Hebrews 3:19 tells us why the children of Israel did not enter into the promised land . Their problem was the same thing that keeps children of God today from enjoying the full benefits of their salvation : unbelief .
I point this out not to condemn ; rather , my desire is to see the children of God fully possess all of their benefits in Christ .
Hebrews 4 begins with a sober warning . The very first verse tells us to fear coming short of entering into His rest . In an analogous sense , this hearkens back to the days of the ancient Israelites , to whom God promised a land flowing with milk and honey ; a land with homes already built and awaiting their occupancy ; a land with large water wells already dug for them ; a land of extraordinary vegetation ; and the list goes on and on . All they had to do was to go in and rest in the " finished work ".
According to Hebrews 4:3 , these "… works were finished from the foundation of the world ." It was always God ' s will to lavish the Israelites with this finished work , but as Hebrews 3:19 makes clear , they did not enter in because of unbelief .
In a far grander manner , Revelation 13:8 tells us that Jesus , the Lamb , was slain from the foundation of the world . It has always been the Father ' s will for born-again Christians to rest in the finished work of His Son , Jesus , the Lamb . Tragically , like the Israelites of old , many of God ' s children today never fully enter into this blessed rest of the Son ' s finished work because of their unbelief .
I ' m referring here to Christians who don ' t believe that the Lord still heals today and to Christians who don ' t believe that all of the gifts of the Spirit are valid for today . Essentially , I ' m lovingly referring to Christians who don ' t understand that Jesus is the same yesterday , today , and forevermore ; and to beloved Christians who don ' t understand that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance ( Romans 2:4 ).
We have an amazing salvation folks ! Romans 1:16 tells us that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes . The word for " salvation " in the original Greek text is closely related to the Greek word " sozo ", which includes being saved , rescued , delivered , healed , and much more !
The gospel of Christ is a glorious gospel of grace wherein the power of God is available to you in whatever area of your life you are willing to believe for . Now that ' s AMAZING GRACE ! If you ' re only willing to believe for being saved from hell , then be it unto you according to your faith . But know this , the Lord wants you to experience so much more .
Take a look at Psalm 103 , where the psalmist enumerates some of the glorious benefits of the child of God . The psalmist advises us to "… forget not all His benefits ".
Likewise , Hebrews 4:9 tells us that a rest remains today for the people of God . Verse 11 even tells us to labour to enter into that rest . Then , immediately in verse 12 the Holy Spirit informs us that the Word of God is quick , powerful , sharp , and piercing .
The placement of this verse ( right after verse 11 ) is absolutely deliberate because the Word of God is the antidote that utterly destroys the unbelief that will keep you from entering into and resting in the finished work of Jesus .
Don ' t be destroyed for a lack of knowledge ( Hosea 4:6 ). Fully believe that it is always God ' s will for you to be healed , prospered , delivered , favoured , and blessed beyond measure .
It ' s all in His finished work for you . Just believe and receive .
" Meditate upon these things ; give thyself wholly to them ; that thy profiting may appear to all ." – First Timothy 4:15
Copyright 2013 Brian Williams .
Team Talk
Rest in the Finished Work
Hebrews 3:19 tells us why the children of Israel did not enter into the promised land . Their problem was the same thing that keeps children of God today from enjoying the full benefits of their salvation : unbelief .
I point this out not to condemn ; rather , my desire is to see the children of God fully possess all of their benefits in Christ .
Hebrews 4 begins with a sober warning . The very first verse tells us to fear coming short of entering into His rest . In an analogous sense , this hearkens back to the days of the ancient Israelites , to whom God promised a land flowing with milk and honey ; a land with homes already built and awaiting their occupancy ; a land with large water wells already dug for them ; a land of extraordinary vegetation ; and the list goes on and on . All they had to do was to go in and rest in the " finished work ".
According to Hebrews 4:3 , these "… works were finished from the foundation of the world ." It was always God ' s will to lavish the Israelites with this finished work , but as Hebrews 3:19 makes clear , they did not enter in because of unbelief .
In a far grander manner , Revelation 13:8 tells us that Jesus , the Lamb , was slain from the foundation of the world . It has always been the Father ' s will for born-again Christians to rest in the finished work of His Son , Jesus , the Lamb . Tragically , like the Israelites of old , many of God ' s children today never fully enter into this blessed rest of the Son ' s finished work because of their unbelief .
I ' m referring here to Christians who don ' t believe that the Lord still heals today and to Christians who don ' t believe that all of the gifts of the Spirit are valid for today . Essentially , I ' m lovingly referring to Christians who don ' t understand that Jesus is the same yesterday , today , and forevermore ; and to beloved Christians who don ' t understand that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance ( Romans 2:4 ).
We have an amazing salvation folks ! Romans 1:16 tells us that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes . The word for " salvation " in the original Greek text is closely related to the Greek word " sozo ", which includes being saved , rescued , delivered , healed , and much more !
The gospel of Christ is a glorious gospel of grace wherein the power of God is available to you in whatever area of your life you are willing to believe for . Now that ' s AMAZING GRACE ! If you ' re only willing to believe for being saved from hell , then be it unto you according to your faith . But know this , the Lord wants you to experience so much more .
Take a look at Psalm 103 , where the psalmist enumerates some of the glorious benefits of the child of God . The psalmist advises us to "… forget not all His benefits ".
Likewise , Hebrews 4:9 tells us that a rest remains today for the people of God . Verse 11 even tells us to labour to enter into that rest . Then , immediately in verse 12 the Holy Spirit informs us that the Word of God is quick , powerful , sharp , and piercing .
The placement of this verse ( right after verse 11 ) is absolutely deliberate because the Word of God is the antidote that utterly destroys the unbelief that will keep you from entering into and resting in the finished work of Jesus .
Don ' t be destroyed for a lack of knowledge ( Hosea 4:6 ). Fully believe that it is always God ' s will for you to be healed , prospered , delivered , favoured , and blessed beyond measure .
It ' s all in His finished work for you . Just believe and receive .
" Meditate upon these things ; give thyself wholly to them ; that thy profiting may appear to all ." – First Timothy 4:15