We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
Much of the book of Hebrews admonishes Christians to learn from Israel’s mistakes. We are warned not to fall into the same attitude of rebellion and unbelief. Despite being redeemed from Egyptian slavery, Israel murmured against the Lord! They remained in the desert for 40 years and did not enter their promised rest because of unbelief and a hardening of their hearts towards the God of their salvation. The nation which had been redeemed from Egypt, spent the rest of their lives wandering aimlessly through a barren wilderness. How sad! They had witnessed amazing miracles through the unrelenting plagues that God sent upon their slave-masters. They saw the Red Sea part, so that they crossed the sea on dry ground, and they were present when the voice of God trumpeted from the top of the smoking Mount Sinai. But instead of rejoicing in the God of their salvation and trusting His Word…they fell into murmurings, unbelief, and defiance of the Lord. Instead of living by faith with thanksgiving, they lived by unbelief with complaining. They were redeemed from Egypt, but fell short of their promised rest. Israel’s physical redemption from Pharaoh’s slavery in Egypt, mirrors the Christians’ spiritual redemption from slavery to sin in the kingdom of Satan. Israel was saved from Egypt because they believed God and carried out His instructions. But sadly they did not continue to live by faith after their redemption. Instead, they began to doubt the goodness, grace, and faithfulness of the God Who redeemed them. Christians likewise are spiritually redeemed from Satan’s bondage when we believe God’s Word. We are likewise saved through faith. We are redeemed from servitude to sin when we believe that Christ died for our sin, was buried, and rose again the third day, to pay the price for our sins. However, once we are saved, we are charged to live by faith. We are to walk by faith day by day. As Christians, we have a promised rest. However our rest is not in a land but in a Person…the Lord Jesus Christ. Our rest is not simply a future rest in our heavenly home after death. Our rest is a current rest…a present day rest, here on earth. Jesus is the Christians’ promised rest, and we gain that rest by believing. Although the Israelites were saved from Egypt, they forfeited their rest through unbelief. Similarly, although Christians are saved by grace through faith in Christ, we can forfeit our spiritual rest during our journey through life. Although we are eternally saved, we may live a defeated life if we do not hold fast to the assurance, if we do not walk by faith, if we allow fear to dominate our mind, if we fail to take hold of all that has been promised us…through Christ. We are to hold fast to our faith to our life’s end, as we abide in Him, rest in Him, and trust Him in all things.
Spiritual Steve 