We Are In This Together—Encouraging One Another

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:19-25 NET

This passage opens with the word “therefore,” signaling that the preceding statements lead directly to this powerful conclusion. The pivotal term in the first sentence, “since,” underscores that Jesus’ work has accomplished His mission—offering us direct access to the sanctuary through the sacrifice of His blood. He clarifies that this access is granted by His flesh and through the living way He established, symbolized by the tearing of the curtain.

Significantly, this curtain served as a formidable barrier surrounding the Holy of Holies in the temple area, estimated to be around sixty feet tall, thirty feet wide, and about four feet thick. This massive divider was designed to protect the people from the overwhelming presence of God and the Ark of the Covenant. Yet, at the moment of Jesus’ death, this curtain was miraculously torn from top to bottom. This extraordinary event highlights a divine intervention, as humans would have been physically impossible to tear such a heavy and towering barrier. The tearing of the curtain represents God’s direct action, providing us unprecedented access to the Holy of Holies and symbolizing the removal of the barrier between humanity and God.

Furthermore, we must reflect on the term “fresh.” The Greek word for “fresh" is “prostates,” which, in this context, means “freshly killed.” When we consider Jesus, we should not simply see Him as a figure who died over two thousand years ago and completed some remarkable things; instead, we should recognize Him as a freshly slain sacrifice—timeless and ever-present. The potency of His sacrifice is not confined to history but is dynamically effective in the here and now, which includes every moment of our lives, continually granting us access to the divine.

In the previous passage, the term “since" reaffirms the profound impact of Jesus’ sacrifice and what it has bestowed upon Him: He has become a powerful priest over the house of God. The writer of Hebrews draws a striking comparison between Jesus and the sacrificial lamb—an innocent creature whose blood was once sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant. 

However, the most significant distinction is that Jesus conquered death and is now alive, which the writer eloquently describes as “the fresh and living way.” This resurrection emphasizes His vital role as a priest of life, not death, and offers unparalleled hope and reassurance, positioning Jesus as genuinely unique and radically different from anything that came before Him.

Just as the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated by the blood of an unblemished lamb, our hearts are elevated to the sacred status of vessels of divine embodiment by Christ. The author powerfully asserts that our guilty consciences are not only cleansed; they are utterly transformed and purified by the life-giving blood of Jesus.

 Additionally, our bodies experience renewal and cleansing through pure water— a profound symbol of the transformative power of God’s word. In Ephesians 5:25-26, Paul passionately utilizes this metaphor and implores husbands to love their wives with the same selfless and sacrificial love Christ demonstrated for the church, underscoring this divine love’s profound depth and significance by washing with the water of the word.

The writer also powerfully compels us to cling tightly to our hope and to wholeheartedly commit to our faith in Jesus. In the face of daily challenges that may tempt us to forsake our beliefs, we must stand firm in our believing loyalty to Him. His faithfulness is unwavering, and He has granted us direct access to the very throne of God. Shouldn’t we respond to such grace with an equally steadfast devotion, dedicating ourselves entirely to our faith and trust in Jesus?

When we encounter the challenges of remaining steadfast in our faith in Jesus during difficult times, we have the incredible opportunity to draw upon Him as our unwavering source of strength and hope that He gives us. He empowers us to trust Him wholeheartedly when we call upon His name. With this profound confidence in Jesus, we not only fortify our own faith position in Jesus but also inspire others to place their trust in Him and follow Him by guiding them through life’s storms and ushering them into a sanctuary of safety and peace. 

Our encouragement is rooted in personal experience with Jesus, by the power of His word and the Holy Spirit; we know firsthand that Jesus is always by our side, helping us conquer life’s obstacles and becoming our unwavering strength when we fully embrace our trust in Him.

During the era in which the New Testament was written, there was a palpable sense of urgency among people who believed that Jesus would return within their lifetime. The widespread suffering in Rome and other regions of the Roman empire that opposed the gospel-fueled the conviction that civilization, as they knew it, was nearing its end.

In this context, Jesus delivered a powerful warning to His disciples about the last days, as recorded in Matthew 24:9-14:

“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. Many will fall away, betraying and hating one another. False prophets will emerge, leading many astray, and with the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed across the entire inhabited earth as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

This passage in Matthew 24 powerfully emphasizes the daunting challenges believers will face and theabout unwavering perseverance required to navigate the turbulent times ahead. It serves as a clarion call to remain steadfast in faith, no matter the trials.

Jesus powerfully underscores the urgency of proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, a mission that is essential before His return. Countless individuals, particularly in non-Jewish nations, remain unaware to this day of Jesus’s life-changing power. 

God’s universal plan is clear: His fame must be declared among all nations before He returns. This divine purpose has been set from the beginning—to draw every person—His entire family back to Himself. It is this call to action that demands our attention and commitment.

Stephen Barnett