Let us draw near

Open: You have been given an all-access pass to your favorite: music artist, championship game, car show, White House (fill in the blank). You have this pass, but you choose not to use it.

Transition: Your friends would be confused / shocked. Why would you fail to use it? It makes no sense!

What really doesn’t make sense are those who are IN Christ who fail to take advantage of the privileges we have been granted. The LORD Himself invites us come behind the veil and explore the majestic wonders that are prepared for His followers.

Let’s read about these magnificent truths and learn how we can be drawn closer to the throne of His glory

READ the Text: Hebrews 10:19-25

The Basis for Access to God

The “therefore” refers back to the entire section in which the writer has been making his claim for Jesus being a better High Priest. He began contrasting Jesus with the OC sacrificial system back in chapter 5 and he brought it to a climax at 10:18. Jesus IS the sufficient HP who has made the only acceptable payment on the behalf of others and to the Glory of God! Since Jesus has accomplished this, “there is no more offering for sin” (10:18).

The therefore gives the results of His accomplishment. Based on Jesus’ sacrifice, believers now have confidence to enter the throne room of God, because of His High Priestly intercession. Awesome is an overused word, but this is one of the places it can be used correctly - it is AWESOME that we have been given this great & priceless privilege, one that we do NOT deserve.

How are those IN Christ supposed to respond to this great gift? The writer gives three ways for us to acknowledge our all-access privileges. Note that these 3 ways are given in the form of commands; they are NOT suggestions!

Believers are to Draw near to God (Hebrews 10:22)

Explanation: The writer is addressing believers with these commands as evidenced by the pronoun “us” - he is including himself. He tells his fellow saints to “draw near” to God, but he does so with modifiers to the command. We are to have true hearts and full assurance with a clear conscience.

A true heart is one that is free from hypocrisy or hidden sin. It approaches God with genuine affection, not just going through the motions. When the heart is true, the assurance is full. Hidden sin will rob of us of our assurance before a Holy God who sees and knows all. A true heart and full assurance go hand in hand with a clean conscience - a heart that has been washed clean by the sprinkling of water. There may be a reference to baptism here, but those trained in the OT would probably think of Ezekiel’s comments on this:

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Ezekiel 36:25

Argument: Even as believers is still possible to get closer to God. We should always be striving to grow in His grace. There is no phase of the journey in which it becomes OK to coast. Remember the first warning given in Chapter 2: Pay attention or we will drift away!

Believers are to maintain the Confession of Faith (Hebrews 10:23)

Explanation: The writer also challenges his fellow believers to persevere in maintaining the beliefs that bind them together as a community. They are to maintain them by being able to articulate said beliefs; they are to be “professing” (speaking) them to others.

Example: In an April 2026 episode of his online show, political commentator Tucker Carlson stated, "The people in charge don't want you to know this, but Muslims love Jesus".

How do you respond to this? How do you think the 22 million followers understood this comment. BTW, I sincerely hope your response is not, “Gee, I didn’t know that. Muslims must be okay since they love “jesus” like we do.”

Argument: Having a confession of faith is much more than just declaring you consider yourself a Christian. A confession is a summary of beliefs taken directly from the Bible. A confession is a collection of statements that deal with what Christians believe. Knowing and maintaining a confession equips believers to operate in a hostile environment that pleases God.

The writer has been strengthening the confession of his audience. He gave them God’s truth so that they could stand firm against the pressures of their day, pressures that were calling them back to the OC sacrificial system. He gave them truths and logical presentations that showed Jesus was superior, and that there was nothing to go back to.

We don’t have those same pressures, but we do have challenges of our own. We are faced with responding to multiple attacks across several fronts for our allegiance to Jesus.

“Say YES to love, NO to hate”

The universe is billions of years old and humans are the chance result of mindless evolution

Gender is a social construct, not biological reality

Application: the writer is telling them to hold fast their confession while Jude is exhorting believers to “contend for the faith once delivered,” (Jude 3) and Peter is telling believers to “always be prepared to give a defense of the hope that lies within us.” (1 Peter 3:15) Believers are to know both the WHAT and WHY of Christian belief. You cannot hold what you do not have.

Believers are responsible for encouraging other members in the arena of spiritual growth (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Explanation: The writer charges his audience (and us) with the issue of mutual accountability. He is telling them to be intentional in this responsibility. “The word Consider (katanoeo) calls believers to intentional, others-focused reflection. It means to study your fellow believers carefully—their needs, strengths, and struggles—so you can lovingly provoke them to spiritual action.” (preceptaustin.org, editor’s note on Hebrews 10:24, accessed on 8/15/26)

It is evident that this careful and continuous (present tense) consideration must take place in the regular and sustained corporate worship setting. Believers are to meet together for worship on a regular basis. He is charging the members with the responsibility of knowing (and caring about) who is present, and who is not. It is not possible to really know another person when they only show up once a month or every 6 weeks or so.

Argument: Our culture prizes individualism and the concept of personal autonomy - I can do whatever I want as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. This mindset is foreign to the Bible! We are called to be our brother’s keeper!

The focus is to be positive and encouraging, and NOT to be dismissive or negative towards another member. We are called to “check up” on others, even when they may be offended by the inquiry. Genuine love for others is being willing to take the initiative to encourage the other person.

Conclusion: The writer is informing us that those who have bowed the knee to Jesus have been changed. The change is not only personal (I have an all-sufficient Savior who paid my debt and has forgiven me), but it also has a social dimension (I have been placed in a family of faith with responsibilities).

Yes I am to draw nearer to God, but as I do, I can be used by God to encourage others to grow with me.

Yes, I am to persevere and to hold fast my confession of faith. As I take public stands for the things of Christ, and as I increase my understanding of the Word, I can encourage others to stand with me.

Yes, I am to be an active member in worship, but I realize I have a responsibility to my brothers and sisters. I can be used of God to encourage them in their walk of faith.