with boldness, of those led by the Spirit of God, who are the sons of God. This is access of sons in "whom the Father is well pleased" — of those who are made "heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ" — of those who, as you see in the nineteenth verse, are "fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." This access, my brethren, is more than touching the golden sceptre with the hand of faith; it is the mutual embrace with the arms of love; it is the access of a loving son to a loving father.

II. But HOW CAN WE OBTAIN ADMISSION into the presence of the Father? Whence this access? Here, by nature, practice, habit, disposition, we are far from our Father's land. We are "strangers and foreigners" (Ephesians 2:19). Who can tell if He is willing to receive us? And if He will receive us, who is to bring us to Him? These questions are answered by the expression in the text, "through Him," that is, through Christ. Without introduction, there is no admission; and he who introduces another is in general answerable for the manner and conduct of the person introduced. Now, if you look to the context, you will see how Christ introduces us to the presence of the Father. You are "enemies," "rebels"; the first thing, then, to be done is to make peace. He has made peace, as you will see in the fifteenth verse; that is, He settled the terms of peace; He abolished in effect the enmity which existed between us and God. He slew that enmity upon the Cross. But then we were afar off, in a distant country, strangers and foreigners: therefore He came, as you see in the seventeenth verse, "to preach peace to you that were afar off." He tells us what He has done, both in the courts of heaven and upon the heights of Calvary.

III. The remaining expression in the text brings us to THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST. By the Holy Spirit we have access to the Father, through Jesus Christ. Thus you see we have the doctrine of the Trinity brought before us in this short verse. It is highly important always to bear in mind that the three Persons in the Trinity are equally concerned in the work of the sinner's salvation. Now, how is it we possess the privilege of access to the Father through the Son? We must recollect that would be no privilege unless there were the capacity to enjoy the same. Bring a blind man to the most attractive sight, and he is unable to behold or to enjoy it. Let heaven ring with a concert of the most angelic music, and the deaf man will not be animated by it. And give a man without the Spirit the privilege of access to the Father, and he has no part in it; he is entirely incapable of appreciating the Divine enjoyments of His presence; he would feel himself "afar off," although he were brought very nigh. Change of place is not enough; there must be a change of heart. Now here comes in the work of the Spirit. Secondly: The Spirit teaches us how to behave ourselves in the presence of the Father; He not only conducts, but teaches and instructs. Without the Spirit's teaching, we could never learn "Abba"; we should never frame our speech aright.

(G. A. Rogers, M. A.)

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KJV: For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

WEB: For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.