It is Finished

When Jesus was on the cross he said, "It is Finished."  What did that mean?  Was it that his earthly life was finished, or that his ministry was finished?  Consider that maybe it means that the work of salvation is complete.

Too often, Christians are trying to do what has already been done.  It's finished, you can't add anything more to what has already been done.  It doesn't matter how many bible verses you memorize, or how nice you are, or how many people you lead to Christ, or how many times you say "yes" to God or "no" to sin, or how often you go to church, or how many ministry teams you're on, or how many mission fields you've served on, you can't add a thing to what's already been done.  It is finished.

Romans 8:30 says, "And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."  Now, if you've studied the bible, you know that we will be glorified when Jesus comes back for us at the rapture.  But the rapture hasn't happened yet, so how can Paul talk about our glorification as if it has already happened?  Because, it's finished!  It's a done deal.  He speaks of a future event as if it has already happened because it's as sure as our birth, call, conversion, and death.

It doesn't matter how far along you are on the road of sanctification either because that's finished too.   Philippians 1:6 says, "He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it."  Who is doing this work?  God is- not you.  God is making you more like Jesus.  It is not anything done in your own efforts.

When the disciples realized on the day of Pentecost that it was finished, they were so overjoyed about it that the people accused them of being drunk.  Did this realization make them better?  No, but it did change them.  It gave them the confidence to change the world.

So why are we called to confess and repent?  Because it is for our spiritual and emotional well being and to keep us from being  too conceited.

Romans 6:11 says that if we are a disciple of Christ then we should consider ourselves dead to sin.  The reason he said that is because it is finished.  When was the last time you saw a dead man doing anything.  He's dead.  He can't do anything.  He can't work harder, or try to be better, or give or do anything.  The reason we have to be dead is because Christ is going to use our bodies and work through us.  We just have to get out of the way.  Isn't that knowledge freeing?  This is Christ's gig and we are basically spectators.  Sometimes, God decides to show us just how much Christ lives in us and how much we are becoming Christ-like and it's very affirming to know this.  It's his work for his glory.

I remain, in Him,
JT