We Keep The
Sabbath By Faith
Hebrews 4:3
We do not yet keep the sabbath perfectly, because we do not yet trust our Savior
perfectly. We do not yet perfectly rest in him. But we do keep the sabbath truly and sincerely by faith. Our sabbath
observance is not a carnal, literal thing. We do not keep a sabbath
day. God forbid that we should ever do so! But all who believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ keep the sabbath by faith, because we
have entered into his rest. "We which have
believed do enter into rest." That word, "rest", means
"sabbath".
I have told you before
that the sabbath day was ordained by God in the
ceremonial worship of the Jews for two reasons: (1) It was a symbol of God's
rest after the creation of the world. And (2) it was a worshipful remembrance
of Israel's redemption from Egypt. The essence of sabbath
observance was self-denial and consecration to God. This is exactly the way we
observe the sabbath spiritually by faith in Christ,
not one day in seven, but all the days of our lives. The believer's life is a
keeping of the sabbath!
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
GIVES REST TO EVERY SINNER WHO COMES TO HIM BY FAITH (Matt. 11:28). In the mind and purpose of God, the
works of redemption and grace were finished before the foundation of the world.
But this blessed rest of salvation must be apprehended and entered into by
faith. And it is written, "That some must enter therein." God has an
elect people who must come to Christ by faith and enter into his rest. What is
that rest which Christ gives to sinners when they come to him by faith?He gives us the blessed rest of complete pardon (Isa.43:25;
Eph. 1:6), perfect reconciliation (Col. 1:20-21), absolute security (John 10:27-30), and his providential care (Rom. 8:28). Coming to Christ by faith, we find
rest. In this way we keep the sabbath. But our sabbath of faith is more than a ceasing from our own works
and a remembering of our redemption. IT ALSO INVOLVES, IN ITS ESSENCE, THE
CONSECRATION OF OUR LIVES TO GOD OUR SAVIOR (Matt. 11:29-30). We keep the sabbath
of faith and find rest for our souls when we wilfully, deliberately,
wholeheartedly surrender to Christ as our Lord. Keeping the sabbath
is more than going to church on Sunday and keeping one day in seven for
religious exercises. It is ceasing from our works, trusting Christ alone for
acceptance with God, and consecrating ourselves entirely to Him. In doing so,
we find rest!
Don Fortner