“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:11-13).
As the old spiritual so truthfully declares: “Everybody talkin’ about heaven ain’t a-goin’ there.” Without spoudazo—a zealous commitment, intense effort, earnest and focused toil, energetic concentration, and high intensity pursuit (see yesterday’s post)—you will fall short of entering God’s eternal/Sabbath rest.
Living every day with such keen spiritual motivation is quite a challenge. How can anyone possibly sustain such a focused approach to spiritual matters?
Verses 12 and 13 above point to three powerful fuel sources for sustained spiritual intensity:
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God’s powerful and penetrating word. Jeremiah discovered that God’s word in his heart was like a burning fire which kept him spiritually aflame (Jeremiah 20:9). God’s living and powerful word kept Jesus’ diligence razor sharp; it can do likewise for you.
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God’s omniscient eye. You may be able to fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool God any time. Not even once. He knows the intensity of your diligence. He knows whether you are genuinely fueling up on His word. You cannot successfully “fake it” with God.
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God’s final judgment. The only evaluation of your diligence which matters is God’s. Every descendant of Adam and Eve is personally accountable to Jehovah just as they were. Once God has made and decreed His judgment on your life, there is no need or possibility of appeal. Your eternal sentence of blessing or cursing is irreversible.
“Let us therefore be diligent.”
