The Rest of Saving Grace--A Way of Life

In Hebrews 4.1-13 the author speaks of entering into rest. There is great encouragement for us if we are experiencing Jesus grace: "Now we who have believe enter that rest" (vs. 3). The flow of though is careful to remind us to not let our hearts get hardened (vs. 7) as the Israelites did; thus they did not enter into God's rest (vs. 6). So even though we currently have 'rest' we "make every effort to enter that rest" (vs.11)--rest becomes a way of life for us!

This thought of rest strongly parallels Philippians 2 and "working out our salvation with fear and trembling" (vs. 12) and how our salvation is a "work" of God, not of us (vs. 13). We are cognizant of living out our faith because it is God who does it anyway! Once saved by grace we keep living in grace because it is all God's work; we do not live after our salvation in our own works--grace becomes a way of life for us!

There is no amount of spiritual work that we can do to keep our hearts soft and thus stay in 'rest'. None. Jesus is the only one who can "guard your hearts and your minds" (Philippians 4.7)! Which stand to reason, Jesus is the only giver of rest and grace and salvation.  These passages are not licence to create rules, laws and regulations to manage the Christian life. Our efforts of "rest" and our "working out salvation" are only the firm acknowledgement that we cannot live on our own.

Scripture then can speak to our hidden motives for it is "alive and active (Hebrews 4.12,13). The ongoing work of the Holy Spirit includes His ministry to our souls through the words He inspired human authors to write. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, in and through the word, He points us to Jesus to the giver of rest and grace (vs. 14-16). So we walk in rest and grace as we already have our salvation and we walk toward to day when our salvation will be complete.

May rest and grace become a way of life for us!

1 Peter 1.3-9

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Psalm 90:12, 14, 17 (NIV)

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.