Sometimes I am asked what I mean when I say that we preach the Finished Work. Here’s a little of what is meant by that.
1. As Finished Work preachers we believe that the work of salvation is already complete. (John 19:30). As believers in the Finished Work, we hold that we are made right with God not by our personal righteousness but by Christ's. However, this righteousness is reckoned to us, not infused into us. We are saved eternally by that which Christ has accomplished and finished in history.
Salvation has already been achieved. It is Finished!
We can neither add to salvation nor take away from it. Why? Because It is Finished. Salvation is finished. That means we cannot mess it up.
It has been said many times, "Without Christ, we can do nothing." That is true, but the reverse side is also true, "With Christ, there's nothing we need to do!" Jesus has done and paid all to redeem us. It is Finished!
The late Scott Richardson said, "The voice from the cross did not summon men to do, but to be satisfied with what was done."
It is Finished.
2. We receive this finished salvation by faith alone. Some people worry that their faith is not strong enough. However, it's not the condition of our faith that matters but Christ's life of faith on our behalf. Christ has completed His work. We are saved by it. Trust Him. Rest on Him. Receive Him by faith alone.
It is Finished!
3. Many times, I encounter believers who feel they do not love the Lord Jesus enough. And do you know what? They are correct! I've never met anyone who loves Jesus enough. … not even myself. But it's not because we love Him that He saves us. He saves us because He loves us.
It is Finished!
God didn't merely say "I love you." He came from heaven, became the representative man, went to the cross where He was deluged by the floods of wrath that should have come upon us. What astonishing love! He who knew no sin became sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). This really is "amazing love, immense and free."
Never forget. It's His love for us that saves us, not our love for Him.
It is Finished!
4. It's not our attainments that save us, but His atonement. Jesus did everything necessary to redeem us in His doing and dying.
It is Finished!
Only His death can put away sin. Why? Because death came by sin … the sin of the first man, Adam. Sin was brought in by man and sin can only be put away by death … the death of the second man, the last Adam. It was a man who got us into trouble therefore it must be a man who gets us out and that man is Jesus Christ. (See I Corinthians 15:25-27).
It is Finished!
"My sins were borne by Jesus, The Substitute from God; He took them all, and freed me From sin's accursed load.
My guilt was borne by Jesus, Who washed the crimson stains White in His blood most precious, Till not a spot remains."
Christ ascended into heaven because His work of atonement was finished … He didn't ascend to complete salvation. Of course, when He arrived in heaven, He sprinkled His blood on the mercy seat but that was not to achieve redemption. Redemption had already been obtained. This becomes clear when we read "But by His own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Hebrews 9:12).
Notice how eternal redemption had already been obtained before Christ came to the mercy seat.
We have a comprehensive and finished salvation. We are not half condemned, and half accepted. We are not half saved but saved completely (Colossians 2:10)
And that's the Gospel Truth!