Can you hear me now?
Verizon, can you hear me?
Okay, we’re good.
Let’s go ahead and begin reading our text verse for these times: Hebrews 13:22.
But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.
And turn back a couple of chapters to Hebrews 10:39. We are going to read a few more verses in a few minutes, but I just want to read one verse for now.
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Lord, I just want to pray and ask now, as we continue on in this series, Lord, I just give this unto Thee. Lord, I merely am a mouthpiece. I am just a clay pot. Lord, if that clay pot does not have Your Spirit, Lord, we are just wasting our time.
So we look to Thee now, Lord, for Your anointing, both to speak and to hear. Lord, we commit this time into Your hands. Lord, we ask for Your blessing, Lord, and for Your continuous presence with us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Well, as a review, you remember that we said our burden for this time was that we wanted to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. That is our burden for this time. When I considered this burden before the Lord, I felt the Lord led me to a particular book, and it was this book of Hebrews.
Now, within this book of Hebrews, we find that there are five major exhortations. As we said last time, the word exhortation has mainly two meanings to it. It means to encourage on one side and to warn on the other.
The burden we have is primarily around this side of warning, though we also want to touch a bit on the side of encouragement too. We do not want to just leave a burden of warning out there.
So what we wanted to do was look at these five exhortations. As you all know, we are now coming to the fourth one. We have looked at the previous three, and now this morning we would like to look at the fourth.
Now, just as a reminder, I encourage you to go behind me and study these. I am by no means draining everything here. I am really just giving you a high-level view of these warnings. That is all I am doing—just trying to set forth a few thoughts to make us consider and think before the Lord.
So do not think, “This is done; let’s leave this behind.” Again, the five major warnings are as follows:
Now, we did mention that these warnings are interrelated and progressive in nature. Let me give you five points concerning this interrelatedness and progressiveness.
Now, like I have already said, we have considered the previous three warnings. In the first warning, which we found in Hebrews 2, we mentioned that we were to pay much closer attention to what we have heard lest we drift. The reason for that is because of Who had spoken to us.
It is Who we have heard from, which is none other than the Lord Jesus. What was the message that He spoke to us? It was this message of so great salvation.
This salvation that has been provided for us—we touched on it this morning during the table—is all-inclusive. It includes past, present, and future, and it includes spirit, soul, and body.
Now, we mentioned that primarily here in Hebrews, these warnings have to do with the salvation of the soul, not the spirit. As a believer, that is done; that is past. If you are born again, then that salvation has been completed.
But God in this age is working in this aspect of salvation called the salvation of the soul. This salvation of the soul consists of bringing the faculties of your mind, your will, and your emotions under the Lordship of Christ.
We find that the outworking of this is done as we present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, allowing Him to do that work of conforming us to His image. That work is to prepare us to be companions, or joint heirs, with Christ—to reign and rule with Him in the kingdom age to come.
Then we looked at the second warning. We mentioned how the children of Israel had been called out of Egypt to go into the promised land, and how they were a type for us because we have also been called.
But we have been called with a heavenly calling. We have been called to be the house of God. We have been called to be companions with Christ. We have been called to enter into His rest.
But we see in the illustration of the children of Israel that they failed in that calling. Why did they fail? What was that one word we looked at? Unbelief.
We also saw a similar verse in that text that actually used the word disobedience, because disobedience is the backside of the coin of unbelief. The two go together.
So we see that we were warned against this unbelief—warned against having an evil, unbelieving heart that would fall away from the living God; a heart that is nonresponsive to Him; a heart that is hardened instead of humbled.
Such a heart will hinder us from truly entering into His calling.
We also mentioned in that second warning that we are to encourage one another daily. I just want to emphasize again: this is critical for us to go on with the Lord, this matter of encouraging one another.
We see much in the church today of the opposite of that—tearing down. But we are encouraged to edify one another.
We are also to be diligent in presenting ourselves to our great High Priest, because He alone is the One who can do that work by His Word of dividing soul from spirit, preparing us for that age to come.
We also said that this work of dividing soul and spirit will be done. It will be done in the life of the believer. But the question is: when will it be done? Will you allow Him to do it today in this age of grace, or will it have to be done later under stern discipline? He leaves that decision up to us.
