Kent Bailey
One of the most encouraging truths recorded in the word of God is that of the message of rest for the faithful Christian. As a matter of fact, the concept of rest has a strong appeal to all individuals; to the one whose body is racked with pain, disease, and suffering, or whose body is stooped with fatigue resulting from years of very difficult labor such is a message of hope and reassurance.
Sin also places weary burdens upon the totality of one’s being. Such in many cases can be destructive of one’s personal health in taking toll on the human body. Some personal sins literally wear the body out and increase the aging process. In additional situations, due to the varying nature of sin, such can create emotional stress and strain, not to mention the dread and fear of punishment both of a temporal as well as an eternal nature. Many sinners live with the fear of their sins “catching up with them.” The knowledge of such brings on dread as to the reaction of temporal punishment administered by civil government, the loss of employment, or being stigmatized by family and/or friends. Then, the knowledge of sin and its consequences, as it relates to eternal punishment, also can place a heavy burden and create a terrible emotional strain upon individuals with the realization that their sins will follow them at the Judgment and that they will suffer eternal torment because of such. Not all lost individuals have knowledge of such truth. The lack of such knowledge does not change their eternal destiny, if they go before Christ in such a condemned condition, however; those with such knowledge bear a very heavy burden emotionally.
When the thought of humility and cross-bearing for Christ is vividly grasped, there must be rest and hope that will far overshadow the faithful Christian and give them encouragement in time of discouragement and suffering as they continue their journey through life in this world.
There is a Present Rest For the Faithful Christian
All individuals who from a positive perspective respond to the invitation of Christ and
obey the gospel finds rest in the present (Matt. 11:28-29). They
enter into a fellowship and/or partnership with Christ (Heb. 3:6,
14).
- Rest from the burden of sin (Luke 12:4-7; Rom. 8:12).
- Rest from anxieties (Matt. 6:25-34; Phlp. 4:4-6).
- As long as one remains in this physical body there will be pain with which to contend (Heb. 13:5; 1 Pet. 5:6-7).
- There is the peace of God which belongs to Christians through the reconciliation of Christ (John 14:27; Col. 1:19-22).
- There is the ultimate joy of Christ in his service. In consideration of putting Christ first in our lives through becoming a Christian in obedience to the gospel one realizes that they are now qualified for that of scriptural worship and service because one is a citizen of the kingdom of Christ (John 8:32-36).
- In consideration of the ultimate sacrifice and victory of Christ we note that such becomes our own possession because we are in his fellowship (John 15:16; Rom. 14:17; 1 John 5:4).
May the faithful Christian never forget the present rest that one can enjoy and may the non-Christian and the once faithful, but now lost unfaithful Christian contrast such with their present hopelessness and current doom.
There is a Future Rest For the Faithful Christian That Makes All Suffering as Nothing
The New Testament clearly affirms such (Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:16; 5;7). Indeed there is a rest that does await the faithful people of God (Heb. 4:9-10). There was rest provided for the faithful people of God before the completed in the scheme of Redemption (Luke 16:25). There is rest for those who currently have died in Christ (Rev. 6:11; 14:13). Those faithful in Christ look for that future rest:
- Rest from disappointments.
- Rest from poverty.
- Rest from separations from those of like precious faith that is found in death.
- Rest from the evils of life and temptations.
- Rest from physical pain.
- Rest from false doctrines that vex our souls (1 Pet. 2:7-8).
When the faithful Christian takes inventory of all of the problems of life with which they must contend knowledge of the release from such upon an eternal basis creates a desire among all thinking individuals to desire to be a citizen in the bright eternal city on the shores of where there will be no limits of time.
The Eternal Fellowship of the Godhead, The Angels, and All of Those Who are Faithful
Such is worthy of our very best efforts of entering into this rest (Heb. 4:11). It has been correctly stated that heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Unless we make adequate preparation we will never make it to glory (John 14:1-6).
Revelation 21 gives a word picture in figurative language of eternity for the redeemed after the final Judgment. Being time-oriented, humanity often finds it very difficult to view things in a zero time element. However, that is exactly how all individuals will eternally exist after the passing of the current state or condition in which we live upon earth. This zero time element will be the condition in which all individuals will dwell. For those in fellowship with Christ and God the Father, this will be an eternal state of rest, peace, and eternal bliss. For those who go to the Judgment out of the fellowship with Christ, God, and all of those faithful such will be an eternal condition of torment, torture, misery, and sadness. In either situation under consideration; because time will no longer exist there will be no time constraints or changes taking place. The total situation in both eternal glory and torment will be one eternal present that is never ending.
Revelation 21 is a word picture of the eternal phase of the church in glory (Rev. 21:1-8). Verse 9 is also a key verse in that the beautiful depiction set forth in verses 1-7 not only speaks of Heaven as a location, but also the final destiny of those redeemed in Christ—the eternal phase of the New Testament church following the final Judgment:
- Regarding this we only know presently what God has revealed to us in His word, but God will dwell among those redeemed (Rev. 21:1-3) and we shall be with Him continually (Rev. 7:13-16).
- We shall see Christ as he is (1 John 3:2) and be with him eternally (1 Thess. 4:17).
- Those righteous shall shine as the sun (Matt. 13:43) and serve God forever (Rev. 22:3-5).
- God shall wipe away the tears from our eyes (Rev. 21:4).
- Christ shall remove our thirst with the water of life from the eternal fountain (Rev. 21:6).
Eternal fellowship with the Godhead and all of those faithful are contingent upon our obedience to the gospel of Christ and faithful living. To those who have never been saved obey the gospel today. To the faithful continue to live faithfully. To the unfaithful repent and be restored to the fellowship of Christ—eternity awaits us all!
