“For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have
spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the
people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,
just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that
rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”
(Hebrews 4:8-11 NIV)
Why should we strive to enter the rest? It’s because that’s
what we are made for. Rest means the rest of God. In the beginning God rested
after making everything in place. Everything means everything, restoration,
redemption, salvation, judgment, and even new heaven and new earth. God’s restoration
plan is complete before the creation of the world.
Furthermore, Christ Jesus entered into the Holy of holies
once for all through His own blood and was raised on the third day and ascended
into heaven and seated at the right hand of God until His enemy is made a
footstool for His feet (Psalm 110:1). There is no more work left to redeem His
people otherwise He would not have been sitting down in glory.
“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;
but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus
obtaining eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12 NIV)
It has been true throughout the ages from the beginning that
everyone in Christ shall enter the rest, the rest of Eternal God. Entering the
rest means to depend on Him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your
strength. If you refuse to enter that rest, you will perish because it is the
act of disobedience. Refusing to enter the rest means repudiating the cross of
Christ which is the only way to the Father.
Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 NIV) Why
must anyone first deny himself? It’s because there is no value in man. Man is
dead in sins and trespasses, says the scripture (Ephesians 2:1). Anyone in
Christ has been made alive by the blood of Christ and being raised with Him and
seated with Him in glory (Ephesians 2:5-6).
Therefore, there is no space at all for anyone to boast of
being redeemed because it is wholly and completely on the mercy and grace of
God through the blood of Christ Jesus the Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is a
whole new arrangement of living in Christ: “Everything is coming from the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and nothing from me.” That’s the infallible foundation
we shall make every effort to enter that rest forever and ever.
Jesus Christ demonstrated the perfect resting in God the
Father all the time in the ministry on the earth and beyond. “Very truly I tell
you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father
doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves
the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works
than these, so that you will be amazed.” (John 5:19-20 NIV)
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