“It is finished.” These three words declared the free gift of our salvation. Yet, these three words are almost too wonderful to fathom; for they are the words that tell us the work has been completed- and there is nothing we can add. Try as we might, that truth is immovable.
And so uncomfortable.
Because we don’t really want free. What we want is some inkling of merit within ourselves that we can point to as an explanation for our good standing with the Creator of all. Deep down, we desire our good works to “count” towards something. We yearn to give an offering of self-righteousness, even if ever so small.
But praise God that is not the way He has written the script. His way is so much better! It is beautiful, gracious, and glorious. And above all, it is unearned. The words Christ shouted from the cross made that abundantly clear. For those words signified that our debt to God- the debt created by our sin soaked hearts- had been paid in full. As Romans 5:9 states, we are justified solely by the blood of Jesus. To suggest otherwise is to mockingly reject the sufficiency of the cross.
The great Jonathan Edwards once said, “The only thing I contributed to my salvation was the sin which made it necessary.” Amen! How could we contribute anything more? For what could we possibly add to Jesus’ suffering and wrath-filled death on the cross? The answer is absolutely nothing. For as the prophet Isaiah reminded us, all of our good works and righteousness are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
All we sinners can do is receive with open hearts the precious gift He has given us in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul presented this beautifully when he wrote these words, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” It has been made clear: we enter the gates of heaven purely by the blood of Jesus alone.
This is the assurance that brings us freedom here on earth. We don’t have to hope, anxiously anticipate, or guess if we have qualified. We can have full assurance of our salvation knowing that Jesus has paid it all- fully, finally, and completely. This is the good news of the Gospel and our gift to receive by faith, knowing that our salvation is secured by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. To the glory of God alone we can confidently rest in the work of our Savior.
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