Hebrews 10:22, English Standard Version

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Hebrews 10:19–39 begins with a powerful reminder of what Jesus has accomplished for us. Because of His blood, believers now have confidence to enter the holy places. Under the old covenant, access to the presence of God was limited, guarded, and approached with fear and trembling. But through Christ, the way has been opened. The curtain has been torn. The sacrifice has been offered. The great High Priest is seated over the house of God. This means we do not come before God unsure of whether we are welcome. We come through Jesus, who has made the way.

That confidence should shape the way we live. The writer of Hebrews gives us several clear responses. Let us draw near. Let us hold fast. Let us consider how to stir one another up to love and good works. These are not suggestions for a few especially spiritual people. They are the natural response of those who have been cleansed by Christ and brought near to God. Since Jesus has opened the way, we should not live at a distance from the Lord. We should draw near with sincere hearts, full assurance, and a desire to walk closely with Him.

We are also called to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. That command matters because life gives us plenty of opportunities to waver. Trials come. Weariness sets in. Questions arise. The world pulls. Fear speaks loudly. But our hope is not anchored in our circumstances, our emotions, or our own strength. Our hope is anchored in the faithfulness of God. Hebrews reminds us that “he who promised is faithful.” We hold fast because God has never failed to keep His Word.

The passage also reminds us that we need one another. Following Jesus was never meant to be lived in isolation. We are called to consider how to stir one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together. Gathering with the church is not just about attending a service. It is about strengthening the body of Christ. It is about encouraging weary believers, worshiping together, receiving the Word together, praying together, and reminding one another to keep going. In a world that constantly pulls people away from faithfulness, the people of God need to keep drawing near together.

Hebrews then gives a serious warning. The grace of God should never be treated casually. If someone knowingly and persistently rejects Christ after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice for sin. That is a sobering word. The writer is not trying to terrify tenderhearted believers who are fighting sin and clinging to Jesus. He is warning against the danger of willful rebellion, spiritual carelessness, and turning away from the only Savior. The same Christ who gives us confidence must also be honored with reverence.

The chapter closes by calling believers to endurance. The original readers had already faced suffering, loss, and public reproach because of their faith, and they were being urged not to throw away their confidence. That word still speaks to us today. There will be moments when following Jesus is costly. There will be seasons when obedience feels heavy. But Hebrews reminds us that we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Because Jesus has opened the way, we draw near. Because God is faithful, we hold fast. Because Christ is worth it, we endure.