Access to God. 2
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Loose walking severs communion with God, and then will He act distantly toward us. An earthly parent (who is prudent) will not conduct himself with the same familiarity and cordiality toward a disobedient child—as he will unto a dutiful one. Our folly must be repented of and humbly acknowledged, before fellowship can be restored with God. Yes, even if our fault be only against a fellow-creature, it must be righted before God will accept our worship: "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23, 24). How many are unable to obtain conscious access to God through failure at this very point! "Turn unto Me, says the Lord Almighty—and I will turn unto you" (Zech. 1:3). That is, if we would have God turn unto us in mercy—we must turn unto Him in obedience.
"Therefore being justified by faith—we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace" (Romans 5:1, 2). This brings before us still another aspect of our subject: the necessity for the exercise of faith in order to approach God. The same truth is presented again in, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence, by faith in Him" (Eph. 3:12). Faith is the appointed means of access, for it is the hand which receives every blessing from God. Faith in God's willingness to grant us an audience, faith in the sufficiency of Christ's atoning sacrifice to provide us with the title of approach: faith in the Divine promises that if we contritely confess our sins—He will cleanse us therefrom. At first a small degree of faith enables the Christian to approach unto God—but as he advances in the knowledge of his own heart and of God's hatred of sin—stronger faith needs to be exercised if we are to draw near the heavenly Throne with confidence. Yet we must be very careful not to mistake blatant presumption for holy assurance.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:19-22). This is what may be termed the classic passage on our present theme, gathering up as it does into one comprehensive statement, the essential features thereof. But what a solemn example it affords of the lack of proportion which now so generally prevails: we are probably safe in saying that for every once verse 22 is quoted, verse 19 is cited 20 times. It is this disproportion which has distorted the Truth and led to the error mentioned by us in the earlier paragraphs. Let us now carefully examine these verses.
The passage opens by announcing that Christians have "liberty" (margin) or a "freedom with confidence" to approach unto God, this language presenting a designed contrast from the case of national Israel under the old economy. This liberty to draw near unto the heavenly Mercy-seat, is "by the blood of Jesus." The foundation of all confidence in our access to God and the title to approach unto Him—lies in the infinitely meritorious sacrifice which Christ offered unto God on our behalf, and this we must ever plead before Him. Our encouragement so to do, lies in the office which our Savior now exercises on behalf of His people, namely, "High Priest over the house of God." This is most blessedly brought before us in, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:15, 16).
In what next follows in our passage we are shown the way or manner in which we are to make use of the unspeakable privilege described in verses 19-21. In other words, we are required to meet the terms of verse 22 if we are to enjoy conscious access unto the thrice holy God.
First, let us draw near with "a true heart." This is the principal qualification. A "true heart" is one that beats true unto God. It denotes sincerity, in contrast from hypocrisy. It is not the reverent posture of the body or the language of the lips—with which God is chiefly concerned—but rather with the heart—the seat of our affections. They who worship Him, "must worship Him in spirit and in truth," or their performance is utterly futile. The mere outward performance of religious duties, no matter how scrupulously undertaken, is not sufficient. It is the sincerity of our hearts which God has chief regard to, in all our approaches unto Him. God will bear with infirmities—but not with hypocrisy.
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." This makes known the principle which is to be exercised in our approaches unto God, for, "without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). None but a genuine believer can obtain access unto God: all others are rigidly excluded. There must be the actual exercise of faith in every spiritual work: "by faith Abel offered unto God" etc. (Hebrews 11:4).
The "full assurance of faith" does not here signify a firm knowledge of our sonship—but an implicit confidence in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and priesthood. Many Hebrews who had received in general the faith of the Gospel, were wavering in their minds about the Person and office of Christ and the glorious things predicated of Him by the Apostle, and therefore he stresses the fact, that there must be a firm conviction of the reality and efficacy of the Atonement, if we are to draw near unto God.
"Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Here is the twofold preparation prescribed unto us for the right performance of this duty. In these expressions there is an obvious allusion unto the necessary preparations for Divine worship made by Israel under Judaism. As there were various ways in which the Jews became ceremonially and legally defiled, so there were various means appointed for their purification (Hebrews 9:13). Those institutions the Apostle now applies spiritually: "our hearts" and "our bodies" signify the inward and the outward man.
"Bodies washed with pure water" has no reference to baptism—but is to be understood of our members being preserved from evil and used for God. Rightly did John Owen say at the close of his exposition of these verses, "Universal sanctification upon our whole people, and the mortification in an especial manner of outward sins, are required of us in our drawing near unto God."
"Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" has reference to an efficacious application of the blood of Christ unto sanctification or internal purification, so that the burden of guilt is removed. This is accomplished originally in the communication of regenerating grace at the new birth, and is repeated whenever the Spirit grants a fresh renewal and experience of the virtues of the Atonement. That a good conscience is an indispensable qualification for access to God, is seen from, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14), where "serve" signifies communion and worship. When the conscience is unpurged, the weight of condemnation lies so heavily upon it, that we are then at a loss in approaching the Holy One.
Now to sum up. It is one thing to know theoretically the legal way and right of approach unto God—but it is quite another to enjoy conscious accessto Him. For that, the aid of the Spirit is imperative—but He will not perform His gracious operations within us if he is grieved. If we have spent the night in ransacking the newspapers, in worldly conversation—or in backbiting the servants and saints of God—do you think that the Holy Spirit will draw out your heart unto the Father, when you perform your evening devotions? Not so, unless you penitently confess those sins, and sincerely determine there shall be no repetition of them. "Draw near to God—and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).
What has been before us was strikingly foreshadowed of old, in connection with the approach of Israel's priests unto God: first the blood was applied to their persons, then the oil (emblem of the Spirit), and then they washed at the laver.
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