Entering God’s Rest (10)

Now we have seen that, once we believe in Jesus, we can only enter God’s rest when we, mere dogs (Caleb) in relation to our Creator, Jesus (Joshua), willingly take his yoke upon us. Only then, according to the picture given in the 40 year Exodus journey, can we ever enter into the promised land, the Kingdom and rest of God. For we also saw in the very beginning of this study that every one of us still commits every single sin that Israel committed along its way. This shows that no one enters God’s rest by perfectly obeying God’s Law. We simply cannot do it.

Jesus taught us in his short earthly ministry and by his apostles that rest comes not by strict obedience to the Law (Torah), but by that Law instructing a conscience that has been tempered with grace, with mercy. Paul said, “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24), but the Law never loses its position or calling as our schoolmaster, even after it succeeds in drawing us to Christ. Just try to break any of the moral injunctions of the Law, like adultery, theft, or murder, and see whether or not the Law drags you back to Christ in repentance, shame, and dread. These moral laws, all the laws of the ten commandments and their corollary laws in the books of Moses, remain binding upon us. But, the ceremonial and sacrificial laws, according to Galatians and Hebrews, do not still bind us.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. (Galatians 5:1-6 KJ2000)

Circumcision was the first and perhaps the most important of all ceremonial laws. It dated all the way back to Abraham, far before Moses. Circumcising a child on the 8th day of his life was so important that it could even be done on the Sabbath without breaking the Sabbath law of rest.  And with respect to other sacrificial and ceremonial laws Hebrews says,

Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, Sacrifice and offering you desired not, but a body have you prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do your will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin you desired not, neither had pleasure in them; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10 KJ2000)

What is the ‘first” Jesus takes away? It is the “sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin,” all of the sacrificial and ceremonial laws. And what is the “second” that he establishes? His will. It is the coming into agreement with Christ’s will which brings us rest.

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13 KJ2000)

When we yoke ourselves to Jesus we have come to the place in our thinking where we can say that we agree with him and want to do his will. As our mind is renewed, our will is transformed. When our will has merged with his will, then we have come into his rest.

And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2 KJ2000)