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Joseph Charles Philpot Bevindelijke geschriften & prediking
Vandaag

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For we which have believed do enter into rest.
Hebrews 4:3

We enter into rest by ceasing from our own works, and resting on Christ’s; according to the words, “For he who has entered into His rest, has also ceased from his own works, as God did from His.” Now when you can fully rest upon the finished work of the Son of God, and believe by a living faith that your sins were laid upon His head; that He bore them in His body on the tree; that He has washed you in His precious blood, clothed you with His righteousness, and is sanctifying you by His Spirit and grace, then you can rest. There is something here firm and solid for the conscience to rest on.

While the law thunders, while Satan accuses, while conscience condemns there is no rest. But you can rest where God rests. God rests in His love; in the finished work of His dear Son; in the perfection of Christ’s humanity; in His fulfillment of all His covenant engagements; in the glorification of His holy law; in the satisfaction rendered to His justice; in the harmonizing of all His attributes; in the revelation of His grace and His glory to the children of men; for He is His beloved Son, in Whom He is well pleased.

The tabernacle in the wilderness, and afterwards the temple on Mount Zion, was a type of the pure and sacred humanity of the Lord Jesus. There God rested in a visible manner by a cloud upon the mercy seat, called by the Jewish writers the Shekinah. This, therefore, was the place of His rest, as He speaks, “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. This is My rest forever–here will I dwell; for I have desired it” (Psalm 132:13, 14).

To the reader…

Tried and tempted soul, you know that unrest in which the law thunders, Satan accuses and conscience condemns. Perhaps you look for rest in your own works, in becoming better, in doing more, and you do not find it. How could you? As long as you work to earn rest, the conscience remains without firm ground.

But there is something firm, something solid for an accused conscience: the finished work of the Son of God. Your sins were laid upon His head, He bore them in His body on the tree, He washes in His precious blood and clothes with His righteousness. There God Himself rests, in His beloved Son, in Whom He is well pleased. If you may rest there too, then you rest where God rests; and whoever believes enters into that rest.

With warm regards,
The compilers of jcphilpot.nl