“When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”
John 19:30 NIV
After Jesus made this statement, He gave up the ghost. If it wasn’t that it was a situation of an innocent man dying, I believe this should have called for celebration. But even though we understand the joy this death brings, it was still a death. Anyway, that’s by the way—sort of. The point is the statement “it is finished” carries a lot of power, significance, and wholeness for a believer.
In the list of famous last statements, this one tops the list for me. It was more than just a statement, it was a declaration of hope, peace, and salvation; the confidence of it all, the completeness of it all, the finality of it all. Essentially, there is nothing more to add. All that could be done had been done and it ended in victory.
It is finished: Sin Deafeated
As Jesus hung on that cross, the long-existing battle between man and sin was concluded. The struggle was finally brought to an end and man was now victorious over sin—through Christ. The judgment or penalty required for sin for the whole world–those gone before, those existing, and those to come—had been paid, and that by Jesus’ blood. What else was left to do?
(read more about this in the previous post)
It is finished: The Fulfillment of Prophecy
From Genesis to the books of the Prophets, the scripture directs our attention to the coming of the Messiah and the salvation He would bring. There are several, major and minor–albeit significant–events that revealed the Messiah. The Apostles used these key events to prove Jesus as the Messiah spoken of in prophecy. (Lk. 24:27; Ac.3:18)
At the point when Jesus said “It is finished”, all of that scripture was fulfilled. All of what the Bible had said concerning Him was fulfilled in completion, as was said of Him. Even down to His request for a drink and the fact that he was given vinegar instead was prophecy in fulfillment (Jn. 19:28-30; Ps. 69:21). He fulfilled the purpose for which He had come.
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
Luke 24: 27; 44 NIV
It is finished: Complete Obedience
The problem with modern-day Christians or Christians even from the times of old has always been incomplete obedience. That’s what started us all on this issue; the incomplete obedience of Adam and Eve. (Gen. 3:6)
By Jesus’ death on that cross, He exhibited complete obedience to the will of the Father. By this righteousness, we were all redeemed and saved. Because of Jesus’ obedience to the Father, we can also be obedient to God. By His ability to reject sin, we too, through the grace of God, can reject sin. (Php. 2:8; Heb. 5:8-9)
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Romans 5:19 NIV
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age
Titus 2:11-12 NIV
It is finished: Complete Victory
You have to understand what Jesus meant by this. It doesn’t mean we as believers don’t have work to do. I mean, we have the work of “working out our salvation” with fear and trembling (Php. 2:12).
What it doesn’t mean is that we have to or can add more to what has already been done. Anyone trying to add to what has been done is just an imposter or wanna-be trying to share in the victory that Christ–and Christ alone gave. The job is done, the work is complete and Jesus said it is finished, and so it is. (Rom. 11:6; Tit. 3:5)
It is finished: The Prophetic
In last week’s post, we spoke of how Jesus’ resurrection sealed the deal on our victory. When He said “It is finished”, he had not yet risen so how was it really finished? It’s because He saw into the future. God was not going to let His holy One suffer decay (Psa. 16:10; Ac. 2:31-32). As prophecied, Jesus was raised to life again, and truly, the work was finished.
In the same way, we can trust in the fulfillment of these words in our lives when we leave this world. We can be assured that all that needs to be done for the salvation of our souls has been done and the work is indeed finished.
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