Hebrews 4
From the heart of the
pastor:
“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” (Heb.
4:2).
Three ingredients are necessary in order for anyone
to enter God’s rest. First, he must have the gospel
preached to him. He needs to know Jesus who was
crucified and is now risen from the dead. He must
understand the necessity of repenting for his sins
and the forgiveness available only in Christ’s
electing unconditional love.
God was the Israelites’ gospel preacher but His
thunder was too loud and His lightning too sharp for
their dull senses. They wanted Moses to talk to God
for them, so he did (Ex. 20:19). Can you imagine
having God Himself as your gospeler and yet you
refuse to enter His rest! Though Moses brought
God’s unadulterated word to His exodus generation,
they still disobeyed God’s gospel.
Secondly, he must appropriate the preached gospel to
his personal life. The preached word is of no
personal value unless you accept it as God’s word.
Paul writes, “When you received from us the word of
God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of
men, but for what it really is, the word of God,
which also performs its work in you who believe” (I
Thess. 2:13).
You know that you have appropriated God’s word when
Psalm 119 comes to have the sweetest savor and most
delightful fragrance to your senses. Christians
surrender their lives without reserve to God’s
authoritative word. They believe its teaching, they
trust its promises and they quickly make its
commands their marching orders.
Thirdly, he must respond in faith to the heard
word. God says, “He who believes in the Son has
eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall
not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (Jn.
3:36). The Holy Spirit is given to those who obey
God (Acts 5:32).
Unbelief, the lack of faith, is a devilish
peculiarity. It hampers legitimate hearing and
evades honest appropriation of what is heard. God
says, “They were not able to enter because of
unbelief” (Heb. 3:19).
Nearly 3,500 years ago the Hebrews left Egypt with
the intent of entering God’s rest. Nevertheless,
their intent was not matched by their efforts. They
fell short of entering His rest. Why? They heard
the preached gospel but refused to trust what they
had heard.
You have heard the gospel, has it profited you?
Have you added faith to what you have heard or do
you continue to place your faith in those morsels of
Scripture best fitting your present lifestyle?
“We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
SOLI DEO GLORIA!
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