Hebrews 4:11 ESV – Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

I was chatting with a friend recently, a brother I have know for over a decade, a brother that used to enter into some Bible discussions with me at a previous employer.

Nothing to extended, for we were not being paid to discuss the location of the New Jerusalem, or to relieve the tension between Calvinism and Arminianism, but when my brother would come in my office with a question, we would consider what the Word says, discuss a few moments and let it ruminate. It was a good environment to work in, I learned bunches, and the people were great.

But that was over a decade ago, and my brother and I parted ways due to different choices for our careers. But lately he has taken the opportunity to reach out, and we had broke bread together just a few days ago. In the midst of the lunch, I let slip that I have a blog, and he has been reading.

Out of that reading, our recent chat revolved around the topic of conditional security and the once saved always saved teachings. During the discussion, I referred to a passage in Hebrews on this topic, (of which there are numerous passages addressing this topic), and the topic of striving came up.

What is it to strive? The apostle exhorts us to strive to enter rest, which is a paradox in my mind, but let us not get too distracted. (Besides the verse has been considered in Paradoxical Passages – Hebrews 4:11)

So – to strive, to persevere, to be diligent or to endeavor to do. The Greek word is σπουδάζω spoudázō, and it simply means to exert yourself, to give diligence, even to hasten or to make haste. Note that there is the idea of effort (exerting, laboring) and the component of time (hasten, make haste) in this word.

Do not both these ideas of exerting and hastening rest within the very same character of one “striving” I have yet to meet someone striving that is not giving it all he or she has. Not a partial effort, but with the strength provided, pushing forward. I have also never met someone who striving that is not striving now. He or she isn’t planning on striving in 2 years. How foolish of an idea that is. To strive is to be active now.

Strive to enter that rest, the sabbath rest. Yes this rest the apostle speaks of is a sabbath rest provided for the believer

Hebrews 4:9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

So if we don’t strive to enter that sabbath rest, what might the outcome be? Let’s read Hebrews 4:11 one more time.

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

So let me get this straight. The apostle is writing to believers, and providing instruction – that is to strive to enter a rest – so that no one, no believer, may fall. Does that not imply that believers may fall?

Are you still depending on your own works in some way to add to your salvation? Do you consider your efforts to add (or subtract) from the finished work of Christ on the cross, His complete salvation?

Enter the rest He has provided, not only in your initial decision to lay it before Him and follow, but in your daily walk with Him. There is a rest for the people of God.

Are you walking in it, even today? He is good, and His rest is beyond our own doing!

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