What does it mean to come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16)?

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." This is no mere self-confidence, which would be "strange fire" (Lev. 10: 1, 2), but firmest con­fidence in the Lord Jesus, - no trepidation or cringing apprehension, but a calm (though reverential) sense of being heartily welcome. For we find the majestic throne of God to be in truth a "throne of grace." While His great glory is maintained, yet His grace is there dispensed in fullest measure. The blessed sacrifice of the Lord Jesus is the basis of this character of grace attaching to the throne of God.

There is a distinction here drawn between obtaining mercy and finding grace to help in time of need. Mercy is that heartfelt compassion that comes into the circum­stances of sorrow or trial; it regards one as in such cir­cumstances; whereas grace is active favor, a power that lifts one above his circumstances. Note Ephesians 2:46 in this regard. Man's condition of misery is seen in verse 3, then mercy and love in verse 4, and the active work of grace in verses 5 and 6, raising up and seating together all saints in the heavenlies, in Christ. Blessed communica­tion of Divine favor. And such grace is constantly available in practical life below. What real, encouraging in­centive to constant, effectual prayer!

(V. 16). In the presence of these infirmities and temptations we have a resource. Whatever the difficulties we may have to meet, however much we may be tried and tested, whatever emergency may arise, there is grace available to enable us to meet the trial. — the throne of grace is open to us. We are exhorted therefore to draw near to the throne of grace, that is to God Himself. We are not told to draw near to the High Priest, but to God, and we can do so boldly because the High Priest represents us at the throne of grace. Drawing near we obtain mercy, not because we have failed, but in order that in the trial we may not fail. The time of need is not here the time of failure, but the time when we are faced with trials and temptations which may lead to failure.

Oh, then, let us come boldly to the throne of grace! That throne is the third of the great helps which our chapter mentions. It is a "throne of grace" because graced by our great High Priest being seated there. Thence is dispensed mercy and grace for seasonable or opportune help, only we must come to the throne in order that we may get it.

Notice that beautiful expression, "the throne of grace." The Israelite was familiar with the thought of the throne of God. He was familiar also with the thought of the mercy-seat, with the cherubim of glory overshadowing it; but it was a strange thought to him that this mercy-seat should be a place of free access to him. His thought of it was that the cherubim of glory guarded the way into the presence of God, just as effectually as the cherubim with the flaming sword guarded the way to the tree of life at the entrance to the garden of Eden. His thought was that God was to be at a distance. Faith's thought is that through Christ we can draw near with boldness to a throne of grace. We will look at the mercy-seat at another time, where it is brought up in detail, later on in our epistle. I merely allude to it here as we pass. It was the place where God's righteousness was manifested, where His judgment was declared, where His holy law was the basis of His dealings with man. This throne of God in righteousness, however, was covered over by a golden, a divinely given covering, and upon that was sprinkled the blood of atonement. That was the mercy-seat. For us it is become the throne of grace because of Christ's finished work, and the sprinkled blood which shows God's acceptance of the Sacrifice and that our Priest has gone into the sanctuary, whither we by faith can follow Him. It is thus the throne of grace, where God's grace, and not His judgment, is manifested. His judgment has been visited upon the Substitute; His grace now goes out to the guilty who draw near through Jesus, and we can thus "obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Thus if the wilderness brings out our need, it brings out the infinite resources of Christ, the great High Priest.

We may come boldly to the throne, etc. Still it is a throne (not a mediator), but all grace. If I go to the throne, instead of the throne coming to me, so to speak, it is all grace: I get help. I never can go to the throne of grace without finding mercy. He may send chastening, but it is a throne of grace and all mercy - "grace to help in every time of need." If you have a will, He will break it; if a need, He will help you. Do you feel that you can always go boldly, even when you have failed? humbled, of course, and at all times humble, but humbled when you have failed.

Therefore, our High Priest being there, we can go with all boldness to the throne of grace, to find mercy and the grace suited to us in all times of need: mercy, because we are weak and wavering; needful grace, because we are engaged in a warfare which God owns.

Now follows the blessed and immediate result of having such a High Priest. Assured of His deep sympathy, and of His constant interest in His own, we are exhorted to draw nigh with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16). Ever dependent, and to be consciously that, we have an unfailing resource, of which we are free to make use. With boldness can we draw nigh. True it is that, apart from the knowledge of acceptance on the ground of Christ's atoning sacrifice, we could not thus draw nigh. That is therefore here assumed as already known by the tried and tempted saint, though later on it will be set forth, in order to keep any of the Hebrews or others from the sin of apostasy through reverting to the Temple ritual and conforming afresh to Mosaic ordinances. But in our chapter (4) it is the provision for the saint's difficulties and warfare that is the subject, and not the ground of the sinner's acceptance.

Grace for the way is needed. Mercy too in our feebleness is required. For both are we to approach the throne, but for us a throne of grace, and not a throne of judgment. No fear is there of denial, no fear of judgment to hinder us, conscious though we are that as sinners we deserved it. We are to draw nigh with boldness to receive mercy, and to find grace to help in time of need (4:16). To receive. Let us pause for a moment. We are not told even to ask. We are told to come to receive and to find. Why such language? Why this direction? Because our High Priest has asked already for us, and has obtained all the grace and the mercy that we need. It is there already for us. Had we first to ask, we might reasonably think that we must wait for the answer. We are to go to receive what we need, and all that we need, and as often as we need. Our God delights to provide. Our High Priest is ever ready to intercede. And we are to understand that the needed grace and mercy are awaiting us. Poor must be human language to convey to others the sense of such grace on the part of the High Priest. Of His sacrifice once for all many have heard, and rest on it. How many really understand that He is ever, as it were, on the watch, to ask on behalf of His suffering, feeble saints the grace, the help they sorely need? What must His saints be to Him and to God!

Observe what the aim is when we thus approach: "that we may receive mercy and find grace for seasonable help." Our weakness needs this mercy; and God's pleasure is that we, engaged with the difficulties of the way, may find grace for seasonable help. He sits there and invites thus that we may depend on Him for help in good time. Having such a Priest let us approach the throne of grace boldly. God and His Son are pledged to bless us, as also we can look to Him without doubt or fear. Such is His word, no less than His will.

Hence we are told to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy [pity] and find grace for timely help” (Heb. 4:16). A more lovely expression could not be found for the tried and needy pilgrim than “the throne of grace.” It signifies the omnipotence of compassion—pity all powerful!

The throne of God, which by reason of man's sin became for him a throne of judgment, has by the work of Jesus in redemption become a throne of grace. As we look upon Jesus on the throne above, we can come boldly into His presence, and there "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (verse 16). The grace and mercy are not to help us in failure, but to keep us from failure.