Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 10:23

"let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:" — Hebrews 10:23 (ASV)

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. To secure this was one of the leading purposes of this epistle, and for this reason the apostle refers to it so frequently. It is evident that those to whom he wrote were suffering persecution (Hebrews 12) and that there was great danger that they would apostatize.

As these persecutions probably came from the Jews, and as the aim was to induce them to return to their former opinions, the object of the apostle is to show that the Christian system contained every advantage of which the Jews could boast. This included everything relating to the dignity of the great Founder of the system, the character of the High Priest, and the nature and value of the sacrifices offered. Furthermore, all this was possessed far more abundantly in the permanent Christian system than in that which was typological in character and was designed soon to pass away.

In view of all this, therefore, the apostle adds that they should hold fast the profession of their faith, without being shaken by their trials or by the arguments of their enemies. We have the same motivation to hold fast the profession of our faith—for it is still the same religion; we have the same Savior, and the same prospect of heaven is still offered to us.

For he is faithful that promised. To encourage them to hold fast their profession, the apostle adds this additional consideration: God, who had promised eternal life to them, was faithful to all that he had said. The arrangement here is:

1. Since God is so faithful to us, we should be faithful to him.

2. The fact that he is faithful is an encouragement to us. We are dependent on him for grace to hold fast our profession. If he were to prove unfaithful, we would have no strength to do it. But this he never does; and we may be assured that all that he has promised he will perform. To the service of such a God, therefore, we should adhere without wavering. (Compare to 1 Corinthians 10:13)