When Jesus stated the words, “IT IS FINISHED” He was not referring to giving up His life even though that is involved in what He fulfilled, but the full meaning of what Jesus was saying had to do with the completion of His mission and what He came to accomplish for every sinner.
The sinner (you and I), stood guilty before God for breaking His laws, which kept us in a state of being lost. And even now when we know God’s laws, we still have no power to keep them; but even keeping them doesn’t automatically grant us His grace, and salvation.
How Are We Redeemed?
We are saved by fully (daily) depending on Christ and His works. He calls us to fully rest from our own works, and legalistic ways of service to Him. Salvation isn’t a reward but a gift. Even when we’re disobedient to His laws, He loves to guide us by the Holy Spirit. As Christians of the New Covenant (which involve all Ten Commandments) our commission as His ambassadors is to have a new motivation of service which becomes functionally obedient by God’s love from a heart transformed by His grace. This new responsibility will not only find us having more trust and faith, but we’ll want to do all we can in our service for Jesus and worship Him our great Creator and Redeemer.
What all mankind was unable to do for themselves after the fall of Adam and Eve, Jesus was able to fulfill in our stead, and paid the penalty we could never pay. Jesus completed the redemption plan, and His redeeming gift was—and still is—openly shown consistently through His loving words, and actions to us.
No Haphazard Plan
Before He made all things at the foundation of the world Jesus along with the Godhead decided that the redemption plan of mankind was worth His going to the cross. The Deity must have known their plan would work, or they wouldn’t have gone through with it. We know that Jesus remained faithful and obedient to His Father, and that’s why we can right here, right now, have an opportunity that has benefits that are simply out of this world.
Jesus not only spoke of His love toward us (Rom. 5:8), but demonstrated it in character through His obedience to His father whom He represented consistently from birth to calvary. Jesus is now not only representing His father, but us as well when we allow His Holy Spirit to do His work, and take action in our lives.
Soul Dependency
Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus provided the only way for mankind to be saved from our lost condition. And now as firm Christians maturing in faith, we can take a confident stand against our adversary’s assailing conduct on Christ’s character—whom we represent (Rom. 8:1).
Our dependency and strength starts the minute we fully recognize, realize and move toward reliance on His soul provision—the Father in Heaven knows what’s best for our soul. The next time accusations, trials, or temptations come at you, take assurance in God’s words by confessing with your mouth (Rom. 10:9-10) “IT IS FINISHED.”
R Scott Holder writes on a variety of spiritual topics.
