It is Finished
“”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: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

 

 

 

Let’s face it. Our society is ingrained with the Santa Claus mentality. Give me. Give me. Give me. It’s all about “me” and what I want.

“Oh! I got a splinter in my little hand. Maybe I could sue the US Forestry Service for having trees with splinters.” Did I mention we are also “whiners?”

We are spoiled, self-centered brats if every little thing doesn’t go our way. We’re like spoiled children throwing a hissy fit on the floor.

We have more things and more opportunities in this country than any nation of people that has ever existed, but we are never happy. We always want more.

Bible scholars like to use words like humanism, materialism and hedonism. I have used them myself. What do they mean?

Humanism means basically “love of self.”

Materialism means basically “love of money (or things).”

Hedonism means basically “love of pleasure.”

We in American are all these things. The Holy Spirit must have had us in mind when He had the apostle Paul write these words.

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

• Lovers of themselves
• Lovers of money
• Boastful
• Proud
• Abusive
• Disobedient to their parents
• Ungrateful
• Unholy
• Without love
• Unforgiving
• Slanderous
• Without self-control
• Brutal
• Not lovers of the good
• Treacherous
• Rash
• Conceited
• Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
• Having a form of godliness but denying its power
• False prophets
• Full of sins
• Swayed by many evil desires
• Always learning but never coming to the truth

Paul described 23 descriptions of a self-righteous, corrupted people, and every single last one of them is deadly accurate of 21^st century Americans.

The worse thing parents can do to their children is to spoil them. They become out-of-control brats with no feelings for anyone but themselves. They think everyone else owes them a living and obviously, no one is as important as they think they are. Those children are now grown and living among us. We may be one of them.

In the last few months we have had one major hurricane hit Texas, another hit the Caribbean and Florida and now another has decimated the Caribbean again, especially Puerto Rico. Mexico has suffered two major earthquakes during the same time. Many lives have been lost and much property destroyed.

Every time a major catastrophe happens most everyone is heard saying, “Our prayers are with them.” How many really mean that? There is no doubt in my mind that many who love the Lord Jesus have prayed for these dear folks that have suffered these tragedies, and their prayers have been heard. Many are also actively helping in any way they can, but how often is that phrase meaningless because it is used only as a cliché? If it isn’t a cliché by most, are “our prayers with them” when there is no tragedy? It appears to me that most tend to call upon God only when it is to their convenience.

God doesn’t live in the North Pole. He is in Heaven. He is not old Saint Nick. He is God Almighty. He doesn’t ride in on a sleigh pulled by reindeer offering gifts wrapped tightly in a bow. He has offered one gift to the world, the most precious gift that has or ever will be offered, the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. This is the most expensive gift ever given. This gift cost His Son His own blood and brought down the Father’s judgment on Him. He took all of our sins upon Himself paying the penalty for them in full. Most of us however, have rejected that gift, but expect Him to come at our beck and call and grant us anything we ask.

We cannot, individually and collectively, live in sin and expect God to bless us. I refer again to the above Scripture verses in 2 Timothy 3:1-7. We so perfectly match every word Paul said in these verses it’s scary. Friends, if we can read these verses and not see the striking relationship to our own spiritual condition in this country, we just aren’t paying attention.

God’s Word tells us:

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

I have stated before and will repeat again that I believe there is no longer any hope left for America to avoid God’s judgment. Here’s the problem. All that affects us as a nation affects us individually. However, the difference between American Christians and those for example in the Middle East is this; they are used to hard times. We are not. We are soft.

It would be like two young boys joining the Marines. One faced many hard knocks while growing up and became tough as shoe leather. The other was babied and pampered by his mommy. Now who do you think will survive?

The pampered youngster is an accurate picture of Americans in general. If the Lord delays His coming and judgment falls upon us beforehand, there will be many anxious prayers going up toward Heaven wanting their stockings refilled, but it will be too late. The best years of this country are gone. We might as well face that, but here’s another important truth. If Jesus Christ resides within us, it doesn’t matter what is going on around us. Those who know Him will understand. Those who do not know Him will think I’m being very foolish.

I would love to see our country return to its grass roots of being a Christian nation once again. Can that happen though when we think more of our things than we do Him; when we put self before Him; when we won’t relinquish our sins; when we only give lip-service; when we treat God like a Santa Claus, fairy godmother or magic lantern? No, and apparently, we are not going to change.

Grant Phillips

Email: grantphillips@windstream.net

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html