It Is Finished
The Search for Meaning
The Triumph from Death to Life
As Jesus hung on the cross, His final words were, “It is finished.” But what exactly was finished?
In that powerful declaration, Jesus was proclaiming complete victory — victory over sin, death, and Satan himself. The work of redemption was accomplished; the debt of sin was paid in full. Through His sacrifice, the way to salvation and forgiveness was opened for all who believe.
Though battles in this life still remain, the ultimate war has already been won.
The Hard Truth
There was also something deeper that Jesus was declaring from the cross — a truth we must not overlook.
Jesus was saying, “I have succeeded where you have failed.” Where the first Adam fell, I have overcome. I have revealed that humanity can never make itself righteous enough to stand before a holy God.
Your religion, your attempts to keep the law, your self-effort, your governments, your wisdom, and your carefully crafted plans — all of these lead only to death. There was nothing you could ever do to save yourselves.
I have shown you what true righteousness requires — perfection before the Father — and that is something no human effort can ever achieve. It is finished. Your futile striving to save yourselves, to be your own gods, to find life apart from Me — all of it ends here. For every path apart from Me leads only to death. If you could have saved yourselves, there would have been no need for Me to die.
You are not worthy — and without Me, you can never be worthy. Your works are like filthy rags; your heart is corrupted, and your thoughts are stained with sin apart from Me.
Stop striving in your own strength. It is futile to try to earn what only grace can give. The little victories you think you’ve achieved — fleeting and small in the vastness of Heaven and earth — only draw you further from the truth.
From the beginning, from the Old Testament until now, I have been showing you this: you cannot save yourselves. Only One could — and He has. Your true Savior is Jesus Christ.
Scripture references: Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6.
Salvation
When Jesus declared, “It is finished,” He spoke as a righteous Judge — pronouncing the final verdict upon the world. His words revealed humanity’s guilt and proved our unrighteousness, leaving us to face the just wrath of God.
Yet, in that same moment, He also extended mercy — offering the free gift of salvation, our only escape from death.
Scripture references: Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:12.
The True Message of the Gospel
I’ve often heard people say, “I don’t like Christianity, but I like Jesus and His teachings.” Many believe it’s enough simply to try to live by what He taught. Even among Christians, some see the Gospel merely as God’s call to salvation — followed by obedience, service, and striving to live rightly before Him.
But that is not the core message of the Gospel. The message of the cross, the teachings of Jesus, and the very law of God all serve one purpose — to expose our unrighteousness.
The law was never meant to show us how to find life, but to reveal that we are already dead in sin. Jesus presented a standard of holiness that, if we are honest, is impossible for us to meet — and that was precisely His point. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves.
That is why salvation is offered as a free gift. You cannot earn it; you can only receive it.
And how do you receive this gift? By believing — by placing your faith wholly in the only One who can save you: Jesus Christ.
Scripture references: Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6.
Are You Longing or Self-Striving?
When a person receives the free gift of salvation, God declares them born again. He gives them a new heart through the Holy Spirit — a heart that longs to love, obey, and follow Jesus. Our part is to nurture that new desire, feeding the Spirit rather than the flesh, until the things our old nature craves become as repulsive to us as vomit.
After many years of walking with God, I’ve learned that I often confused spiritual longing with fleshly striving. There is a pure, Spirit-born longing within me — a desire to know God’s Word, to draw near to Him, to walk in obedience, to serve Him in surrender. That longing is evidence of the Spirit within me; it is the assurance of my salvation.
But there is also another voice — the voice of the flesh — that strives to earn what has already been freely given. It whispers that I must work for God’s love, prove myself worthy, and achieve righteousness through my own effort. It wants to follow Jesus, obey the law, and serve God — but in its own strength.
This is my flesh trying to prove God wrong — to show that I can do it without Him, that I can play a part in my own salvation, that I am worthy apart from grace. But this mindset is deadly to our walk with God. It drags us back toward condemnation and opens the door for Satan — either to accuse us when we fail or to flatter us when we “succeed,” deceiving us into thinking we’re winning when, in truth, we’re losing in the most serious way.
Self-striving in the Christian faith is both tedious and burdensome, leading to a dry and unfruitful walk. It’s like putting the cart before the horse. Scripture consistently shows that it’s God first, then do. We are called to hear first, then do. Love the Lord first, then love others. Seek first the Kingdom, and all else will be added. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will fulfill your desires.
It is a call to be filled with the Spirit — to yield control, to let Him lead. To be filled with the Spirit is to give Him full reign, to surrender to His desires, and to deny the cravings of the flesh.
Scripture references: Galatians 5:16-25; Matthew 6:33.
Triumphant and Final
The cross was not the end — it was the beginning.
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He wasn’t declaring defeat; He was sounding the victory cry that shook the foundations of hell itself. The veil was torn, death was conquered, and the power of sin was broken forever.
Now, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you — not to help you self-strive, but to help you abide. Not to make you stronger in yourself, but to make you alive in Him.
Lay down your self-striving. Rest in His finished work. Walk in the freedom purchased by His blood.
For the battle is over. The debt is paid.
It truly is finished.
