“It is finished”, one of the most powerful statements Jesus uttered before his death remains the pivotal introduction to the unveiling of a new dispensation and a new way of Life.
Christ had come into the world, he had gone about his father’s business for 3 productive and solidifying years.
He had healed the sick, and had cured diverse sorts of illnesses, he had also delivered the oppressed and had shown to the world that he was the only way to the father.
But, before Jesus had come, there was a mission statement, the Prophets of old had prophesied it, “He came to bear the sins of the whole world”.
READ: Why did Jesus Weep in John 11:35?
Death was inevitable, why is this? There is a principle that governs the earth, and it is on this principle that the world functions, similarly, there is a law that governs God’s kingdom, and it is by this principle that a believer functions.
If Jesus was to be made sin, death was going to be the reward, this Is because in the Scriptures, ‘the soul that sinneth shall die’ is the law of sin. he had to partake in this cup for our sake.
He went through shame, and dishonor, for our sake, he took upon him our guilt, sins, sicknesses, and sorrows. oh! he had no sin, yet he was made sin, just for you and I.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
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The meaning of “it is finished” and its significance
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 19:30 KJV
“It is finished” is a translation of the Hebrew word “tetelestial” which means to complete, fulfill, accomplish, paid in full.
But what was it that was completed and paid in full? Let’s make this more relational to our everyday lives.
Remember when you purchased your car, a dress, and some of the basic things you needed at your home, you simply approached the cashier and paid your bills in full.
A more tactical way to look at this was when you took a loan from the bank, and you had to pay installmentally, the day you cleared off your debt was quite a beautiful day, you had some sort of relief because you knew that the debt has been cleared.
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Now, this is more tactical than that, you were the one in debt here, Christ came in your stead and paid for your debt in full.
We couldn’t clear our debt ourselves, because sin was in us. The only sacrifice to clear this debt that the fall brought to mankind had to be without sin, like in the old testament “a lamb without blemish”.
Jesus had not only come to clear our debt of sin, and condemnation, but he had also come to fulfill the law that couldn’t be fulfilled by those of the old testament due to its severity on the flesh, you had to be a perfect man to be able to fulfill the law.
No one was without sin, because we were all baptized into Adam and had partaken of his sinful nature. Access to God was denied, there was an appearance done yearly for the atonement of sin, this was done yearly by the priest, who had to first cleans himself before remitting the sins of others, this brought about a yearly remembrance of sin.
God intended to abolish sin and its consciousness, so this wasn’t perfect because the mediator of the old covenant was a priest who had sin in him, hence, Jesus had to come.
No man could have come to die for sin, because we all had partaken of the Adamic nature, you didn’t have to choose.
Jesus was the only man without sin, he was conceived by God, so he was incorruptible, innocent, and void of the Adamic nature. He was the perfect sacrifice for our sin, hence, the reason for his coming.
Why then did he upon his death say “It is finished”?
He had fulfilled the law, He had completed his task.
Do you remember when Eliah, Moses, and Jesus met at the mount? It was an indication of these, for more details on that, you can read my article on the significance of the transfiguration of Jesus.
He had fulfilled the sole aim of his coming, by bearing the sins of the Generation that had gone, the ones that were present, the ones yet to be born.
Come to think of it, He was indeed led like a sheep to the slaughter, He had no sin, yet he gave himself up for us. Glory! Halleluyah!
He bore our sins, sicknesses, grief, and unrest in his body, and finally, he said “it is finished”
What does this mean to us today?
It simply means that Christ fully and legally bore your sins and mine in his body after which he gave in to the judgment befitting for sinners.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:9
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
The Sin Christ bore in his body was the only reason he died, A man without sin isn’t befitting for death. Your debt was paid in full. You awaken to the newness of life.
A believer shouldn’t be found struggling with Sin, Jesus moved us past the stage of struggling with Sin by laying down his own body. He removed sin consciousness as well.
Anytime the idea of sinning comes to you, say to that sin “You cannot have dominion over me, you have been defeated”.
Did Jesus ever sin?
Jesus never sinned, as a matter of fact, he knew and had no sin in him.
He was born of God and took upon him the similitude of man, except the Adamic nature. Hence, he was tempted and was faced with diverse sort of trials and temptations that man was faced with.
Hee remained steadfast unto the very end and became a propitiation for our seen as well as a mediator of a better covenant forever.
Halleluyah!
What does Jesus’ death signify?
The death of Jesus signifies quite a lot.
First off, his death signifies that sin is dead, Romans 6:1-10
Secondly, His death and resurrection signify that death has been defeated. Both physical and spiritual death was defeated by Christ.
Death has no room in Christ. Believers likewise have been eternally set free from Spiritual and Physical death, Believers don’t die, they sleep. Romans 8
Bible verses about Christ’s death for us
For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Romans 6:10
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; Romans 6:8
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 2 Corinthians 5:15
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Finally, I hope this article has helped you in understanding what the final statement of Jesus means? I pray that the reality of these final words is made manifest in your life. Amen. Halleluyah! it is finished.
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