Ancient subjects of kings did not presume to come before him, unless they were summoned.  This was true even of Esther, the wife of a king. When her people, the Jews, were in danger of being exterminated, Esther’s uncle tried to convince her to take this matter before the king. Her response was, “All the king’s servants, and the people…do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come into the king…” (Esther 4:11).

The nation of Israel had an even graver fear of coming before the Lord. They had witnessed His power and glory. When given the Ten Commandments, “…the people saw the thunderings, and the lightenings, and…the mountain smoking…they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear, but let not God speak with us, lest we die…And Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:18-21). They knew they were sinful, unworthy to be in the presence of their holy God, and that He could smite them with death in an instant. Therefore, they were extremely hesitant to come before the Lord even in worship. It is with this background that the writer of Hebrews tells his fellow Jews about their permanent “high priest,” the Lord Jesus Christ, who has “passed into the heavens” (Hebrews 4:14), who “…ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). It is with this in mind that they were given the invitation: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Because of Christ, they could now come before the presence of God in prayer in the bold confidence they would find divine mercy and help in all areas of life. What a contrast, what a privilege, and what an encouragement.

While the above verses were written to Jews still under the Law of Moses, the same principle is true for us today under grace. We too “…have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him” (Ephesians 3:12). Don’t fear taking your needs to the Lord, nor deprive yourself of His help. Take advantage of prayer constantly!

When two of our grandchildren were playing, the youngest started crying loudly and holding his head. When adults came to investigate, the oldest was asked, “Did you hit your brother?” The expected answer was, “No.” But the proof of a crying child rubbing his head was right in front of us. So, a second question was asked of the oldest child: “Where did you hit your brother?” This time the sheepish answer was: “On the head.” We learned that when you ask the right questions, in the right way, it can serve like a Lie-Detector machine that reveals the heart of the matter.

There is something far more powerful than a man-made machine, or even a mother’s austere stare, to get to the truth of what lies within the heart of children of all ages. It is the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12-13 puts it this way: “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Our Bible is a miraculous book in the way God gave it, preserved it, and in how effectively it works within the heart. The above verses describe it as being “quick,” meaning it is alive with divine ability to work in any soul. It is “powerful,” or mighty, in its ability to convict or empower us to victory. It is “sharp,” like a surgical instrument that can easily cut or penetrate hardened souls. It cuts away foolish rebellion better than logic, our testimony, or tears. The Scriptures are able to pierce the soul (the seat of our emotions), spirit (the mind or intellect), and even tough joints and marrow. It can get to the inner man of the unsaved who stubbornly resists salvation, or to the saved not in a proper spiritual place. God’s Word discerns and reveals our thoughts and motives, and exposes everyone, as if naked, before the Lord, who is the author of this miraculous book.

These truths enable believers to place confidence in God’s Word, use it generously when ministering to the unsaved, and respond when it speaks to our hearts. We encourage you to read God’s Word every day.

There are two basic concepts about how to obtain eternal life. One is to work hard throughout life with good religious works to try to “tip the scales in your favor.” But one can never rest in confidence that eternal life is yours. The other concept is to trust the risen, nail-scarred Savior, who purchased eternal life with His blood and offers it to us freely apart from all works, by trusting in Him alone. Those who trust in Christ find a confidence in their redemption based on the truths in Scripture.

In Hebrews 4:3, the writer stated a simple, but profound, truth: “For we which have believed enter into rest…” These words refer to the rest of eternal salvation. Verse 2 specifies, “the gospel [had been] preached,” but with some it was not received “with faith in them that heard it.” Verse 11 urged the readers to “enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” The gospel referred to here was the Gospel of the Kingdom, not today’s Gospel of the Grace of God. Those who believed this gospel by faith had to believe that the Lord Jesus was the promised Messiah of Israel (John 1:49; 6:69; 11:27), confess their sins (Matthew 3:6), repent of their sins (Matthew 3:2), and be water baptized for the remission of sins (Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38). Yes, these were “works” that God required to demonstrate their faith, just as described in James 2:21 and 24. Here the Jews were told, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” “Ye see then how by works a man is justified and not by faith only.” But even with these works, Jews still under the Law of Moses were given salvation on the basis of faith, as implied in Hebrews 4:2. Hebrews 4:10 described those who believed this gospel as having “…entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.”

Our Gospel of Grace for today offers eternal life, through faith alone, apart from all works. Once received, we likewise enter into a rest from attempts to work our way to heaven. We also rest in the assurance of eternal life, God’s love, and all spiritual blessings in Christ. But out of appreciation for salvation received, we are not to rest from serving Christ until He comes to take us to heaven.

