HEBREWS 3:19

The Bible says in Hebrews 3:19 referring to the children of Israel and why they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” One would think that it does not need to be said, but believers should be characterized by belief. We trust in Christ each day. We look to Him. We know that we can do nothing without Him. He forgives us our sins. He guides us. We need Him, and we know it. Therefore, we rely upon Him and trust in Him.

From a practical standpoint to stop trusting in Christ means to stop believing in Him. What happens to those who claim to be believers in Christ, but who stop trusting in Him? Those who stop trusting in Christ do not enter into His rest. Instead of having peace and rest in Christ, they will suffer the cares of the world and the turmoils of the world around them. Just like the children of Israel they will perish in the wilderness. They will live this life and then die, having never learned to rest in Christ by trusting in Him. Hebrews 4:1 says, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

This verse reminds us that there is a promise of rest in Christ. Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you.” Jesus also said, “Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” What does it take to see this promise fulfilled in our lives: belief. Those children of God who trust in Christ about everything that happens to them will have peace. Those who do not trust in Christ will not have peace. They will not enter into His rest. That would be a terrible thing. That would be a life of inner turmoil.

It is hard to believe that someone would trust in Christ as Savior, but then at some point go for years without trusting Him for anything. If a person never trusts Christ for anything, such a person is not a Christian, or certainly does not seem to be. Outwardly, there is very little difference between a Christian who is not living for the Lord (not trusting in Him) and someone who is not a Christian at all.

Hebrews 4:2 seems to regard such people as unsaved who never trust Christ for anything. It says, “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” This verse explains the difference between a saved person and an unsaved person. Both hear the gospel, but only one responds positively and trusts in Christ. Many are called, but few are chosen. God loves everyone, and He wants to save everyone. But each person must chose to believe or not to believe. Belief is a choice.

There are many benefits in addition to eternal life for those who are continuing to believe. One benefit is given in Hebrews 4:3 that says, “For we who have believed do enter that rest, as he has said: so I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” This verse makes the point that every true believer will at a minimum have the final rest in heaven that Christ will bring to all who believe in Him: “we who have believed do enter that rest.” If you have entered into rest, it means that you have ceased from labor. Those who have not experienced the peace and rest that Christ alone can give are under a burden: the burden of their own guilt ad sin. Some of them are laboring to establish their own righteousness. All of them are laboring without the help of Christ. They have not learned by faith to trust in the finished work of Christ. They cannot say as the Apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me,” because they have only their own efforts and labors.

A very interesting phrase is found in this verse: “the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” Of course, this is referring to the works of God and of Christ and of the Holy Spirit. How could God’s works be finished before the foundation of the world? His works were finished before the foundation of the world because that is when He made His plans. Sometimes men make plans and they are not able to fulfill those plans for one reason or another. When God makes a plan, it will always be fulfilled. God made a plan from the foundation of the world that Christ would die for sinful men, and that whoever believed in Him would be saved. It is not “whoever had good works” would be saved, but “whoever believes.”

Faith is the only thing that saves: not works. And so we see that faith is the central requirement for entering into and experiencing God’s peace whether we are referring to this life or to the next. That is one of the reasons for the Sabbath Day: to remind us that God’s works are finished. During the first six days, God created the universe, and on the seventh day he rested. In other words He ceased from His work. Evidently the work of God included the plans that He made before the creation. God’s plans were finished concerning man’s salvation and the coming of Christ before the creation of the world. And then God’s works were finished. His plans were part of His work. We enter into the benefits of God’s finished works by faith. Hebrews 4:4 says, “For he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.”

There is a rest that is possible for anyone who comes to Christ by faith. But for those who do not believe, there is no rest. That’s why it says in Hebrews 4:5, “And again in this place: They shall not enter into my rest.” God determines who enters into His rest, and who does not. Believe God and believe His promises and you will enter into His rest. Do everything except believe in Him, and you will not enter into His rest. “There is no peace, saith the Lord, to the wicked.” And there is no peace to those who are not continually believing.

