It
is Finished!
“I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. “
John
17:4
The death of Jesus Christ is the
fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place
for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something which might
have been prevented. His death was the
very reason He came.
Never
build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is our Father and He will
forgive us because He loves us. That contradicts the revealed truth of God in
Jesus Christ. It makes the Cross unnecessary and the redemption "much ado about nothing." God
forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in
no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior
because of His death. "We see Jesus…for the suffering of death
crowned with glory and honor…" (Hebrews 2:9).
The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe
was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— "It is finished!" (John 19:30).
That is the final word in the redemption
of humankind.
Anything that lessens or completely
obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts
the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe
that Jesus Christ stands with us and against God out of pity and compassion, or
that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us. Jesus Christ became a
curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the tremendous meaning of
His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of
shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin
in people, and
-- Not
Required in this section
Taken from My Utmost for His Highest
by Oswald Chambers. copyright 1935 by Dodd Mead &