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We once mentored a young man who was intelligent, articulate, and demonstrated a zeal for the things of the Lord. We provided him with teaching materials, teaching opportunities, many discussions in the Scriptures, and even took him to a national Bible conference. Then he began to dabble in sinful practices, eventually plunging into a variety of sins. While doing so, his interest in spiritual things first waned, until he completely fell away from the things of the Lord. When we tried to salvage him spiritually, it was already too late because his heart had been hardened by the practice of sin.

Like warning lights flashing on a railroad crossing bar, Hebrews 3:12-13 warns: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” It is noteworthy that this verse describes sin as being deceitful. The world, the flesh, and the devil all try to convince every heart, even in believers, that one will be better off living in sin. This deceit whispers in our hearts things like: “everyone else is doing it,” “you won’t get caught,” “it will make you happier,” “you deserve it,” and “it will be worth it.” But none of these are true. While one may experience “…the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:25), there will always be a high cost to sin. The practice of sin leaves one feeling empty, guilty, ashamed, and spiritually hardened, if persisted in. The deceitfulness of sin lures people without revealing to them that some sins lead to addiction, bankruptcy, or physical ruin. The deceitfulness of any sin robs the participant of spiritual peace, joy, satisfaction, and tenderness toward the Lord. The practice of sin replaces all of these good things with a spiritual hardness that wears on the soul and can often be seen on the face of those who walk apart from the Lord. The writer of Hebrews was instructing these Jewish believers to regularly band together, not only for worship, but also for exhorting one another to resist both the deceitfulness of sin and departing from walking “with the living God.”

Dear believer, are you struggling with the deceitfulness of sin? Has your heart begun to be hardened to the importance of a close walk with the Lord and the standards of God’s Word? Turn back to the Lord and away from your besetting sin.

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Most people are simply afraid to die. But we know one stellar exception. When a godly Christian woman we knew was diagnosed with terminal cancer, her family was devastated. However, she told her loved ones: “Don’t cry for me. I have no fear of dying and am ready to go. I know I’ll be going to be with the Lord Jesus and saved family members who have gone before me. I’ll be far better off, and I will see each of you again, so I welcome this time.” When she passed away a few weeks later, it was a peaceful experience for her.

Those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and the confident assurance of eternal life beyond the grave have a comfort that can remove the fear of death. But those who have not trusted in Christ for forgiveness of sins and eternal life are chained to the bondage of fear in death. The writer of Hebrews explained that God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, came in the flesh “…that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15). For those who know Christ as Savior, there need be no fear in death. But for those with no assurance of being spared God’s eternal wrath over their sins, the fear of death is universal. Job 24:17 refers to the ungodly as being “…in the terrors of the shadow of death.” David wrote of the wicked who often “prosper in the world; they increase in riches” (Psalm 73:12), while rejecting “the most High” (vs.11). David grew discouraged, knowing he had cleansed his heart before the Lord, yet his life was filled with troubles. But when he went to worship the Lord, he wrote, “…then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castest them down to destruction… in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors” (of death and eternal punishment–Psalm 73:17-19). Some who deny Christ describe death as “the great unknown” or say it is only to “rest in peace.” In reality, even if they deny it, they fear death, the eternal wrath of God, and punishment for their sins.

Believer, you have been delivered from the bondage of fearing death. Look with comfort and confidence to being forever in the presence of the Savior once your earthly life is over.

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In her later years, my beloved mother took a long trip with me to a Christian family camp where I was speaking. On the way home she confided in me that one of her worst fears was that, as her health declined, she might not even remember her children or their names. Four years later, Alzheimer’s had gradually stolen her independence, dignity, and memory. One of the last times I saw her, I sat across the table from her for some time. Then a caregiver introduced me to her, giving her my name. She looked at me so puzzled and confused that it was heartbreaking. Those things she held most dear had slipped away from her memory.

When the writer of Hebrews addressed Jewish believers who were waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to return to establish His Millennial Kingdom, he warned them about one of his greatest fears. He said, “Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip…” (meaning to slip away from us, Hebrews 2:1). It is very likely this writer had in mind Israel’s persistent history of forgetting Jehovah. The Lord repeatedly warned His people, that in times of blessing in the promised land of plenty, they must “…beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 6:12). Despite these warnings and God’s instructions to “…take heed to thyself, and to keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart…” (Deuteronomy 4:9), they repeatedly forgot the Lord anyway. Isaiah told Israel, “…forgettest the Lord thy maker…” (Isaiah 51:13). Jeremiah described them as having “…perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God” (Jeremiah 3:21). The writer of Hebrews was concerned those in his day would likewise buckle under the pressures of persecution and turn away from their faith in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. Therefore, he urged them not to let the truths they had embraced “slip” away from them.

Believers today need to likewise “hold fast the form of sound words” (II Timothy 1:13). A book could be written about those in our day who were once faithful but have let precious fundamental truths slip away by listening to errant teachers. Don’t be one of them. Guard and cling to the dispensational truths taught by the Apostle Paul.

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