Come In, Welcome
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water Hebrews 10:19-22
‘Therefore, brothers…’ Whenever you see a therefore, see what it’s there for. From this point in Hebrews on, the writer builds on all that’s been said in earlier chapters by encouragement, illustration and warning. God has opened the way into His presence through His Son’s death, but to appropriate the resulting blessing, the reader needs to enter in (10:19-22), hold fast (10:23-25), keep near (10:26-35) and press on (10:36-39).
We have ‘confidence to enter the Most Holy Place.’ We approach God confidently and joyously. Under the old covenant they approached Him tentatively and fearfully. We are told to ‘draw near’; they were told to keep their distance (12:20). We are told to come at any time (4:16); they were only allowed one man (the high priest) to come into God’s presence once only on one day of the year.
The way into God’s presence is ‘new’ because it was only opened through Jesus, and ‘living’ because although He died, Jesus is alive forevermore (7:25). The way was opened through ‘the curtain … his body.’ Just as the heavy temple curtain was torn from top to bottom the moment Christ died, so His pure and spotless body was ‘rent’ for us. Jesus continues to intercede for us as ‘great high priest over the house of God.’ Believers are accepted in Him, helped by Him and belong to Him.
We can come into the presence of God ‘with a sincere heart.’ The new covenant promised a new (Ezekiel 36:26) and changed heart (Jeremiah 31:33). We come to God with complete genuineness.
We can come into God’s presence ‘in full assurance of faith.’ There is no uncertainty. Jesus has opened the way for full access into the very throne room of God. Faith takes hold of the promise and steps in.
We can come into God’s presence ‘having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.’ Sacrificial blood was sprinkled on the Israelites when they first ratified the old covenant by agreeing to its conditions (Exodus 24:8). If we accept it, the sacrifice of Jesus, (both proven and symbolised by His poured out blood), has the power to wash every stain from our conscience so we can come to God without even a shadow marring our relationship
And finally, we can come into God’s presence ‘having our bodies washed with pure water.’ This could mean walking in the truth of our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection when we were baptised in water; or, as in Ephesians 5:26 our ‘cleansing… by the washing with water through the word.’ The second is more likely because of the reference to ‘pure’ water. Because of all this, the writer urges, come into God’s full, unhindered presence. Nothing need stop you.
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