Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Lenten Reflections: Hold Fast

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 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. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 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. Hebrews 10:19-25

Jesus, through the New Covenant, secured by His blood, inaugurated for us a new and living way - so now we have confidence to enter the holy place, we can draw near in full assurance of faith. And what else can we do? We can hold fast. We must hold fast the confession of our hope! We can do this because He who promised is faithful - He will keep His word. "Hold fast" is an important admonishment in Hebrews. The writer encourages us several times throughout the book to hold fast:

Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. Hebrews 3:5-6

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. Hebrews 3:14

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Hebrews 4:14

Hold fast your confidence, hold fast your assurance, hold fast your confession.

Hold fast. Keep secure - don't lose it. Cling to the One who is faithful, in Whom we place our hope because He has promised.

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