Rest for Christian Believers

(Heb 4:1) Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Entering into God’s rest is an important tenet of the faith of all believers yet it has been and is grossly misunderstood.

Have you ever heard other believers declare how difficult the Christian life is? Have you ever heard them speak about the struggles that they are going through in their lives? Have you heard these same people do so over and over again about the same issues?

This writing will reveal the truth of God’s rest and how that rest is to be applied to the daily lives of Christian believers.

Jesus Last Words

(Luk 24:36) And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

(Joh 14:27) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

(Joh 16:33) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Among the last words spoken by our Lord, while on earth, were words of peace. Even more so they were the bestowing of a blessing.

The Greek word eirēnē (peace) Probably from a primary verb εἴρω eirō (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication prosperity: – one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.

What does the peace that Christ gave us have to do with the rest that God gave us?

Good Question!

The Greek word katapausis (rest) reposing down, that is, (by Hebraism) abode: – rest, which comes from the word katapauō to settle down, that is, (literally) to colonize.

The similarity of the two words that is important to note here is in the idea of joining and colonizing. When Jesus gave us “His peace” we were joined with Him in that peace. To colonize means: to plant or establish a colony in; to plant or settle a number of the subjects of a kingdom, to migrate and settle in, as inhabitants.

So when we receive the peace of Christ we become one with Him in that peace and we migrate from the tribulations of the world into the kingdom of God where we find rest! Glory to God!

Misunderstanding the Sabbath Rest

(Gen 2:1) Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

(Gen 2:2) And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested (shâbath) on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

(Gen 2:3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

The Hebrew word shâbath A primitive root; to repose, that is, desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causatively, figuratively or specifically): – (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away. So sabbath means to rest!

Now it has been argued that Jesus was a Jew and kept the Sabbath. I know that this is not going to “church good” but the biblical evidence does not declare either when scriptures are rightly handled.

The Jewish Jesus

Yes it is true that Jesus was born a Jew, born of a woman who came through the linage of David. In fact many people of the day called our Lord “son of David” as a sign of respect for Him.

The question here is; what was Jesus response to this claim?

(Mar 12:35) And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

(Mar 12:36) For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

(Mar 12:37) David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

You see, although Jesus came into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh and was fully man, He wanted the Jews to understand that He was more than a man. All they were seeing was the flesh of Jesus. Some thought that He was a prophet. Others believed He was Messiah. But none thought He was the Son of God much less that He was God Himself in the flesh (Emanuel).

To make Jesus the son of David is to make Him a mere mortal man. Jesus is God! He is the Creator. He is The Living Word of God. He is a person of the Godhead. Jews do not believe that nor do they believe in the Holy Trinity. Even today they acknowledge Him as Messiah but not as God Himself.

Jesus Kept The Sabbath

How is it that people have come to believe that Jesus kept the Sabbath?

It is mostly because Jesus went into the temple on the Sabbath. Again this is taken at face value. The question is why did Jesus go into the temple on the Sabbath? He did so for two reasons:

First and foremost to teach! Jesus did not come to be taught. He cams as a light onto the Jewish people. He came to correct the false doctrines, traditions and customs that they were practicing.
Secondly He went into the temple because that’s where the Jews were on the Sabbath!

Scriptures are clear that Jesus came to minister onto the Jews.

(Mat 15:24) But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Why?

(Isa 53:3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

(Isa 53:4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

(Isa 53:5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

(Isa 53:6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus came to the Jews to be a light unto the darkness of their misunderstanding. If you read scriptures objectively Jesus seldom if ever approved of what was being taught to and subsequently being practiced by the Jews. (that’s a whole other study)

This holds true regarding the Sabbath as well!

(Mat 12:1) At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

(Mat 12:2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

(Mat 12:3) But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

(Mat 12:4) How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

(Mat 12:5) Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

(Mat 12:6) But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

(Mat 12:7) But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

(Mat 12:8) For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

You see the sabbath rest of the old testament was and is a type and shadow of the rest that we enter into when we enter into the kingdom of God of which Jesus is Lord!

(Mat 11:27) All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

(Mat 11:28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

(Mat 11:29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

(Mat 11:30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus did not do away with the seventh day sabbath He came to illuminate it. He came to show what it was truly about. Just as man had misunderstood the purpose of the law they did not understand the intent of the sabbath rest.

The prophet Issiah said the Jews were transgressors and doers of iniquity, have gone astray and went their own way doctrinally. Jesus went into the temple because that’s where the Jews were gathered and He went there to teach not to approve of their ways or their doctrines. When He taught in the temples He rebuked and corrected their teachings. He did not perpetuate them. When He taught about the sabbath He told the people that He is Lord of the rest (sabbath).

The Law & Grace

(2Co 3:3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

(2Co 3:4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

(2Co 3:5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

(2Co 3:6) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

We are supposed to be walking, talking epistles of Christ Jesus our Lord.

