Hebrews 10:19-39

This exhortational section describes ways that Jesus’ sacrificail fulfillment of the Old Covenant can transform the Christian life. Undersanding the biblical teaching about Jesus should produce a life that testifies Jesus.

10:19-22 | To draw near to God is the essence of Christianity under the New Covenant (7:19). This is unlike the OT systems, in which worshipers were restricted from His presence (Ps. 73:28; James 4:8).

10:19 | Boldness means “courage or confidence.” In the OT, only the high priest went into the Most Holy Place, approaching the Lord just once a year with the blood of a sacrificial animal. Now every believer may enter the presence of God by the blood of Jesus.

10:21 | In Christ, believers have both access and advocacy: access to God and a High Priest who intercedes for them at all times.

10:24-25 | Believers should take seriously their responsibility of one another and seek to arouse or provoke (stir up) one another to love and good works. Because they know the Day of Christ is approaching, they should adopt a far more urgent attitude about Christian life and fellowship with other believers.

10:25 | Forsake means “to leave behind or abandon.” Some believers were deliberately deciding not to assemble with other believers. A Christian’s ability to persevere in obedience is dependent upon meeting with other Christians for worship and encouragement. It is impossible to live the Christian life in isolation.

10:26 | The OT distinguished between the person who sinned inadvertently and the person who sinned deliberately (Num. 15:28-31). To sin willfully is to commit sin with settled intention. To persist is intentional sin amounts to open rebellion against God and His Word, and this is impossible for one who has been truly born again (3:12; 6:6; 1 John 3:9).