THEREFORE: Hebrews 10:19
Rebecca Lightfoot
The early chapters of Hebrews give a complete picture of WHO Jesus is;WHAT only Jesus can do for us;WHAT Jesus has done for us; & WHAT only Jesus CAN DO for those that turn away from trusting their old ways and turn their lives over to TRUSTING Jesus and HIS WAYS!Then Hebrews10:19 says,”THEREFORE,brothers,since we have a confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain(Jesus’ sacrifice in our stead OPENED the barrier between mankind and The Holy & Righteous God - for those that choose to turn from sin and seek&follow Jesus)....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(our lives)washed with the pure water.Let us HOLD UNSWERVINGLY to the hope we profess,for he who who promised(The Lord God)is faithful.And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward life and good deeds...let us encourage one another.”.The words used in these verses tell us that this CONFIDENCE/FAITH is Eternally Secure because it is Almighty God that Secures these Promises!They also tell us that we will be significantly challenged by forces&influences desiring to rob us of this FAITH/this FOUNDATION OF BELIEF!Hebrews goes through a brief HIStory lesson to remind us of how God has PROVEN Himself worthy of our TRUST by the many ways HE has fulfilled HIS promises and how HE fulfilled all PROPHECIES about Jesus Christ...so we may have every reason to have lives with an ETERNALLY BASED foundation for living...one with/based on the ETERNAL HOPE/CONFIDENCE in all of The Promises of The Bible through the The Curtain that was OPENED by Jesus Christ.Then,because of The Lord’s great concern for us,Hebrews10:26 gives us a “self evaluation” so we can discern the sincerity of our personal FAITH/CONFIDENCE in The Lord- Hebrews 10:26 says that “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received knowledge of THE TRUTH.....”,that what we profess is only lip service and not a turn from “something” to Christ...that what we profess is not proven by how we think and live. In other words,the way we think/respond/live will ultimately reveal what we really have FAITH/CONFIDENCE in,whether or not we sincerely revere The Lord for His Mercy & Grace freely offered by Jesus!These verses leave no room for “the in between”!Because,when we read Hebrews10:35-39 the dangers of “the in between” boil down “throwing way our confidence/faith”->Heb10:35,”So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For,in just a little while,he who is coming will come and will not delay....But my righteous one will live by faith.And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”.Dear Lord,I am so thankful for Your great patience with me...and for Your Faithfulness to never letting me go from Your Grip(John10:27-30,”My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.I give them eternal life,and they shall never perish;no one will snatch them out of my hand.My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.I and the Father are one."),but I also know the truths of how my mind/heart/life often demonstrate my unfaithfulness and lack of confidence in You.I pray for Your Word & Your Spirit & Your people to encourage and enable me to persistently grow in my confidence/faith in You and Your Ways...and may the ways I live and think be true to this CONFIDENCE/FAITH.