Cutting to the Heart of the Matter

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:9-13)

The first 13 verses of Hebrews 4 is a look at how very seriously God takes the Sabbath. Indeed, He took it so seriously from the very beginning, He made it one of the ten commandments. How many of us, though, willingly internalize all the other commandments, but sort of skip over that one? We don't lie. We certainly don't murder. We won't commit adultery. But how seriously do we take the Sabbath?

What Paul reminds us, in Hebrews 4, is that sin -- any kind of sin -- is a matter of the heart. The word of God -- God's law -- is, Paul says, sharper than a double-edged sword. This sword is held in judgement, not of our actions, but of the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. 

The passage above is specifically about keeping the Sabbath, but it's significant that he's talking about one of the Ten Commandments, because this judgement of the heart applies across the board. We don't murder, but Scripture tells us if we hate, we are nevertheless guilty of murder (1 John 3:15). Why? Because it's not a matter of action, but of the state of our hearts. We don't commit adultery, yet if we lust, Jesus says we are guilty of it anyway (Matthew 5:27-28). 

In the same way, simply going to church isn't keeping the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a matter of turning our whole hearts to God, of allowing ourselves to rest in him, and to rest from our labors. 

Jesus isn't interested in what we do, because our actions are simply the fruits of what is in our hearts. And that is what He is interested in.