Hebrews 10:19-25
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
The book of Hebrews has always been a challenge in my reading, as I am not a first century Hebrew, a saint who may pick up on nuances of truth the ancient saint might see.
But then again, those folk have passed long ago, and as long as we see Jesus in the book, I think we do well, for the book of Hebrews is brimming with statements, claims, truths and passages teaching of the superiority of the Christ over Old Testament saints, Old Testament covenants, Old Testament Temples, Old Testament rules, Old Testament promised lands, Old Testament Sabbaths…. Need I go on?
He is the culmination of all Old Testament teaching, the principal and only King over God’s Kingdom. There is no truth greater than we find in Jesus, and the outworking of His kingdom will only magnify Him more and more.
Our passage speaks of two results of His sacrificial offering on the cross, that He has provided for His people. Two results of His sacrifice are that we, an undeserving group are now able to enter before the Lord.
- With confidence due to His blood
- Through a new and living way due to His flesh
We have access before the Lord, the Holy and All-Powerful God of creation. This, at least in my life, has become such a “common” truth, I sometimes (most of the time) do not realize or appreciate the tremendous honor it is to have access before the throne of God.
Beyond that privilege, we have acquired through our faith in the Son, the Great Priest, One who rules over the house of God, One who represents us before the highest throne. He is not only the One who offered the greatest sacrifice, but became the sacrificial Lamb, and now stands before the Father, representing His brothers and sisters.
The apostle has laid it out once again in this book. God has performed His mighty work. He has lined out three blessings provided to us.
What are we to do?
He provides us three directions, each of them with the familiar “Let us”
Before we dive in to the three “let us”, I want to suggest this direction is given primarily for the church body to exercise as a body, and not as I often think of as direction primarily to individuals. Throughout these injunctions, the apostle continually address “us”, “we”, “our” and “one another” A definite injunction for body life.
So how does this apply for conditional security Carl? Good question my friend. As these injunctions, or commands are aiming for the outworking of faith in a body life, the claim may be made that any individual that is not partaking in Body Life (of some sort) is not exhibiting a grateful heart towards the One who has provided the previous blessings.
Let us consider the apostles three “Let us” commands.
Let us…
- Draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Draw Near.
- This is the response we are to have in realizing the blessing He has provided. A response, but also a responsibility, the appropriate response of the heart, mind and body towards the Great Priest.
- Draw Near.
- Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
- Hold Fast
- This is the ongoing protection, and ownership of this blessing we have been granted. The term used translated as “hold fast” in this passage is defined within Strongs Dictionary as “to hold fast, keep secure, keep firm possession of” This speaks of responsibility on our part. We are to keep firm possession of this blessing!
- Hold Fast
- Consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together… but encouraging one another
- Consider How.
- To hold fast speaks of maintaining or keeping a position or possession. To consider how speaks of advancing the position, spurring others onto greater works of love. The apostle is not content to have these folk maintain. The march is to go forward!
- Consider How.
Each of these “Let us” phrases speak of our responsibility before the Great Priest over the House of God who has provided us access to the Throne of God.
Let us hear His direction and respond accordingly!
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