Hebrews 10:22

Hebrews 10:22 is a powerful exhortation to believers, urging them to confidently approach God based on the completed work of Jesus Christ. It summarizes the privileges and responsibilities of those under the new covenant, highlighting the internal and external purification necessary for genuine fellowship with the divine.

Context

This verse follows a crucial section (Hebrews 10:19-21) where the author establishes the believer's unparalleled access to God. Because Jesus has opened a new and living way through His own body and serves as our great High Priest over the house of God, believers are now invited to enter God's presence with confidence, unlike the restricted access under the Old Testament law.

Key Themes and Messages

• Bold Access to God: The phrase "Let us draw near" emphasizes the direct, personal, and confident approach believers can now have to God, made possible solely by Christ's sacrifice. This contrasts sharply with the Old Testament where only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and that only once a year.
• Sincerity and Faith: "With a true heart in full assurance of faith" underscores the necessary disposition for approaching God. It's not a ritualistic act but a genuine, sincere, and unwavering trust in God's promises and the efficacy of Christ's atonement. This assurance of faith is foundational.
• Internal Cleansing from Sin: "Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" points to the spiritual purification that comes through Christ's blood. The "evil conscience" refers to a guilt-ridden or defiled conscience, aware of sin and separation from God. The sprinkling imagery echoes Old Testament rituals of cleansing (e.g., Leviticus 16:14), but here it signifies the radical, once-for-all cleansing of the inner self by Christ's perfect sacrifice, allowing for a clear conscience before God (Hebrews 9:14).
• External Purification: "And our bodies washed with pure water" likely refers to Christian baptism. While the sprinkling of the heart is internal and spiritual, the washing of the body is an outward symbol of an inward reality—the cleansing of sin and new life in Christ. It signifies a public declaration of one's faith and identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:4).

Linguistic Insights

• The Greek word for "draw near" is proserchomai (προσέρχομαι), which frequently appears in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) in the context of priests approaching God for worship and sacrifice. Its use here highlights the priestly access granted to all believers through Christ.
• "Full assurance" translates plērophoria (πληροφορίᾳ), meaning complete conviction, full confidence, or certainty. It's a strong term indicating an unwavering belief.
• "Sprinkled" (rerantismenoi - ῥεραντισμένοι) directly connects to the ceremonial purification rituals of the Old Testament where blood or water was sprinkled to make something or someone ceremonially clean. Here, it is Christ's blood that truly purifies the heart.
• "Washed" (lelousmenoi - λελουσμένοι) refers to a complete bathing, not just a partial washing. This reinforces the idea of a thorough cleansing.

Practical Application

Hebrews 10:22 serves as a timeless encouragement for believers today. It reminds us that our access to God is not earned by our own merit or rituals, but is a gracious gift secured by Jesus' finished work on the cross. Therefore, we are called to:

• Live with Confidence: Approach God in prayer, worship, and daily life with boldness, knowing that the way is clear.
• Cultivate Sincerity: Ensure our faith is genuine and our hearts are pure before God, free from hypocrisy or doubt.
• Embrace Christ's Cleansing: Continually rely on the blood of Jesus for forgiveness and purification from sin, allowing our conscience to be free from guilt.
• Walk in Newness of Life: Let the outward symbol of baptism reflect the inward reality of a life dedicated to God, living in purity and obedience.

This verse underscores the profound privilege and profound responsibility of being a believer in Christ, empowered to live in intimate communion with a holy God.