The morphology of the word epistle (epistolē), which means a written message, is interesting and noteworthy. This Greek word comes from the word epistellō which means to enjoin which comes from the words epi – a superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution, and the word stellō – properly to set fast. So the teachings of Christ are to be superimposed (placed on top of) all that we believe and set fast (binding, immutable, incontrovertible, inflexible, invariable, rigid).

That which is ministered unto us and that which we are to minister onto others is not written with ink and or carved into tablets of stone (note: this is making reference to the ceremonial law – written with ink and the law given by God Himself – carved into stone) These laws were placed into our spirits because they are given to us through the Spirit of God and placed into our hearts.

This is what confuses many about grace. No, it is not a get out of jail free card. No it does not give us permission to sin so that grace may abound. What it means is that we no longer need to read the law with our physical eyes nor hear it with our natural ears because the law has been placed within us so that our lives become the fulfillment of the law! We live the law because it becomes part of our nature and because we no longer have the desire to sin. Our desire, that is to say our new nature as born again believers, is to please our Father.

We do not try to obey the law (written with ink and carved into stones) out of fear or retribution through the wrath of God. That was the way of the old testament people. And it didn’t work because the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak.

(2Co 3:4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

(2Co 3:5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

(2Co 3:6) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

(2Co 3:7) But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

(2Co 3:8) How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

(2Co 3:9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

(2Co 3:10) For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

(2Co 3:11) For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

Now this doesn’t “church good” but it is none the truth.

Brothers and Sisters we have been made ministers of the NEW testament not the old!

Notice what the apostle Paul has to say about the law in context of the old and the new testaments:

One is of the letter and the other of the spirit.
The Letter killith and the Spirit giveth life.
That which was written and engraved in stone is the ministration (ministry) of death and condemnation.
The old way (of the law written in ink and on stone) was glorious but that glory was to be done away with and replaced by the new way of the new ministration of imputed rightiousness.

Now this is a tough pill to swallow for many. The word however says what it says and means what it means!

Verse 9 says; “For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory“. The old way, that is to say the old way of administrating the law, is exceeded by the glory of the new way of administering that same law and this way will not pass away as did the old way. This new way of the law being placed with in us is eternal! Glory to God!

(2Co 3:12) Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

(2Co 3:13) And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

(2Co 3:14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

(2Co 3:15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

(2Co 3:16) Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

(2Co 3:17) Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

(2Co 3:18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Look at the beautiful truth of God’s word here Brothers and Sisters.

Receive it into your spirits!

That which has been written and carved into stone was intended for natural people not spiritual people!

When we read about the old law in the old testament what we are seeing is a type and shadow of our Lord Jesus. If we don’t see Christ in the law our eyes are blinded and the veil is upon our hearts. When we see Christ in the law and understand that because Christ is in us and we are in Him we understand that the law is within us. And that through the unction of the Holy Spirit within us we fulfill the law because we live the law. That is when we enter into the rest of Jesus and obtain His peace! Glory to God! Amen!

As we become transformed into the image of Jesus, as we pick up our cross daily, as we little by little and day by day kill off the desires of the flesh, we become Christlike.

We become the fulfillment of the law!

The law was never intended to save anyone. It was not intended to force people to live by a set of rules and regulations in fear of retribution. The purpose of the law was to illustrate that which is pleasing to God by showing that which displeases Him! The law, for all intent and purposes shows us the will of our Father. Nothing More!

This is what Jesus came to show the Jews. That the law is the expressed will of our Father and that when we have these things in our spirits and hearts we know and do His will not of ourselves rather because of the new nature that was placed within us.

This brothers and sisters is the liberty, rest and peace that is available to all of us if we choose to receive it. I pray you do just that in the name of Jesus!

In closing I leave you with this thought fro the word of God;

(Eze 36:25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

(Eze 36:26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

(Eze 36:27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

(Eze 36:28) And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

(Eze 36:29) I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

(Eze 36:30) And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

(Eze 36:31) Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

(Eze 36:32) Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

The rest of believers is found in the knowledge and wisdom that it is not about what we have done, can do or will do, it is about what God has said He will do, has done and will do!

God (“I”) will:

sprinkle clean water upon you
cleanse you
give you a new heart
give you a new spirit
take away your stony heart
give you a heart of flesh
multiply the fruit of the tree
multiply the increase of the field
lay no famine upon you

Where does it say that you have to do anything? God does it all!

All we must do is accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, receive His Holy Spirit and submit to the leadership (administration) of Him. When we do these things our nature changes and we automatically conform to the will of God. We don’t even think about it. It just becomes our new way of living just as our old sin nature was our way of living at one time in our lives.

Think about it brothers and sisters, if the old administration of the law was successful why did Jesus have to come to begin with?

And if Jesus came to fulfill the law, to give us liberty from the chains of the law, and from the penalty of death associated with sin under that law, why do we slap Him in the face by continuing to live under the law that was put to death on the cross?

Enter into His rest brothers and sisters. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. When we allow Him to work through us, to change our natures, to renew our minds, then we will live out the good and acceptable and perfect will of God in our lives! Amen!