Angelic Conflict part 144: Human history (Sabbath) – Heb 4; Eph 1:3-6; Exo 16:22-30; 23:12; 31:12-13; 1Pe 5:6-11.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 144: Human history (Sabbath) - Heb 4; EPH 1:3-6; EXO 16:22-30; 23:12; 31:12-13; 1PE 5:6-11. 

 

Are you a "Bondo Believer"? [by Greg Laurie]

 

Have you ever bought a used car? One thing you have to beware of is a car that has been in collisions and has a lot of "Bondo" on it. Bondo is a resin product that is used in the place of proper body work or to cover up some kind of problem with the body of the car. Sometimes I wonder if we have some "Bondo believers" out there. By that, I mean people who appear to be one thing but really are another.

 

The apostle Paul wrote what his prayer was for the believers living in Philippi. "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:9-10).

 

A definition of the word sincere that Paul uses would be "without wax." The origin of this goes back to ancient Rome, when they would make fine pottery, which was relatively thin, and fragile cracks would develop after firing. So, rather than remake the piece, unscrupulous shops would fill the cracks with hard, dark wax (first-century Bondo). This would be revealed when the object purchased was placed in bright sunlight, as the wax would melt.

 

So Paul uses this phrase "without wax" to speak of being a genuine, not a fake believer. As we wait for Christ's return, let's pray that we are not "Bondo believers," but rather genuine followers. [end quote]

 

One cannot fake the virtues from God. One cannot fake true rest and it will be pressure or testing that will reveal whether a believer possesses it or not.

 

           

HEB 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains [left behind] of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.

 

 “let us fear” - fobe,w [phobeo; aorist passive subjunctive] = to fear, to be afraid, to have reverential fear.

 

PHI 2:12

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

 

Fear of any earthly matter and divine rest are mutually exclusive. If the believer has rest by means of doctrine then he will not fear coming up short in earthly matters, and that means even if he does. Earthly things are not his concern for he is a citizen of heaven and his kingdom is not of this realm.

 

Rest and fear of any worldly matter are mutually exclusive. However, rest and reverential fear are mutually inclusive.

 

We must understand the difference. If I possess fear because of my finances, an upcoming event, I presume something bad will happen (and it might or might not), because of another person, etc. then I fear worldly things. To be honest, this is an insult to your Almighty Father as if a young child came crying to his father because he didn’t know if he would have a home and a meal that night. This fear chases out all rest. And, if you were to resolve the issue that you feared and found a peace, your peace was based on worldly solutions and not divine and that peace is a cheap forgery of God’s peace or rest which is self-existing and doesn’t depend on anything else.

 

Now, if you have a reverential fear of not entering God’s rest then that is completely compatible with God’s rest. This is definitely construed as also having a reverential fear of losing God’s rest. Therefore the earthly fear and the reverential fear are not the same although the same word is used. I believe that we can differentiate between them more clearly if we look at their affects.

 

Worldly fears cause worry, anxiety, and emotional control of the soul. Reverential fear causes caution, alertness, and application of knowledge. 

 

Reverential fear is like finding yourself in a mine field, but armed with a metal detector. You’ll make it if you go slow and are thorough.

 

1JO 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

 

Many, fear coming up short in earthly matters. Few, fear coming up short of entering God’s rest.

 

HEB 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains [left behind] of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.

 

 “let us fear” - fobe,w [phobeo; aorist passive subjunctive] = to fear, to be afraid, to have reverential fear.

 

The passive voice indicates that a believer receives this fear from instruction in the word of God. This reverent fear is one of losing rest or when the believer realizes that he has lost his faith that he fears remaining too long in the cosmic system.

 

The verb “come short” means to be behind or to be lacking. If one lacks rest then anxiety, worry, and stress fills the soul from worldly fears.

 

Violation of the Sabbath in the OT was worthy of death. This shows us how important it is to have this rest in our souls. This rest does not depend on good circumstances but is a system of thinking and a relaxation of mental attitude toward prosperity and adversity.

 

HEB 4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached [heard] to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

 

The exodus generation was thoroughly evangelized and had the best teaching of the time. The issue was not the gospel but their faith in the plan of God.

 

This is why Christians do not grow in churches that only teach the gospel every Sunday or only give feel good messages about how God loves them, which is true of course, but the entire realm of doctrine must be taught so that each believer can make a clear decision for or against the plan of God for their lives.

 

EPH 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

 

EPH 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love

 

EPH 1:5 He predestined us [before the foundation of the world] to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

 

EPH 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

 

Back to Heb 4:

The issue is not if you have a couple of promises in your back pocket, but what is your attitude towards doctrine, towards your election and predestination; towards your sonship, your honor bound position in the royal family of God.

 

The Church-age believer has more to accept or reject than any creature in history.