Lastly, we shared around the third warning last time: the warning of not pressing on to maturity. We saw how the writer had much to say to these believers about the Lord Jesus as a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
But it was hard for him to explain to them because they had become dull of hearing. Though by that time they should have been teachers, we find the writer said, “I have to speak to you again of the fundamentals, the elementary teachings of the Christ.”
They had become this way because they became lazy. They became sluggish. So the writer exhorted them to press on—to grow up, if you will.
He told them they needed to be grounded in the truth, the foundational truth, and from there to go on.
They were then warned in this matter of falling away from pressing on to maturity, because the resulting fruit of such a life would bring thorns and thistles, which would only be burned on that day.
But thank God, the writer encouraged them concerning the evidence of their salvation, and he exhorted them to be diligent as they were before. They had God’s oath backing up His promises, which doubly secures His Word, as God cannot lie.
In addition, we have the example of One who has gone before us to the throne, who is there interceding for us. The Holy Spirit takes that intercession and does that work in our life. Thus, we can have strong encouragement, and we can have a confident expectation in Him who is our refuge and our hope.
So now, this morning, we come to the fourth warning: the warning against shrinking back. We find this in the midst of Hebrews 10:26-39. These verses are really in the context of Hebrews 8-10, but we are just going to look at these verses this morning.
I want to back up a few verses because we need to set this in its context. So I want to back up to verse 19. Let us read these verses together, and then we will jump into this.
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.For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.
Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God,
and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified,
and has insulted the Spirit of grace?For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.”
And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened,
you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations,
and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.
For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property,
knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God,
you may receive what was promised.
For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
But My righteous one shall live by faith;
and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction,
but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Wonderful verses. A little bit scary verses. Verses that should make us think and consider.
But look at Hebrews 10:19. It says, “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place—the Holy of Holies—by the blood of Jesus.”
We find the writer states here that wonderful truth: that we can enter into the Holy of Holies with confidence. Consider that. We shared around this this morning in the opening—a sense that people sensed that wonderful value of the blood, of what it speaks to our Father on our behalf.
We can have confidence to come into the very presence of God. This thing of confidence is very important. I think a lot of you know I used to play quite a bit of tournament tennis when I was young. This thing of confidence was key to playing that sport.
It did not matter how much talent you had. If you did not have confidence, you were probably going to go down, if you just did not have that belief. But, of course, that was a belief in self. There is none of that here, thank God.
This confidence we have is because of the blood. It is because of the Lord Jesus.
Because you remember, under the old covenant, only the high priest could enter into the Holy of Holies, and that once a year. There he had to bring blood for his own sins and for the people.
But now we have a great High Priest who has gone through the greater tabernacle. He has gone there for you and me, brothers and sisters. Wonderful.
Through His complete, perfect sacrifice, He has brought us into a new covenant that no longer consists of “You shall” or “You shall not,” which no man could live up to. But now that covenant states, “I will.” God said, “I will.”
“I will forgive your sins. I will give you an inner knowledge of Me. I will give you a life that can live pleasing to Me.”
Our brother Jim spoke of that recently when he spoke out of John 16. He talked about the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, the One who comes alongside to help.
But today we have an open door before us that none can shut. Consider how difficult it would be for you to try to come into the president’s presence, or the presence of some high dignitary. It is not going to happen. You do not have the right credentials.
But we have the privilege and blessing that, any time and anywhere, we can come into the presence of God. Is that not wonderful?
Again, we can come with boldness, because the blood has satisfied all the demands of God’s holiness and righteousness. So we have a great privilege. We have been given much grace.
Now, Hebrews 10:20 says that we come by “a new and living way, which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh.”
This word translated new here could also be translated freshly slain. It is as if Christ has just now borne our sins in His body on that tree.
We come in a living way. Why is it a living way? Because it is the only way to come into the presence of God and live. There is no other way to come into the presence of God and live.
We come by this living way that He made available for us. When that veil was torn in the temple, it was torn from top to bottom, from heaven to earth. The way was opened once for all, and for all, for man to enter in.
In Hebrews 10:21 it says, “And since we have a great priest over the house of God.” Our Lord Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God, having released us from our sins by His blood, and He is there today interceding for us.
He intercedes for us according to the will of God. He is interceding that we will be saved to the uttermost.
