Daily Thought

Privileges and responsibilities are before us, vv. 19-25: privileges indicated by the participle ‘having’, and responsibilities by the phrase ‘let us’. The first privilege is ‘having boldness to enter’, v. 19 NKJV. Boldness, because God has said ‘their sins and iniquities will I remember no more’, v. 17, and because the way is open. We enter the holiest. That which under law had been the privilege of one only, and once a year, is now the privilege of all believers at all times. This is by virtue of the blood of Jesus. The way is new, for it did not exist under the law, and living, for He who died, rose. It is through the veil, His flesh. As long as He ‘tabernacled among us’ in flesh, sin was not atoned for, but when that flesh was rent so that His life-blood flowed, the way into the holiest was made manifest, ct. 9. 8. The veil was done away with for ever, Matt. 27. 51. Our second privilege is we have a great High Priest, Heb. 10. 21. We enter the holiest. Who do we meet there? Our great High Priest in all the glory of His Person, the One who has opened the way for us, and made those who were far off nigh by His blood.

What about responsibilities? The first is, ‘Let us draw near’, v. 22. We may do so with complete confidence, with no doubt or question about our right of access, or our acceptance with God. The second response is, ‘Let us hold fast’, v. 23 NKJV, the confession of hope. The full enjoyment of all that God has promised us in Christ we may not appropriate now. The best is yet to be. The crowning consummation of our salvation still awaits us in the future. Because God is faithful, our confidence is no vain hope or empty delusion. Our hope is rooted in the very character of God - ‘He is faithful who promised’. The third response is, ‘Let us consider one another’, vv. 24, 25, and this ‘to provoke unto love and to good works’. To ‘consider’ denotes attentive continuous care, to have a practical spirit of love and concern for one another. God desires to see us stir one another up, not to anger, envy, strife, or malice, but to love and good works. One practical effect of this follows, that is ‘not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together’. Note that these responses are centred on faith, v. 22, hope, v. 23, and love, v. 24.