Day 8 — First Steps: What Now?
Today’s Passage: Hebrews 10:19-25
The author of Hebrews builds a massive, airtight case that Jesus is the final sacrifice. The old system of animal blood and daily offerings is finished. Because Jesus completed the work, you have total access to God. You can walk right into His presence.
This access comes with an immediate command. You were not meant to follow Christ by yourself. The evidence of a secure faith is a shared faith. The writer moves straight from the theology of the cross to the necessity of the church.
Context The Torn Curtain
In the ancient Jewish temple, a thick curtain separated the holy place from the Most Holy Place. Only the high priest could pass through it, and he did this only once a year with sacrificial blood. When Jesus died on the cross, the Gospels record that this heavy barrier tore in two from top to bottom. The physical obstacle between God and humanity was permanently eliminated.
Hebrews 10:19-22 (BSB)
¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, 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 to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
The writer builds a logical sequence. Since Jesus shed His blood, and since He serves as your great priest, you possess direct access to God. The Old Testament priests had to wash with water and sprinkle animal blood to approach God safely. Jesus applies His own perfect blood to your conscience. You can step into God’s presence with absolute confidence.
Hebrews 10:23 (BSB)
²³ Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
You anchor your hope in a historical fact. God makes promises, and God keeps them. Your grip on this hope stays firm because the person who made the promise is entirely reliable.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (BSB)
²⁴ And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. ²⁵ Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Your confidence in Christ immediately connects you to other believers. The writer commands you to think carefully about how to motivate other Christians. You do this by gathering together. The New Testament requires a shared faith. You need the physical presence of other believers to maintain your endurance, especially as time runs short.
Word study "spur", paroxysmos (Hebrews 10:24)
Greek: παροξυσμός (paroxysmos), pronounced par-ox-oos-MOS. Strong’s G3948.
This noun means a provocation, an inciting, or an irritation. In medical terms, it describes a sudden fever or a spasm. The writer uses a strong, abrasive word to show that you must actively provoke other believers toward love and good deeds.
Study notes The Danger of Isolation
The writer of Hebrews repeats this warning earlier in the letter. Believers must actively protect each other from the subtle, hardening effects of sin.
"But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:13 (BSB)
You were not meant to follow Christ by yourself. God designed the Christian life as a communal reality. Your faith requires the strength of other believers, and they need your presence to hold their ground. Think of one Christian you know who seems tired or distant. Send them a brief message today to tell them you are praying for their endurance. Your simple encouragement might be the exact provocation they need to keep moving forward.