The Bible says in Hebrews 4:6-7, “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 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.” Notice carefully that this verse says that certain individuals did not enter God’s rest because of “disobedience.” But Hebrews 3:19 says, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Was it because of disobedience or because of unbelief that these could not enter God’s rest? Both are true because true faith is tied closely to obedience. No one has real faith unless they have a heart that wants to obey God. No one can honestly say, “I believe, but I am going to go out and disobey God.” True faith is only found in an obedient heart. Stubbornness and disobedience are like idolatry and unbelief.

The word “today” is found twice in Hebrews 4:7. This is already the third time that the same verse from the Psalm 95:7 has been quoted in the book of Hebrews. It was quoted in Hebrews 3:7 and in Hebrews 3:15. The word “today” was used in those quotations, and the word “today” was used in Hebrews 3:13. True faith and the true service of God are all about “today.” Yesterday does not matter. It is gone. Make sure that your sins of yesterday are confessed and forgiven by Christ, and then forget about them. Tomorrow may never come, so it is not nearly as important as today. And if tomorrow does come, what happens tomorrow will be based upon what happens today. Today is what is important. If you are not saved, today you have an opportunity to repent and to turn to the Savior. You have no promise of tomorrow. If you are saved, today you can confess your sins and make sure that you walk with the Savior. One sin committed by a Christian can bring terrible judgment and terrible consequences. Confess your sins today. Today, if you harden not your heart, you can enter His rest.

The Bible says in Hebrews 4:8-9, “For if Joshua had given them rest, then he would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” There is a rest for the people of God. That is the important thing to remember. Jesus said to His believers, “My peace I give unto you.” Have you entered into the peace that only Jesus can give? Human beings by nature fear and worry terribly about many many things. If you are not walking moment by moment in the peace that only Christ can give, then something is wrong.

One thing to notice about this rest and this peace that we can have by faith in God is that there are no works involved. There are no works because it comes by faith and not by works. There are no works because God did the works and He has ceased from his works. Hebrews 4:10 says, “For he that has entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” You are either working or you are resting. Which are you doing?

If we are to labour, what should that labour be? Where should our efforts be centered? What is the most important thing to strive for? The Bible says in Hebrews 4:11, “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” A Christian can fall. Someone who is believing in Christ, trusting in Christ, and walking in Christ can fall. What will cause that fall: unbelief. That means that the thing that we must be careful about is our faith: our precious faith. We must be careful to trust in Jesus, to look to Jesus, to be believing in Jesus our Master and our God. With every sorrow that comes your way, make sure that you take it to the feet of Jesus. With every challenge that you face, make sure that you are trusting Jesus about it and relying upon His strength. If you do not do these things and more, you will “fall after the same example of unbelief” and you will not “enter into that rest” that only Christ can give.

Of course, one of the most important things in having faith is the Word of God. Nothing will help your faith more than a constant and an honest use of the Word of God. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” To explain some of the power of the Word of God, the Bible says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Initially Hebrews 4:12 says three things about the Word of God, and then it explains the third one. The Word of God is “quick, and powerful, and sharper.” The word that is translated “quick” simply means “alive.” The Word of God is alive. It is a living book. The Bible is different from all other books. Compared to the Bible, all other books are dead. All other books are the books of men. The Bible is alive because it is God’s Word. It came from God. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Thoughts and ideas are expressed with words. If you change the words, the ideas are changed. That is why every word of this book is so important. And that is why a translation that is based upon a word-for-word translation method is important. The translators of the King James version of the Bible used that method.

Because the Bible is the living Word of God, it is “powerful”. It makes things happen. Nothing but the Book can change things in your heart that need to be changed. Those who use their own words to speak are using the words of man. Those who use the Bible are using the words of God. God’s power comes from His Word. He spoke and the worlds were created. He spoke and the dead were raised. He still speaks. He speaks through His written Word, and it is as powerful as all of His Words have always been. Great things can happen when the Word of God is used by the Spirit. Faith in Christ can be given birth in the heart of a human being by the Word of God. If you are born again, you were born again by the Word of God. That creative work that took place in you that will last forever happened only by the Word of God. If you are going to be strengthened in faith, and if you are going to continue in a life of faith, you must stay closely involved with the living and the powerful Word of God.

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