Come Unto Me, I Will Give You Rest Part 4

Fear the consequences of Unbelief.

We should fear the consequences of doubts and unbelief. Though our doubts and fears are often called by more respectable names, because we do not like to see their sin in all its nakedness, yet they come to this, that we do not believe the ever-blessed God. If we look at our discouragement and doubt in this light, we shall no longer pity, but blame ourselves, and instead of excusing we shall accuse our heart of a great crime. Doubt towards God is not mere weakness, it is a wickedness of the gravest kind- Revelation 21:8. The statement- “Fear lest…any one of you should seem to have come short of God’s rest” means the restful haven of salvation. We will not enter into God’s rest which is God’s heaven, if we do not trust His promises.

Though unbelief certainly exists, it is a most unreasonable thing. Here’s a question for us all- If God has made a promise, on what grounds do we doubt its fulfillment?

The more we consider the supposition that God is unable to keep his promises, the more we discard it with indignation- Hebrews 3:19. God’s haven of salvation and God’s heaven require victory over the spirit of unbelief- Exodus 34:6. It was good news of love, mercy and forgiveness of every kind of iniquity, transgression and sin. It was the good news of God’s promise that God would bring the Israelites into the land of milk and honey and be with them if they would trust Him and not rebel. But still the promise that God is merciful, forgives sins, promises rest and joy is for those who trust Him- Hebrews 4:2. They did not have faith in his promise to give them a future than they had in Egypt and so they gave up on God and wanted the old life. They fell in the wilderness. God swore in his wrath that they would never enter His rest- a picture of missing heaven.

3. Be diligent to enter God’s rest.

Hebrews 4:11

Israel fell from the promised joy of God because of the disobedience of unbelief. And the same thing can happen to any professing Christian. And that day-by-day, hour-by-hour trust in God’s promises is not automatic. It is the result of daily diligence and it’s the result of firm faith and obedience- Philippians 2:12, Romans 11:20, Hebrews 2:15. Christ wants a people who live in the most dangerous neighborhoods without fear, who go to the unreached peoples behind closed doors without fear. Faith in the promises of God makes you fearless before the threats of men. There is only one thing to fear which is faithlessness. Fear unbelief in the promises of God. Because as long as you are trusting in the promises of God you can be utterly fearless in the face of anything, even death.