For Whom Was This New and Living Way Consecrated?

It was consecrated for Jesus’ disciples, for those who are willing to follow in His footsteps and be conformed to the image of Him who was perfected through sufferings. This way is for those who are to be His brothers. Hebrews 2:10-11, Romans 8:28-29. “We know that all things serve to the good for those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”

We don’t know what we should pray for as we need to, because we don’t know what will serve to conform us to the image of the Son. However, what we do know is that what comes our way is just what we need to be conformed to His image. Romans 8:26. God knows our hearts. He knows that for us who love Him, the most precious thing is to be conformed to the image of His Son and become His brothers. That is why we know that what comes our way is what we need. It is actually what we should have prayed for. So we who believe and are Jesus’ disciples will always be heard when we pray.

It is not granted to everyone to begin on the new and living way. Here we read what is required: “And since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with 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.” Hebrews 10:21-23.

We cannot begin to walk this way while harboring doubts about our High Priest who is the surety of a new covenant. We must truly have given up everything in order to follow the Captain of our salvation, who sanctifies us, so that we can become His brothers. Hebrews 2:10-11. Nor can we begin to walk this way with a bad conscience. We must have made restitution where necessary, so that when others see us they will not be reminded of old sins we are still trying to hide. We should be in a position to apply the following words to ourselves: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11.

This is also what Jesus teaches us in the Sermon on the Mount, which he addressed to His disciples. “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock.” Luke 6:48. We cannot build o top of our old life, with that as a foundation. We must acknowledge the truth and come to the light. And once having begun, we must heed the exhortation, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23.