“”Therefore when Jesus had
received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He
bowed His head and
gave up His spirit.”” (John 19:30)
Jesus said in John 4:34, “…
My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”
Then He says in John 17:4, “I
glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given
Me to do.”
Paul tells us in Galatians
3:13, ““Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for
us – for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.””
Faithful to the end, Jesus
fulfilled the will of the Father which was to be the sacrifice for mankind’s
sin, and accept our judgment upon Himself.
The plan of redemption was
finalized at the cross. Jesus said, “It is finished,” meaning His work was
finished. He would be buried and three days later, He would rise from the grave
as He prophesied. Now, any person can come to Him in simple child-like faith
and be redeemed (saved) from sin and its judgment.
The Greek word “teleo” is
translated, “It is finished.” This same word has been found on papyri receipts
as proof the tax debt has been “paid in full.”
Wouldn’t it be interesting to
wake up one morning and find that everywhere you went you would be told, “Everything
has been paid in full, so you owe nothing?”
You go to purchase a car. You
pick the one you want. You prepare to sign the paperwork, but are told, “That’s
not necessary. It’s yours. It’s paid in full.”
You go out to eat and aren’t
even allowed to leave a tip. Everything has been paid in full, including the
tip.
You never receive an electric
bill, or water/sewer bill. They just send you a receipt each month showing it
as paid in full.
You go to your favorite
sports event or maybe a movie, and everything is paid in full, even the popcorn
and drink.
That is exactly what Jesus
has done for all who will come to Him to be saved. All He asks of us is to
believe, to trust Him. Does that mean we just believe that He is? No. The
demons believe that much.
“You believe that God is one.
You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” (James 2:19)
We must recognize and admit
we are a sinner; that He died and paid the penalty for our sins; through Him
alone our sins are paid and we are a child of the Father once we trust Him at
His Word. All of this will immediately and simultaneously be evident with true
belief in Jesus Christ.
Why do so many keep wanting
to work for something they can never pay? Jesus became the provision for our
payment of sin. God will never accept our work. He will only accept the work of
His Son. To suggest otherwise is to insult a holy God and reject His free offer
of grace.
Is work ever involved?
Absolutely work is involved, but only after
we are saved through Him. The only work God will ever accept for salvation is
that which came through Jesus Christ. Once we belong to Him, the Holy Spirit
will indwell us and then we then can work for our Lord.
If we can’t work to get
saved, why do we work after we’re saved? Is it to pay off our debt? The answer
is a resounding “No!” The Lord Jesus Christ saves us by His grace and He keeps
us by His grace. So why do we work as a believer? We work as a believer because
we are His child and want to honor our Savior. We work as a believer out of
gratitude because of His great mercy He has shown us. Most importantly, the
Spirit of God works within us helping us grow as a Christian.
“Therefore, my dear friends,
as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my
absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is
God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
(Philippians 2:12-13)
“And we all, who with
unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his
image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
On this earth, we may be the
poorest person on the city streets, or in the valleys of the mountains, but in
our home Jesus has built for us in Heaven we are co-heirs with Jesus Christ in
the kingdom of God. We are a child of the living God; princes and princesses in
the royal Heavenly family.
On this earth, you may be a
reject of society, but if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord you will
be clothed in white robes in Heaven and judge angels. You will ride on the
backs of white horses alongside Jesus when He comes to judge the world at the
end of the Tribulation. You will reign with Him in the Millennium and spend
eternity with Him in the Father’s house. You will live in eternity with never a
want and where sin is no more. You will see God face to face and experience the
love that emanates from Him.
Yes, “It is finished.” Jesus
accomplished all the Father gave Him to do. It is, “Paid in full.” There is
nothing we can add. To even try is an insult.
If you haven’t come to Christ
in humble belief, could it be that pride is holding you back? Could it be
disbelief? What is it? Whatever it is, go to Jesus and get it resolved. I’ve
heard it said, and said so myself that, “There are no atheists or doubters in
hell,” but that isn’t the place to realize the truth. It will be too late.
Our sin debt has been PAID …
IN … FULL. God makes the offer, but He never forces the issue. God has left no
stone unturned in providing the only way to get us out of the mess we are in.
“What mess,” you say? The mess called “sin.” It’s all around us. It’s deep
within our souls. It kills. It destroys. It condemns to hell.
The only thing standing
between us and hell is sin, and sin offers nothing but judgment. Jesus took the
judgment of our sins upon Himself. He did the work. Will we accept it? Or will
we be foolish and depend on our own work? There is only one way to the Father
and Jesus is it.
““Jesus said to him, “I am
the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through
Me.”” (John 14:6)
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
