Enter into the way to rest in peace

A very commonly heard phrase during death is ‘Rest in Peace’. It is almost as if everyone would love to have that peace once they die. Inherent in that desire is the knowledge that one’s life does not end on the deathbed.

How to enter into the way to Rest in Peace?

Rest is the entry into God’s kingdom. There is no peace without entering into God’s kingdom. There is only one way to enter the rest of God. The writer of Hebrews says, ‘we who have believed enter that rest.’ (Heb 4:3). In the same chapter, speaking of a generation of Jews who have seen the miraculous work of God for a long time, yet they did not enter the rest of God for just one reason – disobedience in the form of disbelief.

Throughout the centuries and across cultures, everyone constantly thinks and worries about peace. And all varied methods are found to attain peace with God through works and sacrifices. Because deep in their minds, everyone knows they have all wronged and that something needs to be sacrificed or someone needs to be pleased. Due to this fear, several religious practices have established ways to inform their followers that praying for the dead can help move their spirits from a place of torment to peace. Tragically, none of these helps to reconcile the problem.

“Today” is the time to enter the rest of God. If you genuinely care about resolving to have rest and peace, there is a way God has prepared already. Once and for all, everyone can enter into that rest God has promised and prepared in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus made purification of sins. Hebrews 1:3

He accomplished this by coming down in the form of man; living a perfect life; thus, through His death, he could deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery (Hebrews 2: 14, 15). The whole world lives in slavery to sin and fear of death—no exceptions, and it does not need any more explanations. But one thing needs our noteworthy attention. By His death, Jesus prepared a way to deliver us from both the fear of death and lifelong slavery. It needs to happen when someone lives, not after they die. You just can’t afford to leave that for tomorrow or after death. After all, Jesus Christ is a merciful and faithful high priest who is willing to help us in our weakness to bring us close to God. This is beautiful. His plan is for us to have life, rest, and peace that begin in this life by walking in Him side by side.

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12). If you don’t believe, you fall away from the living God. On the other hand, whoever believes enters God’s rest and ceases from all his works. In other words, no other work, however hard you try, can help to enter God’s rest other than by believing in the way He has prepared.

This path to rest begins here in this world. Unless one receives it by faith in Jesus Christ while they live, there is no rest in peace. They will perish like the first generation of Israelites who died in the wilderness because of their lack of faith.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” Revelations 14-13

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