Q: The church in Laodicea was advised to “buy gold tested in the fire…and white raiment…” (Rev. 3:18) What is the medium of exchange when dealing with Christ?
A: The medium of exchange, if there is such a thing, when dealing with Christ is rest. We are encouraged to rest from our own self-efforts of trying to live the Christian life in the energy of our own flesh.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11
The author of Hebrews tells us to make every effort to enter the Sabbath rest. A Christian must check their own motives in what they are doing. Are the activities you engage in on a daily and weekly basis motivated by trying to please God in hopes of obtaining something from Him or keeping something you have received? If so, you are not resting and being disobedient.
“You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” Galatians 5:4
When you fall from something, you have to fall to something. The Apostle Paul is talking about falling from grace back to works. Again, if you are focused on living by rules designed to modify your behavior or “live” the Christian life you are not trusting in, and depending on, the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are not resting.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3
If, as Christians, we have been given everything we need for life and godliness, and been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, what else is there for us to get from the Lord? Nothing. God gave us all these things so that we would not try and get those things from any other source whether religiously or from the world. The byproduct should be that we rest from our own efforts so that God can freely work in us to do the works He prepared in advance for us to do.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Jesus called us to Himself promising rest. He says that His yoke is light. Yet, many Christians refuse His rest and try to carry their burden themselves. The only way to do this is by putting ourselves back under the yoke of slavery. That yoke of slavery is the Law. It might be the Mosaic Law, but it most assuredly is the laws of denominations. And every denomination can be defined by the laws they impose on their congregation. The laws are designed to help us live the Christian life. But, in reality, those who subject themselves to them are only dedicating themselves to trying to live a life they can’t possibly live.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Christ died for you so that raised from the dead He could live His life through you. Jesus is the only one who ever lived the Christian life. Now, He wants to live that life through you. All He asks of us to allow Him to do it. And we do that by resting. It is the only “currency” we have to exchange.
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