Stay at Rest in Christ

"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness." (2 Peter 3: 17)

What things "before" was Peter referring to?

"14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." (2 Peter 3: 14-16)

The things not so easily understood refer to the Gospel of Grace, in which a man is no longer seeking to justify himself through his actions, but receives and keeps receiving righteousness and grace as gifts because of Jesus:

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1: 17)

and then

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive [are receiving] abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

Now, when we read over Peter's exhortation in his second letter, he talks about avoiding errors.

Take that word literally. Because of all that Jesus has done, we are invited to enter into His rest, where we cease striving for God's grace and righteousness, and start resting and receiving.

The one temptation which Satan has left: to make it seem as if the work is not finished:

"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind," (Colossians 2: 18)

and

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

This rest is the inner posture that we are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1: 3), and that He is our peace (Ephesians 2: 14), and that through Him we can receive all things (Romans 8:32)