These three wondrous words, "IT IS FINISHED," contain the essence of the Gospel. No unsaved person can properly understand their meaning. The gospel of the grace of God which tells what Christ has done for sinners—not what they are to do for Him—when believed, is the power of God unto their salvation. (Rom. 1:16).
"It is finished" were the dying words of our truest, best, and dearest Friend. The dying words of loved ones are long remembered and are not easily forgotten. When Christ uttered this triumphant cry, He was in the act of pouring out His soul as an offering for sin.
Reader, WHAT WAS FINISHED?
Ended was His life of shame, of suffering, and of sorrow. He had been "despised and rejected of men," as He still is by the world. How many times had He been faint, weary, hungry, and thirsty! That is all over. "For our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich." The types and shadows of a past dispensation are completed. It is no longer necessary that the high priest of Israel should enter into an earthly sanctuary with the blood of goats or bullocks. It is no longer needful that lambs should bleed on Jewish altars. It is now needless to offer up sin offerings, trespass offerings, and peace offerings. We need not the "shadow" when we have the substance, the type when we have the antitype, the picture when we have the Person.
The Lord Jesus appeared to "put away sin by the sacrifice of HIMSELF." Heb. 9:26. When He died at Calvary a full and perfect atonement for sin was accomplished. Christ "poured out His soul unto death." Isa. 53:12. He "bare our sins in His own body on the tree." 1 Peter 2:24. The ransom has been paid. The penalty has been met. The cup of wrath has been drained to the dregs. Sin has been "put away.”
Now the veil is rent and the way into the holiest is open. Peace has been made. The law's demands have been fully met. The sin question has been eternally settled. God is fully satisfied with Christ's finished work, and He desires that you, my reader, should be satisfied with that which satisfies Him.
"Christ did His part and left us to do ours," say some. In what part of Scripture is it stated that Christ did "His part" of the work of atonement? It was surely on account of our sins that He suffered, and bled, and died. If, then, God is eternally satisfied with what Christ did for you, what is left unfinished for you to do?
Don't insult God by bringing your prayers, works, vows, tears, good resolutions, or happy feelings to supplement the work of His beloved Son. Can you add to a "finished" work? Salvation has been purchased at an infinite cost, and is now offered to you as a free gift.
"Then said they (the Jews) unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." John 6:28, 29.