When talking about composure, tranquility, and balance, disciples need to be rested first. But what does restfulness mean to God? This daily devotional looks at how disciples are not disciples if they are not rested.
Nuggets
- If rest is union with Jesus – salvation – the promise, then, is eternal life.
- We fall short of rest when we remain in our unbelief.
- Faith gives us rest.
This year, we are looking at self-discipline. We are using Vincent’s The Lesson of Ripeness sermon to look at the need to grow in our relationship with God. We morphed learning enough to be a teacher into determining some areas we need to grow so we can be mature disciples.
Vincent made a comment that really struck a chord with me. He wrote, “And time ought to have ripened faith in the sense of restfulness. We count it strange if natural manhood does not bring with it increased composure, tranquillity, balance. Shall we count it any less strange if, with the lapse of time, Christian manhood does not become better poised, more restful and quiet, less easily thrown off its balance?”
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We’ve looked at composure and tranquility. We are now going to look at restfulness and balance.
Devotions in the Christian Balance series
Let’s Put This in Context #1
The definition of rest as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary that is appropriate for us is “peace of mind or spirit.”
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We just looked at contentment and peace. So, how is this going to be different? I see the others based on circumstances regardless of the level of our faith.
This is about what Vincent called a ripened faith. It means the contentment and peace in our relationship with God.
Balance is about equilibrium and stability. It is that even keel under which God wants us to operate.
Let’s Put This in Context #2
“Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” (Heb. 3: 12 CSB)
Yes, believers can turn away from God. Cumming said that evidence of this would be rejecting part of the Scriptures or undervaluing religion itself.
Cumming felt it was common to have doubts. What he was stressing was we shouldn’t be satisfied with our doubts.
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Disciples Are Promised Rest
“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed” (Heb. 4: 1-2 CSB)
Hebrews 4: 1 is a packed verse. It also takes our perception of rest to a whole different level.
The writer of Hebrews is telling his audience that they are disciples. “… since the promise of entering his rest still stands …” (Heb. 4: 1 CSB). Since they have ABCDed, they have received the promise.
This makes sense when we use Jones’ definition of rest being union with Jesus. We have peace of mind when we have asked Jesus to be our Savior.
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If rest is union with Jesus – salvation – the promise, then, is eternal life. “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (Jn. 10: 28-29 CSB).
When Do Disciples Fall Short of Rest?
But what does the “… fallen short …” (Heb. 4: 1 CSB) part mean? How does this mesh with our views of we can’t lose our salvation? How do our doubts fall into here? Let’s process some things.
We’ve talked before that not everyone who calls themselves a disciple will get to Heaven. “Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’” (Mt. 7: 23 CSB).
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
“… I never knew you …” (Mt. 7: 23 CSB). This isn’t a case of backsliding. This is a case of never was.
Spurgeon maintained that this passage did not mean disciples could fall short of Heaven. He wrote, “Now, the apostle cannot mean that we are to fear lest we should come short of heaven for want of merit. … There is not a man living who will not come short of heaven if he tries that road.”
We fall short of rest when we remain in our unbelief. That means we were never saved in the first place.
We can’t just go through the motions. We can’t be content with fire insurance.
We have to totally believe in the One true God or we do not gain salvation.
It is normal to have doubts. We tend to think of that as a bad thing.
Wright had a different take. He wrote, “Let me ask you, or rather ask your own consciences, Have you ever had any fears on the subject [of falling short]? If you have not, it can never have been an object of intense desire; it is impossible to be really in earnest about seeking the kingdom of heaven, without being anxious and fearful about it.”
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I read this to say we aren’t doubting that God is Sovereign Lord. We aren’t doubting our salvation.
We are doubting whether we are loving as God does. We are questioning whether we are obeying Him in everything we are supposed to.
The intent there is to make sure our relationships with the Sovereign God are strong. God wants that.
How Do Disciples Ensure Rest?
Faith gives us rest. It gives us peace of mind that we are children of God’s.
We have to be actively seeking God, working up to steak adult status.
The only way we are going to achieve salvation is through faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith …” (Eph. 2: 9 ESV).
The consequences for falling short of Heaven are huge. That would land us in the torment of hell for eternity.
To read a devotion in the Hell Does Have Fury series, click on the appropriate button below.
That means that there is a lot at stake in our decision.
Satan will send lots of enemies our way to try to influence us to make the wrong decision.
Wake reminds us that the promise of rest is conditional. We have to meet our terms of the covenant.
Glossary
If you read the King James Version, it reads, “Let us therefore fear …” (Heb. 4: 1 KJV). We have to fear the right way.
The Congregational Pulpit’s A Check to Presumption assured us that “the fear here enjoined is not that of the sluggard dismayed by difficulties, or of the unbeliever who suspects that the promise shall not be accomplished …”
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Instead it should instill in us a cation to make sure we are navigating the Sanctification Road correctly. We need to be growing from milk babies to steak adults.
Glossary
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
We have to evaluate ourselves to make sure we aren’t harboring sin in our lives. I created a worksheet for a different post that is applicable here.
Related Links
Click on the button below to access the Daily Evaluation worksheet.
We always have to remember from what we are getting rest. We have attained joy and peace when we give a sin and misery.
Making the Connections
We sometimes question whether God will really allow anyone to fall short. Because He is love, won’t He change His mind and let everyone into Heaven?
The The Congregational Pulpit’s A Check to Presumption shut that thought down. It was written, “Remember that out of six hundred thousand Israelites who came out of Egypt to possess the land of Canaan, two only entered!”
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God has said He will punish those who do not believe in Him. He will.
Making the Connections to Self-Disciplines
Rest is tie up in disciples seeking God to grow in grace and knowledge. As seeking Him includes Bible study and prayer, self-discipline is needed.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
How Do We Apply This?
Solomon shared four things we need to do to enjoy God’s rest.
- ABCD and sincerely believe
- Put our complete trust in God
- Die to self
- Do what God has called us to do
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The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Wake suggested that we lead in fear of falling short. God will send the Holy Spirit to help us if we do.
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We live in fear by guarding against unbelief and presumption. We should not think we are entitled to anything. What we have came from God because of His love and mercy.
Solomon said that we need to place our faith and trust in the hope of God’s promise. That promise is rest after we have lived our lives for Him.
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It will be well worth it.
Father. We stand in awe that You loved us enough to send Your only Son to be our Savior. Your promise of rest is what we need. Help us to live for You, ever looking for the areas in which we need improvement. We long for the day we will see You face to face. Amen.
What do you think?
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