COME CLOSER!

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22).

THE NEW COVENANT is a covenant of nearness – of living in the presence of the Lord, and being cognizant of His Person and purpose. The effects of the vicarious atonement of Christ are described in this way: "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Eph 2:13). In this text, being "far off" is being lost, unaccepted, and condemned. Being "brought near" is being saved, accepted, and justified.

THE CHALLENGE FOR THE BELIEVER is remaining "near" – not allowing the evil one to lure him away from God. There is a circumference of blessing, beyond which no Divine benefits can be realized. A spiritual boundary line exists, invisible to the fleshly eye and mind, that determines if we will receive eternal benefits from the Lord. If Satan can entice us to leave the circumference of blessing, going beyond that boundary line, we will occupy the realm of the curse, be insensitive to God, and again be subject to grievous bondage. These are the inevitable results of not being able to receive from the Lord.

OUR TEXT ADMONISHES us to "draw near" – to come close to the Lord. It is as though we were placed just inside the circle of acceptance when we were born again: close enough to the world to be enticed back into it, yet within the realm where forward progress can be made. The life of the believer, from this perspective, is getting closer to the Lord and further from the world. There is no safety when one is at a distance from the Lord, or close to the world, which is the consequence of being far from God! As we move closer to the Lord, we become spiritually minded, which is "life and peace" (Rom 8:6a). As we get further from the Lord, we become more carnally minded, which "is death" (Rom 8:6b).

THE SPIRIT REASONS with us concerning our ability to draw near. Our hearts are to be "true" – unpretentious before Him who searches them (1 Chron 28:8). Our openness and humility are welcomed in the courts of heaven. Even a spirit, broken with a sense of guilt and unworthiness, together with a contrite and remorseful heart, is welcome in the presence of the Lord. As it is written, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psa 51:17).

AS WE DRAW NEAR to the Lord, the value of faith is quickly seen. It simply is not possible to stand in the Lord's presence without having some degree of assurance – and faith gives that assurance to us. It is a "full" assurance, being persuaded those coming to Christ "will by no means cast out" (John 6:37). That is why we read of "the full assurance of faith" (Heb 10:22). The closer one gets to the Lord, the more persuaded the heart becomes that acceptance will be realized. However, when there is a distance between the individual and the Lord, doubt and fear are awakened, and begin to dominate the heart and mind.

THEN, THERE IS THE MATTER of our conscience. The blood of Jesus is able to purge our conscience so we will not feel condemned in the presence of the Lord (Heb 9:14). This occurs when we have "faith in His blood," convinced the death of Christ has effectively dealt with sin (Rom 3:26). To have "faith in His blood" is to look to Christ's death as a basis of Divine acceptance instead of to our own miserable achievements. This is essential, for the closer we come to the Lord – or the more aware we are of His Person and will – the more paltry our own works appear. What a joy it is to then realized there is a work in which God greatly delights – the atoning work of His Son. When we delight in that work, God delights in us. Praise the Lord!

THE CLEANSING OF OUR CONSCIENCE frees our hearts to draw near to the Lord with expectancy, and not in slavish fear. Notice, the death of Christ is something that has already occurred. It only remains for your faith to see and grasp this reality, enabling you to draw near to the God who loved us in Christ Jesus.

OUR BODIES HAVE ALSO been "washed with pure water," hereby qualifying us to come close to the Lord. This is a marvelous reference to our baptism "into Christ" (Gal 3:27). It was then, as we called upon the name of the Lord, He "washed away" our sins (Acts 22:16). In that seemingly simple act of obedience, we were freed from both the guilt and the power of sin (Rom 6:1-11). To put it another way, the very thing that stopped us from coming near to the Lord was put away when our bodies were "washed with pure water."

NOW, WHAT POSSIBLE REASON can be adduced for not drawing near to God, and doing it consistently? Knowing the wonderful facts in the case, why would you allow anything to keep you from drawing near? What can there possibly be that is more important and needful than this? Dear child of God, press into the Lord's presence!

– Given O. Blakely