"Enter Into Rest"          

Hebrews 4:3

 

     The inspired writer declares that "we which have believed do enter into rest." Believers enter into a blessed fourfold rest by faith in Christ.

     WE REST OUR SOULS UPON THE EFFICACY OF CHRIST'S BLOOD ATONEMENT (Rom. 8:1, 34; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7). The shed blood of Christ, the sinner's Substitute,gives us rest from the guilt of sin and the fear of God's wrath. Nothing can be in two places at one time. If God has laid my sin upon Christ, it can never be laid upon me.Justice will not allow the same crime to be twice punished. If the Lord God punished my sins to the full satisfaction of his justice in Christ, my Substitute, he cannot impute sin to me and punish me for it.

     WE REST ALSO UPON THE INFINITE, UNFAILING SUFFICIENCY OF GOD'S SAVING GRACE (II Cor.12:9; John 10:27-23; Phil. 1:6). The grace of God by which we have been saved is sufficient to overcome our inbred sins and corruptions, sufficient to preserve us in the midst of many and great temptations, sufficient to sustain us in trials, sufficient to restore us though we fall seven times a day, and sufficient to keep us unto the end.

     WE REST OUR LIVES UPON THE GOODNESS OF GOD'S UNIVERSAL PROVIDENCE (Isa. 45:7; Rom. 8:28; II Cor. 5:18). We find rest, not by arranging the affairs of our lives, but by leaving the arrangement of our affairs to our heavenly Father who is too wise to err, too strong to fail, too good to do wrong, and too gracious to hurt his children.

     WE REST UPON THE INFALLIBILITY OF GOD'S WORD AND THE PROMISES OF IT (Isa. 40:8). Because the Bible is the Word of God, it is infallible. Because it is infallible, its promises are all sure. Three things are promised in the Book of God to every believer which give us rest as we apprehend them by faith: (1) The Non-Imputation of Sin (Rom. 4:8), (2) The Resurrection of the Body (I Thess. 4:13-18), and (3) The Glory of Eternal Bliss in Heaven (John 14:1-3).

     THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO MUST ENTER INTO THE REST OF GOD'S EVERLASTING SALVATION IN CHRIST (Heb. 4:6). All who were chosen to it must possess it. All for whom it was purchased must enter into it. All who have been called to it by God must obtain it. That means that all who trust Christ must enter into his rest. You cannot trust him and perish!

 

 

Don Fortner