Note 13 at Eph. 2:18: "Through him" (i.e. Jesus), God credits men to be perfect even at a moment when they are ungodly in themselves. Charles Swindoll in his book The Grace Awakening states, "Justification is the sovereign act of God whereby He declares righteous the believing sinner-while he is still in a sinning state" (p. 24). "Through him," men, though sinners in the flesh, but justified in the spirit, may come boldly before our heavenly Father.

Note 14 at Eph. 2:18: The Greek noun for "access" used here is PROSAGOGE, and is used three times in the New Testament (Rom. 5:2; Eph. 2:18; 3:12). It literally means, "admission" (see note 3 at Rom. 5:2, p. 768). "In oriental courts there was a PROSAGOGES who brought a person into the presence of the king" (Tyndale N.T. Commentary (TNTC), p. 84). Jesus provided the admission price unto the Father with the shedding of His blood. The Holy Spirit is the one who escorts us unto the throne of God. And God the Father Himself receives us.