Is it finished

by on October 17, 2020

Is it Finished?

(#288 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

www.sufferwell.org
“It is finished! (John 19:30) We have Jesus now.” “And this Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) “Oh, that’s when it’s finished. Wait a minute, I’m confused. Which is it?” It is finished and it’s not finished? This is the great Christian paradox that renders the church weak and powerless in so many ways.

I was listening to a “minister” of thirty-five years one day, as he repeated over and over with great fervor and animation about how, “It is all finished in Christ!” I was reminded of Shaul’s haunting words from Romans 10:2, “I can testify about them that they are zealous for the Mighty One, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.” In other words, “I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to the Almighty, but they are misguided.”

My challenge to him was this; “If it is all finished, tell me why…

• I need to work out my salvation with fear and trembling? (Philippians 2:12)

• I must run the race that lies ahead of me and never give up? (Hebrews 12:1)

• I must press on to take hold of that for which the Messiah Yahshua took hold of me? (Philippians 3:12)

• I should be a doer of the word and not just a hearer? (James 1:22)

• I must be transformed by the renewing of my mind? (Romans 12:2)

• I should press on toward the goal to win the prize? (Philippians 3:14)

• I must let perseverance finish its work so that I may be perfect and complete, not lacking anything? (James 1:4)

• It is not those who hear the Law who are righteous in the Almighty’s sight, but it is those who obey the Law who will be declared righteous. (Romans 2:13)

• I am commanded to ‘Be perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect?’ (Matthew 5:48)

• Until Heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished?” (Matthew 5:18)

His response was, “Well, we are supposed to do what Jesus did, right?” I replied, “So it’s really not ‘finished’ in Christ, a believer must also ‘do!’ It’s more like we are supposed to finish what He started, correct?” He stood there looking stunned for a moment and then blurted, “Well, it’s all finished in Christ.”

Is this you? If the Messiah said, “Be perfect as My Father in Heaven is perfect,” was He jesting? Did He say, “No problem, I did it for you? You have no stake to carry.” Or rather, did He say, “If people come to Me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be My disciples. So those who do not carry their stakes and follow Me cannot be My disciples. In the same way, none of you can be My disciples unless you give up everything.”? (Luke 14:26-27, 33) Open your eyes (spiritual perception). Put away the horrendous doctrines that cripple you and render you as powerless ministers.

We have an observation for you to consider; “The Good News of the gift of salvation to chosen men is finished. The Good News of the Kingdom is NOT finished.” It still needs to be lived out (preached by an obedient life) to the entire world, and then the end will come. That’s what Yahshua said!



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