Verse 15 contains the following proverb: "Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry." It is clear that the "deep sleep" mentioned here is nothing other than death.
Contrast this with the Scriptures teaching on rest. Isaiah 30:15 declares that "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..." Again, Jesus emphasizes the promise of rest when invites us to "Take [His] yoke upon you and learn from [Him], for [He is] gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls..."
Clearly being lazy and resting are two very different things. Laziness is avoiding work; resting is ceasing from it. The call of the gospel is not spiritual laziness but spiritual rest. A person is lazy when there is work to do but he or she avoids it. A person rests when the work is complete. When we rest in Christ, we are acknowledging with all that we are that the work of our salvation is complete. There is nothing left to do. So, rest.
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