Embrace the “It is Finished” of the Cross

In several different translations of the New Testament, the phrase “it is finished” appears twice. The first instance occurs in John 19:30:

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (MEV).

Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law that we couldn’t keep. He wiped out the ordinances that were against us and nailed them to His cross (Colossians 2:14). This marked the end of the Law for righteousness (Romans 10:4). It (the Law) was finished. 

Jesus voluntarily gave up His spirit, and no one took His life from Him. He offered it in love as a sacrifice for our sins. When Jesus uttered, “It is finished,” He didn’t mean that the entire plan of salvation had been completed. He still had to descend into the lower regions of the earth to lead the captives out (Ephesians 4:8-9), rise from the dead, and ascend to the Father to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Paul made it abundantly clear in 1 Corinthians 15:14 and 17 that if Jesus hadn’t been resurrected from the dead, our faith would be futile, and we would still be trapped in our sins. When Jesus uttered, “It is finished,” he must have been referring to His ministry on earth and the Old Covenant Law that had now been fulfilled in Him (Matthew 5:17). 

Those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior are no longer seeking to be free from sin; they are truly free from the power of sin (Romans 8:2). They are no longer seeking healing; they have been healed by Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). All who believe this Good News have been forgiven, delivered from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13-14), and blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We no longer need to beg God to accomplish what Jesus has done. We need to praise Him! Faith is simply receiving what Jesus has already accomplished. It is finished! 

There’s another usage of the phrase “it is finished” that you might not have noticed.

“But each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then, when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and when sin is finished, it brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15, MEV)

Did you know that even though we’re free from the power of sin and have authority over the lusts of the flesh, if that authority isn’t exercised, sin can still be unleashed in us? And when sin is finished, it will bring forth death. Dishonesty, waste, fear, indecisiveness, guilt, ailments, and all the works of darkness will wreck havoc in our lives.

James 1:14-15 illustrates how sin progresses. It doesn’t just happen to us; we have to conceive it. Most Christians fail to recognize that sin requires conception. Consequently, they do little or nothing to prevent its conception and only focus on preventing its birth. This is akin to a woman who desires no children but consistently engages in physical relations with a man. Unless there’s an underlying issue, she will conceive.

James 1:15 verse makes it very clear that it is lust that conceives sin. The New International Version refers to lust as “desire.” Desire is rooted in our emotions. To avoid sinning, we must control our feelings. Sin is inherently emotional. Someone who indulges in negative emotions but doesn’t want to commit sin is like a woman who engages in physical relations with a man but doesn’t desire pregnancy. To prevent sin, we must prevent its conception by refraining from engaging with negative emotions.

To avoid the “it is finished” of sin, it is crucial that we embrace the “it is finished” of the cross. We must exercise authority over our emotions, access God’s grace in every situation, and firmly believe that the power of His resurrection surpasses the power of sin in this world.

John says that when Lazarus came forth from the grave he was “bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go’” (John 11:44 NKJV). John uses exactly the same Greek word when he says of Jesus, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy (loose) the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, NKJV).

In other words, he whom Jesus makes free is loosed from the works of the devil just as Lazarus was loosed from his grave clothes. He is free indeed (John 8:32), redeemed from his guilty past. He is no longer subject to the penalty of the finished law.

Have you embraced the “it is finished” of the cross?  Do you exert authority over your feelings and exercise your faith in the finished work of Jesus?  You are loosed from the power of sin and death just as Lazarus from his grave clothes. Sin is no longer your master. You’re under grace. Stop sin’s conception, and avoid its birth altogether. Think on things that are lovely, pure, and of good report, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).