Hebrews 4:9-11(NKJV) 9There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
Over the last two weeks we have focused on the idea of this rest as the harmony of spirit, soul and body flowing together so that each part is doing what it is supposed to do. I believe this corresponds to the idea Paul puts forward in Galatians 5:16-18. Paul tells us here if we walk in the spirit, or with that part of our being in control, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
In Romans 7 we see Paul giving us his personal testimony of his struggles with the flesh. He says there are two laws at work in his life. One that drives him away from God and one that drives him to the Lord. When the “law of the flesh” wins out he does not do what he wants to do but instead does the thing he hates.
As we looked deeply into this powerful chapter last week it became clear that the solution Paul is pointing us to is the same one he is talking about in Galatians. Walk with the inner man, the part that automatically keeps the commandments of the law, in dominance. Romans 8 is the solution to Romans 7. The first line tells us there is no condemnation to those who walk in “after the spirit” and not “after the flesh.” Romans 7 and 8 expands upon the truth of Galatians 5.
However I believe Hebrews 4 gives us another insight into this rest. Vs 9 reinforces what we studied yesterday. There is a rest for you. There is a lifestyle that does not involve the conflict both Romans 7 and Galatians 5 describe. Galatians 5 tells us the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. This is not “lust” in a sexual sense. It is lust in the sense of strong, controlling desires. Galatians 5 tells us there are competing desires that cause us to be in conflict with ourselves.
Romans 7 says there are two laws at war. Once again there is conflict. In the end of Romans 7 Paul declares that this conflict causes him to be “wretched.” That is a strong statement, but I know that I have had those days. As a pastor for more than 30 years I have dealt with many people, some who have become so weary with this conflict that they simply stop fighting and end up backslidden. This is not what the Lord had in mind for his church.
That is why I think the word “rest” is so important to understanding what is available to us. Imagine a Christian life that did not involve constant fighting with the your flesh. Imagine not have to go through the endless cycle of sin and repentance. Constantly failing in the same way. Constantly subject to the condemnation of the devil while all the time wanting to live a life pleasing to god. It is possible.
Verse 10 gives us a this phrase. “He who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” This is pointing to the 7th day of creation. The bible says that God rested on that day after creating the physical universe in the 6 days before. However, it does not say we cease from work altogether. It says we cease from our work as God ceased from his. Why did God stop working? Because the job was done.
If we want to fully enter the rest we are looking for, we must realize that our “work” to produce holiness is over with. God did that works in Christ. Most of us continue to word to prove our holiness, our goodness and our value. That work is useless. All of that was done in Christ. You could never work hard enough to do those things because they problem is with man as a whole not just you. Jesus did that work for all humanity. You need to rest in that truth.
In Ephesians 1:6-7 the bible tells us we have already been made acceptable to God by the redemption in Jesus Christ. Why do we continue in our own work of being acceptable when it is already done? Verse 11 says we should rather work to enter the rest he has provided for us. Labor to understand that provision. Build faith to receive that provision. Look at the Word of God and determine what I can do to cooperate with that provision. This is God’s assigned task to us. If we do that, than the fight will be over. We will walk in God’s provision and we will not have the same struggle with sin.
Of course there is a walking out of this process. I am not saying it is automatic. We will spend a good deal of time learning what “works” we do need to do in order to fully realize this rest. However, once again it is import to understand that it is God who sets the agenda. It is God who defines the job we need to do. When we do that, we invariably get it wrong.
There is one more aspect of this that I want to leave you with. Paul’s letters are very clear that we need to “die to the flesh.” One of the things that will make this process easier is putting his will in every area at the top of our list of priorities. What do I mean by this?
We are a busy society. We have many pressing demands on our time and focus. We have “todo” lists, schedules, jobs and families that must find a place in our priorities. We have much “work” that we need to do. There is no way around that. However, what place do His works have in comparison to our works? If you want to enter the rest that ends the war between flesh and spirit, His works must make it to the top of our priority list. When we stop, for whatever time necessary to concentrate on God’s work we are ceasing from our own works according to Hebrews 4:10.
I had a friend once who was a businessman and there were tremendous demands on his time. He had business responsibilities. His family was going through some challenges that required his attention. Finally he was highly involved with our ministry. He came to me very frustrated. I felt God gave me a word for him. I told him to get to his office 30 minutes early and pray. “Set aside all your works for the first 30 minutes and God will show you how to handle it all.” His testimony was that this really made a significant difference.
This is good advice for any of us, but too often we just add “prayer” to the list of our works. That was not the idea behind what I was telling him to do. This was not another work or responsibility. This was laying down his work and getting involved in God’s work.
Put the Kingdom of God first. Put your relationship with God first of all. Then find out what He wants you to do with your life. Some days there will not be anything specific, and some days God will put a demand on us. As we yield to his work, we are going to find the conflict between flesh and spirit lessens and lessens until we find a life that is in harmony and peace.
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