Cease Our Work, Enter by His

Hebrews 4:6-10 

6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.”  8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Peace with God, resting in Him, is for some and not all.  This is certainly not popular and even the thought of what God is saying here causes some to accuse Him of being unfair.  Why should not everyone be saved?  Is is not up to us simply by being good enough or choosing Christ out of our own will?  No, He says some enter that rest, and it is in Christ and His work and by His choosing of those given before the foundation of the world.  This rest was not given to the rebellious, but is set apart for those who, though chosen, enter into it at a certain point in time.  When God stirs the heart with conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment He gives the ability to respond in turn, and that is our “Today” as it is written here.  The rest for God’s chosen people means that we do not work for salvation, but that we enter the sheepfold by Christ as the only gate by His work on the cross.  Our work of attempting to do good falls ever short (Romans 3:10, 23), as does our work to try to generate enough faith to believe and choose apart from His work.  We cease our works as attempts to enter God’s reconciling rest and find it in Christ’s work and the Holy Spirit’s work in our souls to bring light and life.