Three general truths of the life of faith emerge from the threefold "let us" call to draw near, hold fast the confession of our faith, and consider one another: First is the truth of faith as the active seeking of God's promise, described in verse 22: "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith..." Within the paragraphic context, verses 19-21 constitute a challenge to believers to boldly access the Most Holy Place, or the presence of God, the full assurance being based strictly upon the blood of Jesus (v. 19). This forms a prominent theme of the book of Hebrews (Heb. 4:16; 9:11; 9:24; 10:22), as well as a general truth of the NT (Matt. 11:28; Rom. 5:1-2; Eph. 2:18), and is one of the great benefits of the predominant NT theme of redemption by the blood of Christ. Ironically, the call to gain access by faith is also a call to a life of diligence in order to find rest for the soul: "Let us draw near in full assurance of faith" implies the same sort of active seeking as the words of chapter 4: "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the...example of disobedience" (4:11). It is a truth reinforced, in typical midrashic manner, by use of the OT (Habakkuk) in verses 37-38 and which connects logically to the conclusion of the chapter: "But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul" (v. 39).
So according to Hebrews faith is not passive but active. According to verse 23 it is also faithful, or persistently obedient. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." As in the previous verse, here the writer appeals to a larger consistent theme of the book of Hebrews as a complete literary unit. Faith in this sense may fairly be defined as simply refusing to quit. Many pieces of textual evidence from the book of Hebrews indicate that the believers addressed were under a great deal of persecution and tempted to forsake their commitment to Christ. Verse 23 and others argue that such a commitment is associated with and even synonymous with saving faith. Chapter 2 warns of the dangers of "drifting away" (v. 1) and promises the aid of Christ to those suffering and tempted (v. 18). Chapter 3 offers Christ as an example of one "faithful" (3:1-2) and challenges believers to "hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end" (v. 6), to "hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end" (v. 14). It concludes by connecting diligent, active faith with obedience, and thus disobedient escapism with unbelief (v. 18-19). Examples could be multiplied throughout the book.
Perhaps most clearly, however, the use of the words "let us" indicates a call to identify with the Christian community. "Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together" (v. 24-25). Here is an appeal to the value of interpersonal relationships, encouragement and accountability in fellowship with other believers - the sort of fellowship that held the church together throughout the persecutions and tribulations recorded in the book of Acts. "Us" is an evident reference to the collective body of Christ on earth, or the church. The Jews addressed in Hebrews suffered especially vigorous persecution, marked by "sufferings,...reproaches and tribulations," probably for abandoning their old traditions and embracing Christianity (10:32-33; 12:3). Their great temptation was to simply return to their old, familiar and far more comfortable Judaism. Thus the writer refers throughout the book of Hebrews to the inherent superiority of the new covenant, the new priesthood and the new tabernacle to the old. He assures us that faithfulness will be duly rewarded. In the church is found a spiritual bond of fellowship that reaches all the way to heaven, and a wonderful hope of God's grace in contrast with the "certain fearful expectation of judgment" that comes upon all who reject Moses' law given at Mount Sinai: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel" (Heb. 12:22-24).