Why is faith important in entering God's rest?

Faith acts as the means by which we accept God's gracious invitation to enter His rest. Hebrews 4 emphasizes that the Israelites failed to enter the promised land due to their unbelief, which serves as a warning to us. Without faith, we cannot appreciate the magnitude of Christ's saving work and thus remain outside of the rest He offers. In essence, faith opens our eyes to recognize Jesus as our High Priest and the completed work of salvation, urging us to trust not in our abilities but solely in His merit, thereby allowing us to experience true peace with God.