Scripture for the Day: Hebrews 10:19-25

When I was recently explaining to a young man in detention, who had recently received Christ, the importance of getting plugged into a local church, a passage of scripture came to mind.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened 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 true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

There is that old saying when ever you see a "therefore" in scripture you need to ask, "what is it there for?" The beginning of chapter 10 in Hebrews tells about how Christ's sacrifice was made once and for all. The priests in the Old Testament had to bring daily sacrifices of animals, there was no end. No rest. Continual sacrifice. Only a temporary covering of sin until one sinned again, not complete atonement for all sins past, present and future. Jesus sacrifice is complete, not lacking. Through his vicarious sacrifice on the cross He paid for my sin and yours - all of it. The sin I committed when I was 10 and the sin that I may commit tomorrow. Paid for. Completely. Done deal.

So the scripture for today says since Jesus' sacrifice is complete. Those who have applied that sacrifice by trusting in Him as Lord and Savior can:

• "Enter the holy places" - we have access to our Father because of Jesus!
• We can draw near with our assurance.
• Our consciences are clean and we are pure before Him.
• "We can hold fast to our confession of our hope without wavering." Why? "for He who promised is faithful."
• Encourage our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to love and good deeds and not put off meeting together (so being a part of a community of Christ followers is essential to our growth as believers).