As we continue to look at the fact and privilege of believers calling and relating to God as our Father, this new relationship that the gospel has brought us into, consider this beautiful truth this morning that comes with this.

In the Old Testament, we clearly see a picture of the holiness of God. One could argue that this characteristic of holiness is paramount in the OT. See Is. 6:3, where the angels declare "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty".

The basic idea here is that the Lord is separate, separateness from His creation. The characteristic of holiness sets God apart from all else, especially His creation. Included in this would be His greatness and His purity, see Hab. 1:13, where it declares that God's "eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong."

God's creatures, due sin, are separate from God. And this affects everything, even how we approach God. We see a picture of this in the Tabernacle and the Holy of Holies, where only the High Priest could enter, and that after much cleansing and with great trepidation.

But in the New Testament, we are introduced to a new relationship that can exist between God and His creation, that of Father. Father has now become somewhat of a covenant name in which God's creation can relate to Him. A covenant that binds God and His people. Christians are seen as His children, sons and daughters, even heirs, co-heirs with Christ Himself.

And with this, in the NT we see a stress being placed on the boldness and confidence in which we can approach God, see Heb. 4:16. Totally opposite and even foreign to what an OT saint might have experienced. The natural question is how did this or does this change take place? What ushers in this boldness?

The answer is the gospel, faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. See Eph. 3:12, which speaking of God's eternal purpose carried out in Christ, states "in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Christ."

See Heb.10:19-22 as well, which states "since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us ... let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith."

Here is the great news of the gospel which we must grasp. More than simply forgiveness of our sin, though that is amazingly awesome, More than heaven, though that is awesome. More than a declaration of being righteous, though that allows everything else. Beyond those great declarations, what is more amazing is that through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, through propitiation as we saw last week, we can now relate to God as or Father.

To those who are in Christ, God is your loving Father. You belong to His family. As such, you may approach Him boldly, knowing He cares for you. This is indeed a huge part of the gospel and one of the central messages of the NT. God as Father. Bold and confident access to God as Father.

Grasp this amazing truth this morning. No matter what kind of images come to your mind when you think of a father based upon your own earthly father, grasp believer a picture of God as a wonderful Father. We live in a world where fatherhood has been relegated to the sidelines and rendered unnecessary. And yet one of the primary pictures of God thru faith in the gospel is that of Father. Grasp the weight of this privilege this morning.

God is our Father thru faith in Christ. And He is a perfect parent - faithful on all counts - love, care, generosity, thoughtfulness, interested in what we are doing, skillful in training us, gentle, wise in guiding us, always available, helpful, and the list goes on and on. In all the ways we know fathers should be and we who are fathers want to be, God is the perfect Father.

We will jump into this in more detail tomorrow, Lord willing, but for now think on what we have said today and what this means practically for you believer. That thru faith in Christ and the forgiveness of your sins, God intends for the lives of believers to be a reflection and reproduction of Jesus' own fellowship God.

Is that you believer? Do you know and experience this type of fellowship with God? Do you see Him in all His perfections and relate to Him boldly as such? Do you feel the freedom and joy of running into the shelter of His arms no matter what knowing He cares and is there? Do you seek to spend every waking moment enjoying God as Father through everything you do?

Or have you fallen into the trap of living apart from Him, as if He were not who He truly is, and as if access were not there like it truly is? Have you mistakenly viewed the gospel as simply the forgiveness of your sin but lacking fellowship with God as sons and daughters? No daily communion?

Don't miss out on the fellowship with God that He offers you through Christ. Don't go another moment without enjoying this fellowship and allowing it to impact every area of your life, no matter what we face. Even now in isolation and social distancing, experience intimate fellowship with God as Father.