John 19:30
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished" With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
I hear this scripture a lot. Especially when I confess a sin I've been struggling with to my mentors. They usually remind me of these words that Jesus said on the cross so long ago.
It wasn't until recently that I finally understood why they were always drilling it in my head.
I assumed that it meant that God's wrath was already finished and I didn't have to earn God's love anymore. Which is essentially what it does mean, but it goes so much deeper than just that.
The english word, "finished", that Jesus used is the greek word, Tetelestai. This literally means "To complete, to accomplish, and to fulfill." So something came to a halt when Jesus said that. Something was totally done. Jesus did whatever He was sent out to do.
So what happened? Why is this passage such a staple in our Christian faith?
While He was on the cross, Jesus was facing death. Death is the full penalty that mankind had to face ever since the fall. Because Adam sinned, we were separated from God forever once we died. When Jesus endured that suffering, it wasn't purely physical. It was very spiritual. He cried out in agony because God abandoned Him. He turned His face away from Him.
This is what Jesus won for us:
1. The work of redemption
2. The curse of the law
3. Our past present and future sins
4. The old fallen creation. We are now a new creation
5. The separation of Jew and Gentile
6. SATAN’S DOMINION AND HOLD OVER MAN
Imagine if we lived our lives truly believing this scripture?
The fact that Jesus stepped out of eternity into time and humbled Himself to give us victory, is beyond humbling. Because of what He did, every sin has been paid for. Every evil deed has been judged. We have been purchased and He is never, ever going to return us.
When people sing "There is power in the blood", they mean it. It's encompassed and shown right there in scripture.