Therefore, brothers and sisters, 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 priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:19-25
In Hebrews 10, the writer gives us four actions we should take in view of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to offer us forgiveness of sin.
In Hebrews 10:1-18, the writer shares about the beauty and significance of Jesus’s death on the cross. It is a life-changing and eternity-changing truth that if you do not know, there is nothing more important for you to understand.
The Holy Spirit tells us, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The blood shed by Jesus Christ offers forgiveness for all who will come to him in faith and repentance. He sums it up this way, “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”
If you have not experienced the freedom of having your sins forgiven, there is no more important step you could take today.
But as I mentioned at the opening, the book of Hebrews continues. The writer does not just proclaim the eternal nature of the forgiveness offered to us through Jesus, he describes exactly how we should respond to it.
And this is what God says we should do:
1) draw near to God
2) hold unswervingly to the hope we profess
3) spur one another on toward love
4) do not neglect meeting together
What a fascinating list!
The first two, probably, are not surprising to you. We should spend time with God and we should hold true to our faith—even during times of trials and persecution.
But in the same list, he includes “spurring others to love and good deeds” and “meeting together.”
Did you know that only 30% of Christians attend church every week? While 43% of Christians report attending church “seldom” or “never.”
Make no mistake. Hebrews tells us meeting together is just as important a response to Christ’s sacrifice, and required for our perseverance, as prayer, holding onto our faith, and loving others.
If you need encouragement to attend church this weekend, let this be it.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you again today for sending your only Son to die on the cross for my sins. Thank you for defeating sin on my behalf. May I, always, respond to your grace with my whole life. I give it to you. Help me draw near, hold close, choose love, and continue meeting together with your people. Amen.