Introduction
The Sabbath has been one of the sticking points throughout all of history. The change from Saturday to Sunday as the day of worship was significantly influenced by Roman Emperor Constantine in A.D. 321, when Sunday was established as a day of rest. The Catholic Church formalized this change around A.D> 365 at the Council of Laodicea. Notice this change was made by Mankind and has never been sanctioned by the Word of God.
Hebrews 4 and God’s Rest
The fourth chapter of the book of Hebrews Paul addresses the Sabbath rest in Christ. Entering God’s rest is linked with faith, and faith is linked with keeping the Sabbath.
Hebrews 4:4. For He spoke in a certain place about the seventh day in this manner: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;5. And again concerning this: “If they shall enter into My rest—” (It is important to notice that the rest belongs to God. 6. Consequently, since it remains for some to enter into it, and those who had previously heard the gospel did not enter in because of disobedience, 7. Again He marks out a certain day, “Today,” saying in David after so long a time (exactly as it has been quoted above), “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” (A Faithful Version)
As we approach the last days, I believe the issue will not be directly the issue of Law, rather, it will be the truth of the Gospel. The Sabbath is rightly linked to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s saving work in Christ.
Sabbath as Rest and Sign
God’s Sabbath’s are designated as a rest day that point us to Jesus Christ, Matthew 11:28. Come to Me, all you who labor and are overly burdened, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. 30. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (A Faithful Version)
Those who try to earn salvation by their work are heavy laden and do not have peace. In the light of this, those who keep the Sabbath as a kind of work are not resting. The Sabbath becomes a burdensome, necessary requirement of endurance. Jesus came to give us rest and peace.
Exodus 20:10. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter; your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the stranger within your gates; (A Faithful Version)
Exodus 31:13. Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Truly you shall keep My Sabbaths, for it the keeping of God’s Sabbaths is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations to know that I am the LORD Who sanctifies you. (A Faithful Version)
Grace, Faith, and Works
It is important to understand that God’s Seventh Day sabbath was man’s first day. God worked six days then He rested on the Seventh Day. Man did not begin by working, he began by resting. We cannot work until we have come into the rest of God. The work of Adam, at this point, was simply to enjoy what God had created for him.
Mankind has it backward. God works and then He rests; mam rests then he works. When man rests on the Sabbath, it signifies accepting what God has done for him. This point is very important in the proper understanding of grace through faith.
God gave man rest {the Sabbath} first. The Sabbath pictures rest in Jesus Christ. The proper observance of the Sabbath pictures our belief in, and our faith in that rest, in Christ.
- We first receive righteousness by faith,
- And then we show His righteousness by works.
- We do not have the work first.
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this especially is not of your own selves; it is the gift of God, 9. Not of your own works, so that no one may boast. 10. For we are His workmanship, being created in Christ Jesus unto the good works that God ordained beforehand in order that we might walk in them. (A Faithful Version)
Salvation is the gift of God and faith is our response to that salvation. When we receive Christ, we receive good works. Good work does not save us. They are evidence that we have entered His rest. The celebration of the Sabbath rest represents our resting in Christ. The Sabbath in a confession of our faith. The proper connection with Christ and the Sabbath leads us to understand the complete meaning of rest.
The picture of how the Sabbath represents salvation becomes clearer and more understandable as we rest in Christ. God does not work first and then rest; we begin with the Sabbath {rest} and then faith [works} by manifesting what we have already received in Christ {rest}.
Application and Conclusion
We are the light to a very dark world, Matthew 5:14. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a mountain cannot be hid. 15. Neither do they light a lamp and put it under a bushel basket, but on the lampstand; and it shines for all who are in the house. 16. In the same way also, you are to let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father Who is in heaven. (A Faithful Version)
By entering His rest, we become a beckon on a hill, that light that shines in the darkness. The only way for the world to see Christ in us is by our resting in Him. We begin by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. When we receive Him, He gives us peace, assurance, and makes us light unto a dark world.
