“IT is a question what that means,” was the reply of a young German when spoken to about the Lord’s precious words on the cross, “It is finished.” “Exactly; it is. And the meaning is very simple. It refers to the work of redemption.” Yes, Christ, the blessed Son of God, undertook the work of redemption and accomplished it. He finished the work given Him to do.
Three great barriers stand between men and God—His infinite holiness, the power of Satan, and the question of sin. Where was there, and where is there one who can pass those barriers by his own effort or deed? Where indeed! Man being a sinner is utterly precluded from His presence on account of His infinite holiness. And Satan, who has duped man, mighty in power and subtle in device, bars the way. All man’s puny efforts to meet and overcome him are utterly vain. Moreover, sin, having entered, has so enslaved the sinner that all his efforts to extricate himself only serve to manifest that he is utterly without strength. They are, so to speak, three impassable barriers.
But what is impossible, with man is possible with God. It is written, “All things are possible with Him” (Matt. 19:2626But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)). Man’s extremity was His opportunity. Hence, when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son. He sent Him as Saviour into the world. God had a hidden plan in His heart and mind, whereby, consistently with Himself and with the glory of His own great Name, man can pass the barriers. It was by the sacrifice and death of His own Son.
A body was prepared for Him, and the Son of God walked in holy Manhood on earth beneath the eye of God. Satan and sin were powerless against the Holy One. John looked upon Him as He walked, and said, “Behold the Lamb of God”; and again, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, 3629The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:36)). Through the eternal Spirit He offered Himself without spot to God. No priestly scrutiny could discover the very smallest blemish in Him. Offered on Calvary, the fruit of divine love, He was made sin, and the holy judgment of God fell upon Him. Having drunk that bitterest of cups to the last dark drop, He cried, “It is finished!” and yielding up His spirit, died. Buried, He rose the third day triumphant over the whole power of Satan and man. He passed all the barriers. The holiness of God was maintained; Jesus, the Holy One of God, met its every claim. Sin in all its heinousness was there. The sinless One took it upon Himself in perfect grace (Himself personally, completely free from and untouched by it), and bore its whole judgment. Satan, who had the power of death, arrayed all his forces against Him. Christ faced them all, went voluntarily into death, and (like Samson, who carried the gates of the beleaguered city to the mountain top) He rose superior to all, and sat down at the right hand of God, a Saviour crowned with glory and honor fora all.
“It is finished.” The mighty work of redemption is accomplished. “I have glorified Thee upon the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” (John 17:44I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (John 17:4)). It is all a question what this means. Would you, poor sinner, when you leave this world (and you may be called upon to leave it at any moment), enter the glory of God? This is the only way. Every scheme and plan and effort of man is utterly useless. God’s way is on the principle of faith in Another, Jesus, His Son, the only One Who could pass all the barriers. All the spoils of His mighty victory are offered free to us by faith in His blest Name.
If you, dear reader, and the rest of the world were to remain forever in unbelief, it would not alter the blessed fact that God has been glorified in a Man, and that Man His Son. And infinitely more glorified than if sin had never entered the world. The whole question of sin has been gone into and settled at the Cross. The resurrection is the open witness to the complete annulling of Satan’s power; and Christ, the accepted Man, seated at God’s right hand, is presented as a present Saviour to whosoever believeth on Him. Thus only can you pass the barriers.
What then, troubled soul, are you waiting for? Christ said, “It is finished.” Would you add to the finished work? Why, every sin-stained addition of yours but takes from it. The whole glory and luster of redemption are His. He fought the fight alone. Believe on Him, the One Who suffered, died, and rose. Believe on Him, Whose blood, shed on Calvary, will cleanse you whiter than snow. Believe now.
Do you still hesitate, trembling at the holiness of God, the power of Satan, and the working of sin? Well, without Christ, you will never make the millionth part of an inch progress. But if through grace you believe on Him, resting in childlike simplicity on His finished work, you will find holiness before God in Him (1 Cor. 1:3030But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30)); you will find life beyond the power of Satan in death in Him (Rom. 8:22For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)); you will find yourself reconciled and at home in the presence of God, where sin has never been, in Him (2 Cor. 5).
“It is finished.” The great question is as to what it means. Thank God, it means what it says. What you could not even begin was finished by Christ. Believe on Him and all the blessed and eternal results of it will be yours in Him this day. E. H. C.