Resting in Christ

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8–11)
And the Lord said to Moses, “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’ ” (Exodus 31:12–17)

These passages describe what a person at rest does, however, the NT goes beyond that to describe the attitude that produces that rest. The OT speaks of every seventh day, while the NT applies this to all of life. 

But there is a challenge. Do I know the difference between my works and God’s rest? Do I know when I am resting in obedience to Him? As I listen to others, it is sometimes described well, and yet many Christians do not seem to be aware of the differences between that rest and taking a physical and even a spiritual nap from doing anything.

I’ve sometimes thought of it by this description:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:19–24)

In reading the gospels, Jesus did not define sinful works only by outward actions. He said things like, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

That reveals that even those who appear to have their lives set apart for Christ can be not at rest in Him in their hearts. In other words, this Sabbath rest is a matter of whole-hearted integrity. Before God, it cannot be only about outward behavior. If it is, we deserve the charge of hypocrisy.

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:8–13)

This week I heard of a survey to determine how reading the Bible changes lives. The shock was that it must be at least 4 days a week before anything takes hold, not just Sunday or occasionally. This is what must be done to keep my faith in good shapel 

Jesus, I’m thankful for the habit displayed by my mother, but also know that this must go beyond just reading or making it a ritual. As the writer of Hebrews says, entering that true rest requires more than taking a Sunday nap. Keep me aware of my inner attitudes because Your clearly says I must, “Keep my heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)