In the midst of a world striving, performing, and endlessly chasing worth and meaning, the message of the gospel stands as a bold declaration: It is finished. These were the final words of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:30), and they echo through history with life-changing power. But what exactly was finished? And what does this mean for us today?
At the heart of Christ’s mission was the redemption of humanity. Because of sin, mankind stood guilty before a holy God, incapable of earning righteousness by works or religious rituals. Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived the perfect life we could never live and died the death we deserved.
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He declared that the full payment for sin had been made. The debt was canceled. The wrath of God was satisfied. No further sacrifices were needed, because the Lamb of God had offered Himself once and for all (Hebrews 10:10-14).
Before Christ, access to God’s presence was limited—only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. But at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This was no mere coincidence. It symbolized that through Christ, the way to God was now open.
Now, every believer can come boldly before the throne of grace—not because of personal merit, but because of the finished work of Christ, our perfect High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). Because of Jesus’ finished work, believers are not defined by their past, their performance, or their failures. We are declared righteous (justified), adopted as sons and daughters, and sealed with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15-17, Ephesians 1:13-14). Our salvation is not a project we must complete—it is a gift we receive and live out in freedom.
We don’t fight for victory; we fight from victory. The Christian life is not about earning God’s favor but about living in light of the favor we’ve already received in Christ. Though Christ’s work is finished, its effects are ongoing. It changes how we view suffering, success, and even death. We rest in the sufficiency of His grace. We work, not to earn His love, but to express our gratitude for it. We forgive, because we’ve been forgiven. We serve, because we’ve been served by the King of kings.
The finished work of Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. It brings peace to the anxious, hope to the weary, and boldness to the timid. When we truly grasp that everything necessary for our salvation, identity, and acceptance has already been accomplished, we are set free to live, love, and worship with joy.
So today, rest in the truth that in Christ, it is finished. Nothing more to earn. Nothing more to prove. Just grace—abundant, unshakable, and freely given.
