Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1,2)

We need to balance the emphasis on church population growth with a corresponding emphasis on the spiritual growth of the believers. If we do not, the churches are going to fall apart during the age of moral horrors that is upon us. There will be few who will merit the "Well done" of the Lord.

What is the "perfection" mentioned in the verse above? "Let us go on unto perfection." There are two parts of the mark, the goal, the land of promise, the "perfection." The first part of the goal is to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit, in soul, and finally, at His coming, in body. It is to this that every believer has been predestined.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

The second part of the goal is to enter untroubled rest in Christ in God.

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)

God has numerous roles and responsibilities in mind for each member of His royal priesthood. However none of these eternal roles and responsibilities can be properly exercised and fulfilled by us until we are in Christ's image and dwelling in untroubled, complete union in Christ in the Father.

In a moment we will be discussing three major aspects of the rest of God. But first let us consider that we must labor to enter the rest of God.

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4:11)

The rest of God is not speaking of our relaxing and doing nothing. The rest of God is the mighty engine that is causing Christ to become the Head, Center, and Circumference of all things in the heavens and on the earth. It also is causing all things to work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to God's purpose in Christ.

How do we enter the stream of power that is God's rest? We have to understand that God already has finished all things. We have to be willing to cease from our own works and enter the eternal Sabbath. We have to overcome numerous enemies that seek to keep us from entering this land of promise termed the rest of God.

We can do none of these things in our adamic nature. And so there is a rest we enter in order to comprehend that God is resting; in order to be able to cease from our own works and enter the eternal Sabbath; and in order to overcome our numerous enemies. The rest by which we enter the rest we might term abiding in Christ. We are brought into the rest of God as we abide in Christ.

To be continued.