Finished!
The apostle John saw what was
happening at the cross when Jesus was crucified. He
was an eyewitness to Jesus’ death. A few moments
before His death Jesus declared, “It is finished!”
(John 19:30). It is one word in
the Greek and can be translated, “Done!” “Finished!”
or “Completed!” The entire redemptive work of Jesus
Christ was finished. The Son gave His report to the
Father in a loud voice so all mankind could hear it,
and then He went home to the Father having completed
the Father’s will.
Jesus did not say, “I am
finished.” In essence He said, “It was finished and
as a result it is forever done.” “It stands
finished.” “Done.” The idea is that of perfection,
accomplishment, relief, satisfaction, and victory.
All the accumulated sin, and
guilt, of all men, of all time, guilt of all time,
including the combined hells of all who have
offended God, was paid in full by His death.
The death of Jesus Christ
completed the redemptive work. The Lamb of God has
made His great sacrifice for the world. It is this
that is now done. Our great Substitute paid the
great ransom, paid it to the uttermost cent. "It is
finished" indeed! There is nothing that can be added
to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Our atonement was completed in
the moment of Christ’s death for our sins. All of
the righteous demands of the law of God against our
sins were paid in full and satisfied in His
sacrifice for sin. The punishment of our sins and
the satisfaction of the righteousness of God meant
that God was now free to offer the believing sinner
His own perfect righteous standing before God based
upon grace alone (2 Cor. 5:21).
At the heart of the death of
Jesus Christ is our atonement. The payment was paid
in full. God declared, “It is finished!” You and I
can never make satisfaction for our sins, no matter
how religious we may think we are. You and I can
never contribute to our salvation in the least
degree. “It is finished!” We cannot add in the least
or the greatest thing to His finished work. You
cannot atone for your sins committed before or after
baptism. You cannot atone for your “temporal” sins.
You baptism will not save you. Only God can forgive
sins. Only the death of the perfect Lamb of God can
cover your trespasses against God. The moment you
add one thing to the finished work of Christ you
destroy it. To require the sinner to contribute to
his own salvation in some measure only contributes
to his eternal damnation.
The satisfaction of Christ is
the only satisfaction for sin. The perfect sacrifice
of Christ is so perfect and final that it leaves no
possible liability for any sin of the believer.
“It is finished!” declared
Jesus Christ. “Finished!” Done! Complete!
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I
owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain;
He washed it white as snow.
The apostle Paul declared,
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Have you experienced that deep
sense of peace with God? Do you know all your sins
are forgiven? No condemnation! We have already been
judged for our sins at the cross and Christ died for
us. We were condemned. We were declared guilty and
Jesus drank every drop of our condemnation and died
for us. “For while we were still helpless, at the
right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”
(v. 8). The believing sinner has “now been justified
by His blood” (v. 9a). “We shall be saved from the
wrath of God through Him” (v. 9b).
The reason for this great
assurance of salvation is the redemptive shedding of
His blood, done once for all, is finished and stands
finished forever (Heb. 7:27; 9:12, 16; Rom. 6:10).
"It is finished!" shouts Jesus our Savior.
Have you confessed to God that
you are a sinner and that you deserve eternal
condemnation? Have you believed in the death of
Jesus and what He accomplished for you in that death
has satisfied the righteous requirements of God to
save you for all eternity? It is not what we bring
in our hands; it is what Christ has done in His
hands that save us.
The only thing left for you to
do is believe on Christ. The finished work of Christ
is absolutely sufficient to save you and keep you
saved.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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