“Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).
In the verses leading up to the passage above, the Hebrew writer encouraged his readers to remain faithful in order to receive the promised rest. He reminded them of the example of their forefathers and how they did not remain faithful. He then warned them that they could also fall short of the rest that the Lord had promised.
These instructions and warnings provide an important lesson for us as well. So let us consider what the passage teaches us today.
The Danger of Falling Away
“Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.’
“For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:12-19).
A popular belief among religious people is the “once saved, always saved” doctrine. This is also called the “perseverance of the saints” or the “impossibility of apostasy.” It describes the idea that a Christian cannot fall away and be lost. Yet passages like this one make it clear that brethren who once believe can fall away from God.
However, even if we do not believe the “once saved, always saved” doctrine, we could be guilty of living like we do when we ignore the warning in this passage. We have a responsibility to “encourage one another” (Hebrews 3:13). This is why the assembly is so important (cf. Hebrews 10:24-25). Yet this passage is about more than that. It emphasizes the daily interactions among brethren whereby we offer encouragement to one another. It may be easy to put this off or even neglect it altogether, but we must not do this.
Remember the failings of the Israelites – their example demonstrates a real possibility of falling away. They hardened their hearts, provoked God, sinned, and were disobedient (Hebrews 3:15-18). Therefore, God was angry with them for forty years, their bodies fell in the wilderness, and they lost the rest that God had promised to them. The Hebrew writer said that this demonstrated their “unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19). They may have believed in God, but they did not believe God. The same can happen to us if we acknowledge the existence and power of God but ignore or reject what His word instructs us to do.
Let Us Fear
“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, ‘As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest,’ although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works’; and again in this passage, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’
“Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 4:1-7).
The possibility of falling short of the promised rest should cause us to fear. Why? It is because another fate awaits us. The Hebrew writer described this later in the letter: “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. […] It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26-27, 31).
We have some of the same benefits as the Israelites had:
- Good news preached (Hebrews 4:2) – The gospel is the “good news” and is “the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16-17). However, the gospel will only save us if it is “united by faith.”
- God finishing His work (Hebrews 4:3) – God has done His part in bringing salvation (cf. Titus 2:11), but we must do our part if we want to take advantage of His offer of salvation.
We can fail to enter His rest “because of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:6). Jesus made it clear that only a “few” will enter (Matthew 7:13-14) – those who “[do] the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21). Therefore, we need to make sure we are doing His will and not practicing “lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).
God has designated a day for us to resolve to obey Him – “Today” (Hebrews 4:7). We must “hold fast…until the end” (Hebrews 3:14-15), and we need to begin doing that today. If we want to be ready for the final judgment and be ready to enter into His rest, we need to be prepared at all times, starting today.
Let Us Be Diligent
“For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people or God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:8-11).
We need to understand what “rest” is under discussion in this passage. It is not the rest given by Joshua following the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan (Hebrews 4:8). That rest was temporary. Instead, this is the rest given by Christ. It is an eternal rest that “remains…for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9).
Jesus has gone on and has “sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). He has completed His work (Hebrews 4:10, 3); we must now complete ours. So “let us be diligent” (Hebrews 4:11). There is effort required on our part to enter this rest. The Hebrew writer said in the next chapter that Jesus is the author of salvation to those who “obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).
Remember the example of the Israelites – do not follow this “same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11). They were God’s chosen people, but then they rebelled and would not enter His rest. As Christians, we are God’s chosen people today (1 Peter 2:9); therefore, let us appreciate the seriousness of their example. If we are not diligent and faithful until the end, we can come short of the reward just as they did.
Conclusion
God has promised and prepared for us a rest with Him in heaven. We must be diligent in serving Him and continue to faithfully obey Him in order to receive it. We also need to be encouraging one another so that we can all enjoy this together.
Yet we need to consider the example of the Israelites and not fall as they did. Let us not merely believe in God while living as though we do not really believe God. We can fall short of the rest He has promised; but we will not fall short if we faithfully, diligently, and persistently serve the Lord.
