Labor To Enter Into What Rest?

[Helen]

Jesus taught that the kingdom is spiritual, comes without observation, is within you, not of this world, you must be born again to see it or enter it. And so on. You are adding to Revelation if you say it is physical and in the future. It is here now.

I so often 'chip' back at you on some of your posts...but on this I totally agree.

 

[Helen]

so you say

Not sure how you reconcile these two posts Dave, they seem mutually exclusive?

Do what!!
How come...

 

[Helen]

You must be born again to see it. If you cannot see it, you need to seek God in the matter.

Not only 'see it', but also live there .

When we get up in the morning - 'in which realm do we live, move, and have our being..". right?

 

[ScottA]

In Hebrews 4:9, believers in Christ were told that there remains a Sabbath rest unto the people of God, and in v.11 that they were to labor to enter into that rest.

What was it/ is it, and how were they/ are we to labor to enter into it?

In this case, it is to labor in birth from the flesh to the spirit, to be born again of the spirit of God.

 

[Helen]

ing, we are to trust in Jesus for our salvation. We do not and cannot add to what Jesus did on our behalf, wholy ours by believing. And to trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and for the hope of the resurrection, to simply trust in these things, this is to enter the rest.

As I read that Mark..it seems to stop short.
There is much more 'in God'...than our initial salvation.
We go ....further up and deeper in...

As Episk said...Paul saw a vision of what was 'beyond'...until our dying breath God is always revealing more of Himself to us..
For me....the Rest is Christ Himself...but within Him are many realms of glory. We are, I agree, "In Him" , but within Him..is a vast place it is not cramped...

Deep calleth unto deep....

 

[Waiting on him]

These three answers are similar to what I always believed as well, but I'm now questioning that interpretation. I'm not fully in agreement with Logabe on the rest of his answer, but now that I've been looking at the passage in a new light, the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth makes a strong case for being the "rest" they were laboring to enter into, with the millennium being the "Sabbath" or 7th "day" of creation in keeping with 2 Peter 3:8 (and yes, Dave. I know you would not agree with that position at all, LoL).

But let me post the passage, starting with Chapter 3:
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1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
____________________________

Now. Here he states that the "rest" the Israelites "could not enter into" in v.16-19 was the promised land. If you look at the other New Testament writings, the spiritual promised land was something the New Testament saints had NOT entered into yet. Look at 1 Corinthians 19, where Paul talked about the same subject matter:
____________________________
1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
______________________________

The phrase "upon whom the ends of the ages" points to the promised land they were seeking, but they had not attained it yet. All of his examples of the Israelites "falling" here are taken from the forty years in the wilderness, BEFORE they entered the promised land. The Israelites were eating and drinking of Christ, but had not yet entered the promised land, and likewise the New Testament saints were eating and drinking of Christ but needed to be careful lest they likewise fall before reaching the promised land themselves.

So you combine the two passages and you get, A. The "rest" of God was the "promised land," and B. They had not attained to that "promised land" yet during New Testament times.

Now skipping ahead to verse 11 of Hebrews, Chapter 4:
_______________________________
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
________________________________

Again we have the New Testament saints being compared to those who fell in the wilderness BEFORE reaching the promised land. Just as the Israelites fell by the sword, so too would the NT saints fall by the sword of God (i.e. His word) if they continued to live in persistent sin (see 1 Corinthians 11:29-34; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; Revelation 2:22-23).

Any comments? It seems fairly cut and dried to me that the "rest" of the promised land must parallel the rest of Christ's millennial reign, the 7th "day" or thousand years when Christ will finally rest from His work of bringing forth a harvest from the earth.

They didn’t enter in due to unbelief. The two edged sword is the Word of God, separating the flesh from the soul. Labor means to study the word this is how the flesh is removed. It’s not physical labor. The flesh doesn’t inherit.

 

[marks]

As I read that Mark..it seems to stop short.
There is much more 'in God'...the our initial salvation.
We go further up and deeper in...

As Episk said...Paul saw a vision of what was 'beyond'...until our dying breath God is always revealing more of Himself to us..
For me....the Rest is Christ Himself...but within Him are many realms of glory. We are, I agree, "In Him" , but within Him..is a vast place it is not cramped...

Deep calleth unto deep....

Oh, I agree with you wholeheartedly!!

But I do not see that we increase our rest through work. We rest in faith alone, in the finished work of Jesus.

But I don't want to convey the idea that our life with Jesus doesn't grow richer and deeper. I believe it does, and should, into profound dimensions.

