19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
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Most of us are gentiles, not Jews. In the old way, we had no chance of ever getting even close to God. If we were in Jerusalem at the time of the temple, we could get to the “court of the gentiles”, the outermost court. We’d have no chance of getting into the court of (Jewish, ceremonially clean) men, certainly not into the court of the priests and couldn’t consider the holy place – let alone the holy of holies behind the veil into God’s presence. Only the high priest, once a year, could enter the holy of holies. There was NO WAY for us, not even Jews, even pious priests.
That all changed with Christ. Now there is a way. He said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” His death opened the way into not just the holy place for all believers, not just the holy of holies in the temple, but the true Holy of Holies, the very presence of God in Heaven! Pause for a moment and ponder that…
On what do we base this confidence? Our good works? Absolutely not! Being raised in a Christian family? No way! Getting baptised? Wrong again. This confidence comes only from the forgiveness of our sins through the sacrifice of Christ (v. 18).
Our response? 1) Enter in! Yes. Enter into God’s presence, boldly, with full assurance that we won’t be wiped out. 2) Hold tightly to the hope we confess, that we are saved through Christ alone. 3) Motivate each other in good works. 4) Keep meeting together- especially in times of COVID! 5) Encourage one another.