So the writer, having set forth the provision we have to enter into God’s presence, then goes on to exhort us to approach God. Look at verse 22.
It says, “Let us draw near with a sincere heart and full assurance.” That is a most certain confidence—full assurance of faith—having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
This drawing near was a new concept to the believing Jew. You remember, under the old covenant, only the high priest could enter in, and that once a year. But we are exhorted to draw near.
We see that this drawing near comes down to the matter of the heart. This is where the Pharisees failed, because they were mainly concerned with the outward, not the inward—not with the matter of the heart.
So we are to draw near with a sincere heart—not with a heart that is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated, or pretended. These are words I found that were opposite to the word sincere. Interesting words.
So we are to draw near with a real, genuine, and true heart—not hypocritical or deceitful. We are to draw near with our heart fully engaged, in full assurance of faith.
That means we are to fully appropriate what Christ has done on our behalf through His blood. Previously, we had evil consciences, fearful to approach God. But now we can come boldly with confidence—not in anything of ourselves or anything we have done, but simply by what He has done through the washing of His blood.
He has cleansed us from our sins. We draw near, fully appropriating by faith what that blood has accomplished for us. I hope you do not tire of hearing that.
So, verse 23: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
We stated in the third warning that these words hold fast mean to keep a firm possession of. We are to keep firm possession of our hope, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Our hope is that we will be conformed to the image of Christ, of sonship; that one day we will be qualified to rule and reign with Him.
So how can we hold fast our hope and keep from wavering in the midst of a world that is opposed to our Christ? It is because of Him who is faithful, where He said, “I who started a good work in you will complete that work until that day.”
In verse 24 it says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” I like how the King James Version translates the first part of this verse: “Let us consider one another.”
We are so naturally self-absorbed, but here we are encouraged to consider one another. In what way? Not in tearing down one another or focusing on one another’s faults, but considering how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
We need to ask the Lord to grant us His burden for the saints, so that we will know how to minister to them, how to encourage them, and how to stimulate them to love and good deeds.
This is not something we do on our own. This is not something we say, “I am going to do.” This is the Lord’s church. He will build His church. We just need to cooperate with Him.
Now, verse 25 says, “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.”
Sadly, we live in a day where so many are pulling out of fellowship, and often for reasons that are so petty. We get offended over small matters, we bicker, we refuse to back down from our stance, and we break fellowship.
The real issue at hand in this matter of not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together comes down to this matter of drawing near to God. Those who draw near to God and hold to that fellowship will find themselves desiring the fellowship of those of the same life—the life of Christ.
Because we cannot make it on our own. We are not going to make it in this life of faith on our own. We need one another to press on to the goal.
That is the connection in this verse between assembling together and encouraging one another. The day is drawing near when we will all stand before the Lord and give an account. We need to encourage one another today to be faithful and to stay in the race before us.
And now we come to verse 26, the beginning of the warning: “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth.”
Now, I want you to notice that the writer says we. He is including himself in this warning. That is because this passage began with the writer speaking to brethren in verse 19, and there has been no change in the identity of those addressed here in this verse. This section is addressed to believers.
This verse speaks of receiving the knowledge of the truth. The word knowledge in Greek is epignosis, which is complete, mature, experiential knowledge—not just mere head knowledge. This speaks of those who have experienced the truth, and an unbeliever has not entered into such knowledge. So this section here is for believers.
So what does it mean to go on sinning willfully? The word willfully means deliberate, determined, done with full intention and forethought. The word willfully is in the present participle in the Greek, which means it is continuous; it is maintained.
Thus, this is speaking of one who has received experiential knowledge of the truth and yet willfully continues, or remains, in a condition of sinning against God.
Now, we need to clarify that this sinning willfully is not referring to times when we succumb to temptation. It is not speaking of that. Nor does it refer to falling due to some sin which so easily entangles you, such as losing your temper or pride.
No. It is a determined, deliberate, continuous sinning against God by one who has come into an experiential knowledge of truth. So what is this sin? It is apostasy, which is the falling away from known truth.
What is to be the outcome of those who are in this condition? Let us read on.
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.
Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Now, if this section were speaking of unbelievers, we would agree that if there was someone who had heard and rejected the gospel, such a one would come under this description of no longer having a sacrifice remaining for their sins, because they would be turning down the only way of salvation.