And well said, the rest is Christ Himself. It is discovering who we are in Him that makes our lives holy and wonderful. And I believe we will continue that voyage of discovery until that final day.

Much love!
mark

 

[Helen]

Oh, I agree with you wholeheartedly!!

But I do not see that we increase our rest through work. We rest in faith alone, in the finished work of Jesus.

But I don't want to convey the idea that our life with Jesus doesn't grow richer and deeper. I believe it does, and should, into profound dimensions.

And well said, the rest is Christ Himself. It is discovering who we are in Him that makes our lives holy and wonderful. And I believe will will continue that voyage of discovery until that final day.

Much love!
mark

I see that the only labouring that we do is the choice we make moment by moment to walk in His Spirit, and not ours.

As we mature, it should become effortless, our second nature..which has become our FIRST...if you know what I mean.

There is no coasting into 'heaven'. Paul's "pressing toward" , was his daily choice. God life over his own.

Blessings...Helen

 

[marks]

which has become our FIRST...if you know what I mean.

Amen!

We just need to live who we are!

Much love!

 

[Waiting on him]

Study to show yourself approved. The word study here has the same definition as the word labor.
Greek: σπουδάζω
Transliteration: spoudazō
Pronunciation: spoo-dad'-zo
Definition: From G4710; to use speed that is to make effort be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence be diligent (forward) endeavour labour study.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I never read a thread until I have answered the OP. Then I go back and see what people posted.

More like - WHO is it!!
He is our Sabbath ... "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"

Hey, Helen.
Ok, I suppose I'll bite. If Christ was the rest the writer was talking about in Hebrews and he was writing to believers, why would they have to labor to enter in? They were already in.

 

[Hidden In Him]

In this case, it is to labor in birth from the flesh to the spirit, to be born again of the spirit of God.

Hey, Scott. I don't think the scriptures ever discuss laboring to be born of the Spirit. They speak of us already being born in the Spirit through the word, and therefore needing to walk in what we have already been born into.

 

[Waiting on him]

Hey, Helen.
Ok, I suppose I'll bite. If Christ was the rest the writer was talking about in Hebrews and he was writing to believers, why would they have to labor to enter in? They were already in.

The labor is to study his word. The more we study the more we cease from dead works this is the rest

 

[Hidden In Him]

They didn’t enter in due to unbelief. The two edged sword is the Word of God, separating the flesh from the soul. Labor means to study the word this is how the flesh is removed. It’s not physical labor. The flesh doesn’t inherit.

Yes, they didn't enter in because of unbelief, but they didn't enter into what exactly? They didn't enter into the promised land because of their unbelief, so you have to define what "the promised land" was in the New Testament for me.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Study to show yourself approved. The word study here has the same definition as the word labor.
Greek: σπουδάζω
Transliteration: spoudazō
Pronunciation: spoo-dad'-zo
Definition: From G4710; to use speed that is to make effort be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence be diligent (forward) endeavour labour study.

This is correct, btw. "Be diligent" would be the more accurate translation.

 

[Episkopos]

There is no millennial reign of Christ on this earth.

At least....not yet. The Millennial reign of Christ and His saints is training for eternity...and is the sabbath rest of this world's history. Jesus is returning to earth soon to begin this phase of history.

 

[Waiting on him]

Yes, they didn't enter in because of unbelief, but they didn't enter into what exactly? They didn't enter into the promised land because of their unbelief, so you have to define what "the promised land" was in the New Testament for me.

They didn’t enter in to the succession of dead works

 

[Hidden In Him]

They didn’t enter in to the succession of dead works

Alright. So why then was Paul comparing himself as well as the entire Corinthian church to those who were still in the wilderness, and had not entered the promised land yet?

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Peter likewise compared the church to sojourners who were still in the wilderness. This therefore cannot be an accident. The faithful had NOT entered the promised land yet, and if the church had not yet entered then it means none of the church had yet ceased from their own works.

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:9-12).

 

[Waiting on him]

Zechariah 3:2-7 KJV
[2] And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? [3] Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. [4] And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. [5] And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. [6] And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, [7] Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

Tecarta BibleLook at this, it is beautiful. Take the filthy rags off him(flesh) the flesh of Jesus is the veil. This is the same thing God does for us. Clothes us in new raiment.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Take the filthy rags off him(flesh) the flesh of Jesus is the veil. This is the same thing God does for us. Clothes us in new raiment.

I certainly don't dispute the theology that the flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, and we are therefore called to mortify the deeds of the flesh and walk in the Spirit and newness of life instead. I'm simply questioning that this is at all what's being referred to in the passages cited regarding entering into His rest.