A Theology of Rest

The nature of the task: What does Scripture say about rest? What is rest, and how ought we to use rest in a way that brings glory to God and enriches our own souls? Rest had a central place in Old Testament worship, actually making it into the Big Ten (10 commandments). It is rooted in God’s creation of the world, and it was very important to God that Israel keep the Sabbath day. When Christ came, he tampered with this law a bit, which resulted in the day of worship changing from Saturday to Sunday, and the Christian church no longer upholding the Sabbath with meticulous care.

Today there is some confusion on the place of Sabbath and rest. There are some who still practice the Sabbath (Seventh-Day Adventists), and there are some who believe that it is a sin to work on Sunday. There are others who observe some kind of rest on Sunday, though not believing it to be morally obligatory to do so.

But also, there are a couple of problems that might pertain to this issue. One problem is workaholism, and the other is sloth. Workaholics prioritize their work so much that they do not take time to stop and rest. Even some who are not technically “work-aholics” are still people who always fill their time with activity such that they are too busy for people, for God, and for the health of their own souls. For many people, this keeps them from ever knowing God. For others who know God, this keeps them from experiencing a deeper relationship with God and with others. People are too busy to go to church, to busy to get involved in the church community, too busy to take the time to love their neighbor. Some are even too busy to spend time with their family. What does a biblical theology of rest have to contribute to this issue?

And what about the problem of sloth? While some struggle with idolizing their work, others loathe work so much that they do everything possible to avoid it. This manifests itself in laziness and procrastination. Now we all have bouts with these things, since we are human, and most people realize that work is hard. However, in many, these things are a real problem, and their laziness keeps them from industry and diligence, which are necessary not only to survive, but to flourish as a human being. It seems that these people have an inflated view of rest and leisure.

One more problem comes to mind that may be in need of a corrective from a biblical theology of rest. This is in the proper use of rest. What is the best way to use our “rest” time, our Sabbaths and vacations? Is it a time to let our guard down and do whatever we want? Many people think so, and they approach vacations, weekends, and summers as times to indulge in the flesh. But what exactly is rest, and how ought we to use this time in a way that honors God and enriches our souls? What is the purpose of rest?

I would like to first examine the text of Scripture, taking the theme of the Sabbath throughout the Old and New Testaments as my starting point, and from there branch out to other parts of Scripture which shed light on these questions. And since it seems the nature of rest is intimately tied in with the nature of work, I will attempt to concurrently be considering the theology of work. While building on Scripture, I would also like to consider and interact with Augustine’s thoughts on rest (“Our souls are restless until they find their rest in God.”), as well as Blaise Paschal in order to benefit from the thoughts of the great cloud of witnesses, the great tradition of the church that has been handed down to us.

Your input and thoughts on this topic are welcome.