But as we have said, this section here is speaking of believers. If one is in the condition referred to here—continuing to sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth—it goes on to say there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
Now, we need to back up to understand this a little bit. We know that it was true in the Old Testament that there were sins for which no sacrifice could be made, such as murder and adultery. There was no sacrifice, only the carrying out of judgment.
Remember when we spoke about the third warning of falling away in Hebrews 6? We referenced the illustration, or type, of the children of Israel who refused to believe God and enter into the promised land, which was in Numbers 13 and 14.
It is very interesting that, as you read on, we find in Numbers 15 a situation where a man is found gathering wood on the Sabbath. He is brought before Moses and Aaron and the entire congregation.
The Lord says he is to be stoned to death outside the camp. Here was one who had known the truth of the law. He had known that he should not have been working on the Sabbath, but he deliberately sinned. There remained no sacrifice for sins for it, but the certain carrying out of judgment.
Thus, in the type, so in our text here: if one goes on sinning willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin, but a certain expectation of judgment.
Now, what does this mean? We have pointed out before, and we want to make it clear again, that this judgment spoken of here has no reference to the matter of heaven and hell. Are we clear on that?
Our brother Jeffrey shared on this recently, but I need to mention it again, because I do not know where everybody stands.
Eternal life is the gift of God, and once given, it will not be taken away. Otherwise, it could not be classified as a gift. Romans 11:29 clearly says:
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
But after eternal life is received, the believer is then called into discipleship. Our brother Kenny shared on this recently. Each believer is expected to press on to maturity—to sonship.
If one has come into this understanding of the call to press on to maturity and then goes on sinning willfully, only judgment remains.
To what degree? We read before that anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Yet the beginning of Hebrews 10:29 says, “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve?” That refers to those who go on sinning willfully.
Can there be a more severe punishment than what is referred to under the law? What is the punishment referred to under the law? Physical death.
The New Testament does speak of a sin unto death, in 1 John. It is very interesting because the theme of 1 John is fellowship.
But there is an even more severe punishment which will be incurred by those who remain in the state of apostasy throughout this age of grace, and that is in the age to come. Remember, that age lasts for one thousand years.
The Word speaks of those cast into outer darkness. It speaks of the loss of reward. God is very serious about this matter of summing up all things in Christ.
We as believers, who have been privileged to enter into a new covenant with our God, need to take seriously this relationship we have with Him.
As it says in Hebrews 10:29:
How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God,
and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified,
and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Here in this verse, we find the definition of the willful sin found back in verse 26. This word trampled is also seen in Matthew 7:6, where the Lord said, “Do not cast your pearls before swine,” because they will trample them underfoot.
This word is also in Luke 8:5, in the parable of sowing the seed. It speaks of the seed that is trampled by the wayside.
We may find it amazing that a believer could ever end up in this condition. But the reality is that, over the course of time, through neglect, unbelief, dullness, and hardness, if we let ourselves go there, one can even become antagonistic.
It does not come about overnight. But an offense toward God not dealt with, not resolved, can take us down this ugly path.
This verse says, “has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified.” You cannot have a hostile attitude toward the Son of God without likewise having the same attitude toward His redemptive work.
Note that it says that at one time such a one acknowledged that they were redeemed by the blood, but now they consider the blood common, unclean, and insult the Spirit of grace.
One in this condition would likewise be antagonistic toward the Holy Spirit, who has come to glorify Christ. This insulting of the Holy Spirit is stronger than just grieving the Holy Spirit.
Remember in Matthew 22, you have the parable of the wedding feast. It speaks of some who were invited, and they paid no attention and went their way. That was in verse 5.
But then it goes on to say that the rest who were invited mistreated the slaves of the king and killed them. The King James Version says they “entreated them spitefully.” This mistreated—this entreated them spitefully—is the same word as insulted here.
We need to be careful about insulting the Spirit of grace.
So consider again what is being said here. This is speaking of one who knowingly, consistently, and deliberately acts in opposition to the Son of God, calls common the blood of the covenant, and insults the Holy Spirit.
Second Peter speaks of those who mock at the promise of the coming of the Lord—believers there. Jude likewise speaks of those who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ—believers there.
