“through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).
In addition to peace with God, Romans 5:2 also tells us that we have the extraordinary privilege of direct access to God through faith in Christ. Another translation of Romans 5:2 highlights this aspect of our relationship with God in the following manner: “Through Christ we can approach God and stand in his favor” (GW).
In the original language of this passage, the word “access” conveys the assured demeanor of one who steps into the presence of a royal dignitary. It also expresses the idea of continual admission into that royal presence. (1) So, much like a young son or daughter who enjoys intimate access to a parent who serves as a head of state, we enjoy access to God’s presence through faith in Christ as well.
The following source expands on this idea with a lengthy quote that illuminates this concept for the benefit of a contemporary audience…
“The word he uses for introduction is prosagoge, (G4318). It is a word with two great pictures in it. (i) It is the regular word for introducing or ushering someone into the presence of royalty; and it is the regular word for the approach of the worshipper to God. It is as if Paul was saying, ‘Jesus ushers us into the very presence of God. He opens the door for us to the presence of the King of Kings; and when that door is opened what we find is grace; not condemnation, not judgment, not vengeance, but the sheer, undeserved, incredible kindness of God.’
But prosagoge (G4318) has another picture in it. In late Greek it is the word for the place where ships come in, a harbour or a haven. If we take it that way, it means that so long as we tried to depend on our own efforts we were tempest-tossed, like mariners striving with a sea which threatened to overwhelm them completely, but now that we have heard the word of Christ, we have reached at last the haven of God’s grace, and we know the calm of depending, not on what we can do for ourselves, but on what God has done for us.” (2)
In the words of one New Testament scholar, “The French have a word for this, entree. And that is exactly what our Lord does for a believing sinner. He clothes him with Himself as his righteousness, cleanses him in His own precious blood, and brings him into the full favor (grace charis) of God the Father.” (3)
(1) See G4318 – prosagoge – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4318/kjv/tr/0-1/
(2) Barclay, William. “Commentary on Romans 2”. “William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/romans-5.html . 1956-1959.
(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [Romans 5:2] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.