WE WHO HAVE BELIEVED. Hebrews 4:3 Those who rely on their own works, religious affiliations, or hope to earn acceptance from God through their efforts have not placed their faith solely in our Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Salvation is by grace alone; it "is not of works, lest any man should boast." God has promised rest that comes from Him, not a peak of achievement gained by self-effort. There is a danger that people might believe they can add to the finished work of Christ. Some teach that "we have to do our part," and if we are sincere and try our best, God will grant us rest.
Sadly, some of God's dear children still feel unsure about their salvation because they worry whether they have done enough. They think they should be doing more or experiencing some miraculous event—an ecstatic emotion that lifts them out of themselves—as proof of the rest God offers.
God provided rest at the beginning of the world, but unbelief has kept people from experiencing that rest. For Israel to enter into the rest promised to them in Canaan, they had to trust in Him, not in their own abilities. The salvation rest we receive is found only in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. His work is complete.
God rested and was refreshed after completing His work of creation in six days. Similarly, just as the work is finished, so is the work of redemption. God’s justice and His righteous demands have been satisfied by our Lord Jesus on our behalf, bringing satisfaction to God, and He rests in that truth. Now, He invites us to enter into that rest—He is that rest. He calls us to share in the rest He offers because justice has been fully satisfied through the Savior’s death on the cross.
The Hebrew Christians had professed faith in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah and were called to stand firm in their faith despite suffering and opposition. Some were strong, some were wavering, and some were false Christians. Those whose hands were hanging down and stopping their work for the Lord were being defeated. Others whose knees were weak found the walk of faith more than they thought they could endure and had stopped moving forward in dedication to the Lord and His service.
We are invited to enter God’s rest and share with Him the blessings and satisfaction He found in the completed redemption that was necessary to bring us to God. When we enter that divine rest, we will still need to stand firm in the faith, striving together for the faith of the Gospel, and not be frightened by our enemies. There are foes we must face and fight against. This is not our final rest, so we will face adversaries like the Israelites did when they entered Canaan. Rest is not without a price. It cost our Lord Jesus His life so God could rest with justice being done. Believers must face temptations, social pressures, open opposition, and the tendency to hide their faith to be accepted by those of the world system. These challenges help to purify us even as our Lord is pure.
When we enter into God’s rest, we receive God Himself, His righteousness, and His peace. We also accept His light and His strength to live for Him. Our food is what God enjoys, and our life is Christ living in us. The rest that faith gives us is not only for a select few but for any believer. We are all called to a life of consecration that becomes real to us the closer we are to our Lord and the more committed we are to our walk with Him.
The more we experience Christ, the greater our joy becomes. Our role in all that God is doing for us, in us, and through us, is to place our faith in His “resting place, not in device or creed.” Our rest is in Christ alone. This rest does not mean doing nothing, but being refreshed and renewed in our fellowship and walk with the Lord.