Your brother in Christ,
Ron
Our Rest in Christ – Ron Volk
July 21, 2026 by Shirley Gohner • Uncategorized 0 Comments
Introduction
The Sabbath has been one of the sticking points throughout all of history. The change from Saturday to Sunday as the day of worship was significantly influenced by Roman Emperor Constantine in A.D. 321, when Sunday was established as a day of rest. The Catholic Church formalized this change around A.D> 365 at the Council of Laodicea. Notice this change was made by Mankind and has never been sanctioned by the Word of God.
Hebrews 4 and God’s Rest
The fourth chapter of the book of Hebrews Paul addresses the Sabbath rest in Christ. Entering God’s rest is linked with faith, and faith is linked with keeping the Sabbath.
Hebrews 4:4. For He spoke in a certain place about the seventh day in this manner: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;5. And again concerning this: “If they shall enter into My rest—” (It is important to notice that the rest belongs to God. 6. Consequently, since it remains for some to enter into it, and those who had previously heard the gospel did not enter in because of disobedience, 7. Again He marks out a certain day, “Today,” saying in David after so long a time (exactly as it has been quoted above), “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” (A Faithful Version)
As we approach the last days, I believe the issue will not be directly the issue of Law, rather, it will be the truth of the Gospel. The Sabbath is rightly linked to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s saving work in Christ.
Sabbath as Rest and Sign
God’s Sabbath’s are designated as a rest day that point us to Jesus Christ, Matthew 11:28. Come to Me, all you who labor and are overly burdened, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. 30. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (A Faithful Version)
Those who try to earn salvation by their work are heavy laden and do not have peace. In the light of this, those who keep the Sabbath as a kind of work are not resting. The Sabbath becomes a burdensome, necessary requirement of endurance. Jesus came to give us rest and peace.
Exodus 20:10. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter; your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the stranger within your gates; (A Faithful Version)
Exodus 31:13. Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Truly you shall keep My Sabbaths, for it the keeping of God’s Sabbaths is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations to know that I am the LORD Who sanctifies you. (A Faithful Version)
Grace, Faith, and Works
It is important to understand that God’s Seventh Day sabbath was man’s first day. God worked six days then He rested on the Seventh Day. Man did not begin by working, he began by resting. We cannot work until we have come into the rest of God. The work of Adam, at this point, was simply to enjoy what God had created for him.
Mankind has it backward. God works and then He rests; mam rests then he works. When man rests on the Sabbath, it signifies accepting what God has done for him. This point is very important in the proper understanding of grace through faith.
God gave man rest {the Sabbath} first. The Sabbath pictures rest in Jesus Christ. The proper observance of the Sabbath pictures our belief in, and our faith in that rest, in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this especially is not of your own selves; it is the gift of God, 9. Not of your own works, so that no one may boast. 10. For we are His workmanship, being created in Christ Jesus unto the good works that God ordained beforehand in order that we might walk in them. (A Faithful Version)
Salvation is the gift of God and faith is our response to that salvation. When we receive Christ, we receive good works. Good work does not save us. They are evidence that we have entered His rest. The celebration of the Sabbath rest represents our resting in Christ. The Sabbath in a confession of our faith. The proper connection with Christ and the Sabbath leads us to understand the complete meaning of rest.
The picture of how the Sabbath represents salvation becomes clearer and more understandable as we rest in Christ. God does not work first and then rest; we begin with the Sabbath {rest} and then faith [works} by manifesting what we have already received in Christ {rest}.
Application and Conclusion
We are the light to a very dark world, Matthew 5:14. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a mountain cannot be hid. 15. Neither do they light a lamp and put it under a bushel basket, but on the lampstand; and it shines for all who are in the house. 16. In the same way also, you are to let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father Who is in heaven. (A Faithful Version)
By entering His rest, we become a beckon on a hill, that light that shines in the darkness. The only way for the world to see Christ in us is by our resting in Him. We begin by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. When we receive Him, He gives us peace, assurance, and makes us light unto a dark world.
Your brother in Christ,
Ron