REST !

What makes Christianity completely unique among the vast assortment of cults and religions? It is that Christian believers have absolutely no part in their salvation. Christians can do nothing! They must rest completely in the finished work of their Savior. Once we have confessed our utter sinfulness, and cry out to Christ for mercy, even the faith to believe is not our own! "...for by grace have ye been saved through faith, and that is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God..." (Eph 2:8)

Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you REST." (Matthew 11:28) REST... it's such a wonderful word, such a beautiful concept, and it paints such a marvelous picture in our minds. The ultimate rest, of course, is resting in Christ. But... what does it really mean to rest in Christ?

To answer this very important question, we must first understand the true meaning of God's Sabbath. Because as Paul says... "...there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His..." (Hebrews 4:9-10) Our Great God and Savior would not have rested, if there were anything left to be accomplished for our salvation. Unfortunately today, most Christians believe in a personal ongoing sanctification process that God must finish when they get to Heaven. Sadly, this belief definitely puts Christ's atonement into the category of unfinished work.

But... what does sanctification have to do with God's Sabbath Rest? EVERYTHING! God established the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath. It was a sacred sign to His people, that he alone would be the one to make them holy (sanctify them). God’s people MUST rest in the understanding that they can do absolutely nothing to make themselves holy in God’s sight. And, if we try… we are simply proving ourselves to be an evil unbeliever.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, Say to the Israelites… you must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I AM THE LORD WHO MAKES YOU HOLY. Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death, whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of REST, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.” (Exodus 31:12-15).

For Israel, resting COMPLETELY in the sign that God alone would be the one to make them holy, was not a suggestion, it was MANDATORY! This sign of their future sanctification found its fulfillment in our Savior Christ Jesus, who is the substance of the sign, and the Lord of the Sabbath. (Colossians 2:16-17) (Mark 2:28) Our resting COMPLETELY in Christ, the fulfillment of the sanctification promise, is also not a suggestion, it is also... MANDATORY!

In (Matthew 22:1-14), Jesus tells a parable about the kingdom of Heaven. In this parable about the marriage of the King's Son, poor, shabby, and imperfect people are provided with special wedding robes to cover their own filthy garments. This special gift of the King, makes them all acceptable to be at the wedding of his son. However, one man refused to put on the special robe, and he was immediately "cast out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth". The meaning of this parable is quite obvious. In Heaven, imperfect people are made acceptable by their covering, their ROBE that covers their sin and shame, and protects them from judgment.

Are you still hoping to be made perfect? Do you expect to be able to stand before God wrapped in your own holiness? GOOD LUCK!