Can this really happen to a believer? If it were not possible, it would not be included in the Scriptures. God does not use fictitious illustrations to warn us with. If it is here, it is a possibility.
Verse 30: “For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’”
There are some today who believe that because the Lord has borne the judgment of our sins on the cross, there is not going to be any more judgment for the believer.
They think that because they are born again, they are automatically going to enter into the kingdom age and reign and rule with Him.
They delegate verses like this to unbelievers and say, “Well, that is unbelievers.” The parable of the virgins—the ten wise and the ten foolish—the foolish, they say, are unbelievers.
Sadly, they delegate it. They do not understand. They confuse gift and reward. Eternal life, true, is a gift. But entering, reigning, and ruling in the kingdom age is a reward, and that is to the faithful.
Verse 31 says, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
In 2 Corinthians 5:11, it says, “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord.” Verse 10 prior to that was speaking about the judgment seat of Christ, that we would all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
It speaks of it in a fearful way. We have stated it before and will repeat it again: there needs to be a holy fear. There needs to be a holy reverence of the saints toward God.
Though we have been brought into this relationship with God through grace, that same grace is to enable us to live a life pleasing to the Lord.
Now, having set forth the warning, the writer turns to remind those he is writing to of what they had gained in Christ, and he wants them to be careful not to throw it away. Look at these descriptions, beginning in verse 32.
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened,
you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations,
and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.
For you showed sympathy to the prisoners
and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property,
knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
The writer wants to remind them of what they had gained in Christ and not to throw it away. Look at the descriptions.
They had been enlightened—that is the same word we saw back in Hebrews 6:4. They endured through sufferings, reproaches, and tribulations. They had sympathy, as opposed to a lack of concern or care for their fellow believers.
They had joy, as opposed to grief, sorrow, or bitterness. They had a better possession. They had Christ, and none can take Him away from them.
These descriptions are true evidences of the manifestation of the life of Christ in them. Can we truly endure apart from Christ? Can we have sincere sympathy, which thinks of others first? Can we experience joy which has no basis in outward things?
He exhorts them not to throw these things away by abandoning Christ.
In verse 36, he says:
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God,
you may receive what was promised.
For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
But My righteous one shall live by faith;
and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
This word endurance here is actually translated patience in the King James Version. It is also found in Hebrews 12:2. We are all familiar with that verse: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
It has been said that this race is a marathon; it is not a sprint. So we need to have endurance to accomplish the will of God.
It is said of the Lord, “For the joy set before Him, He endured.” That is the Greek verb form of the same word, endurance. He endured the cross.
The joy set before Him was to accomplish His Father’s will—to bring many sons to glory.
So we can run this race with confidence for the joy set before us. What is that joy for us? It is the joy that our Lord is coming back. It is the joy that we can see a smile on His face if we live pleasing unto Him. May we keep this before our eyes.
In verse 39 it says:
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction,
but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
“But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction.” The King James Version says perdition. So what is this word speaking of?
We find this Greek word in different forms appearing in the New Testament over one hundred times. It is amazing when I studied this.
For instance, in Matthew 7:13, a very familiar one:
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
In Philippians 3:19:
For many walk, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
Sometimes this word is speaking of physical death, such as Matthew 8:25, where the Lord and the disciples are in the storm. They wake Him and say, “Lord, save us; we are perishing.” The same word is here translated destruction.
At other times, it refers to being lost, such as Luke 15:4, where the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep. It is the same word as destruction.
Of course, sometimes it refers to eternal perdition, as in John 3:16:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
So what does the word destruction refer to here? Take a pick? Juggle it?
No, seriously, we believe Matthew 26:7-8 translates this word in the same way it should be translated here. You remember the story: a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.
But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and they said, “Why this waste?” The same word here is destruction. Why this waste?
One who shrinks back from pursuing the Lord and remains in that state will find, in the end, that their life has been wasted. Nothing of value will come out of a life that is not given to the Lord.
But we are to be those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. We are to be those who, by faith, finish the course that is set before us and thus preserve our soul for the Lord.
Luke 17:33 says:
Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it.
That word life is the same word for soul.
So may we be those who continue to draw near and do not shrink back. May the Lord have mercy.