THE FINISHED WORK

THE FINISHED WORK "IT IS FINISHED"! How these words must have ripped through the halls of sin and the fortresses of condemnation. And how they must have brought a glorious praise before the throne in the heavens. So greatly powerful were these words and the work of the Cross that "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Matthew 27:50-53 The earth itself convulsed and was shaken to its very core as these words rang throughout the universe. So great was this declaration that death could no longer hold those that were bound. And God moved out of the Holy of Holies in a natural temple into a new temple which is made without hands. Now once again God could walk with man and be one with him. But this time it would be different. This man being born of incorrupitible seed could not fall from His presence again. The word FINISHED in the Greek is teleo G5056 and it means to end, complete, execute, conclude, discharge (a debt):—accomplish, make an end, expire, fill up, finish, go over, pay, perform. He declaration revealed any payment that was before us in judgment concerning sin had been adjudicated and accepted as final and complete, bringing an end of demand for payment. The flaming sword (message, word) which had kept the way to the Tree of Life had come and made entrance thereunto. The last Adam (Jesus) had come to redeem man from the curse of death to walk again with God. 1Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Many Christians do not know who they are today or who Christ is in them. They have been deceived into a works religion rather than understanding, receiving, and walking in the grace that God has given them. Grace came by way of Jesus Christ and will never come through our own self-efforts. Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;). Just as our ability to be good couldn't save us, so our own works won't keep free. It is by grace and the goodness of God that has been deposited within us that will help us to walk each day and will keep us from falling. Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. To walk according to our own abilities and works is to seek justification through the law and our own abilities, but do you see the words? YE ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE! Does that mean that you are not saved??? NO!!! It simply means that you have forgotten what MANNER OF MAN YOU ARE and when we try to perform the law, then we must keep all the law. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:23-25 We are to continue in the PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, not the LAW! Men ideals of walking with Christ have brought many false doctrines to the body of Christ which are all MAN CENTERED and not CHRIST CENTERED. And when the gospel becomes man centered, then the MINISTRY OF CONDEMNATION flourishes in the house of God! It not only flourishes in our churches but it flourishes IN US! 1Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? There was a time that we were under the law and it was for a purpose. The purpose was to teach us and BRING US TO CHRIST: But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:23-27 Paul brings a clear word to the church at Galatia which speaks of departing from our liberty in Christ. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Galatians 3:1-7 Notice the word BEWITCHED! It speaks of being unwise and sensual. Sensual refers to the lust of the flesh! I CAN DO IT. It was a deception that came that said, "Okay, you are saved now, and you need to make sure that you stay that way"! So do this, and do that, and be sure to practice this, etc. Forgetting that "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). You see, "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled IN us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:2-4). We need to become more GRACE CONSCIOUS THAN WE ARE SIN CONSCIOUS! For if we are in Christ, then we are not to have a consciousness of sin! What does this mean then? Paul even asked this. Does it mean that we can just sin because of this grace that has been given? He said "GOD FORBID". When we fully recognize the truth and what has done for us, the acceptance of this work in our hearts will enable us to walk in the Spirit. Sin will not have dominion over us! Let's take a look at Hebrews. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Heb. 10:1-4). You see, had those sacrifices made those who came they should have no more conscience of sins. But there was one that was prepared that could. There was one prepared whose body in offering for sin would bring it all to an end. Let us take a look at some more in the 10th Chapter of Hebrews. Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but A BODY HAST THOU PREPARED FOR ME, In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may ESTABLISH THE SECOND. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: BUT this man, after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOREVER, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by ONE offering he hath PERFECTED FOREVER them that are sanctified! Hebrews 10:5-14 Jesus was the complete, final, and full sacrifice for sin! All the judgment, all the wrath that God had toward sin was poured into ONE MAN that day that Jesus became SIN FOR US! Oh do we hear it! All that sin was, he became for us thereby removing its power and control over us. Never again to have sin as a master but we have been SET FREE! The day that Jesus hung on the cross, we hung there with Him. The lamb was slain before the foundation of the world and we were there in the heart of God when it happened. We didn't kill Jesus as we have been taught to believe. Sin didn't kill Him! He was the spotless lamb that was offered FOR sin to exact the payment. In the Old Testament, the father of the house had to take a lamb and offer it for the sins of the family. He would lay his hands upon the lamb thereby imputing the sins and then slay it. God, Our Father, who gave us the pattern for things, provided HIMSELF a Lamb and offered Him as an offering for us. ONE TIME, FOREVER! The blood was sufficient enough to touch the halls of eternity. So Jesus DIED, He was BURIED, He was QUICKENED, He was RAISED, He ASCENDED and He is SEATED in heavenly places on the right hand of Majesty on High! Corinthians II 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are PASSED AWAY (dead); behold, all things are become new. Colossians 2:13 And you, being DEAD in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he QUICKENED together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:12 BURIED with him in baptism, wherein also ye are RISEN with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Romans 6:4 Therefore we are BURIED with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were DEAD in sins, hath QUICKENED us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Ephesians 2:6 And hath RAISED us up together, and made us SIT IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN Christ Jesus: Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ASCENDED up on high, he LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, and gave gifts unto men. Can you see it? We DIED, we were BURIED, we were QUICKENED, we were RAISED, we ASCENDED, and we are SEATED in HEAVENLY places IN Christ Jesus! Why are we trying to GO UP, when we are already there. And the Lord wants us to take our position and inheritance IN HIM and begin to RULE AND REIGN from the heavens. That is what He did when He was here! He ruled and walked in a realm that man could not walk in. He said what He heard spoken in the heaven and He only did that which He heard the Father say! Jesus said to pray 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, IN earth AS IT IS IN heaven! God wants to bring heaven to earth. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof (1Cor. 10:28) and the mandate to man in the Garden of God has never changed. Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Now, man is REDEEMED and he can walk in the newness of life as the body of Christ and be the king-priest that God has called him to be. We are to be kings and priests unto our God (Rev. 1:6). The Church has been asleep, in a tomb so to speak, but it is the THIRD DAY and God is saying: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. Isaiah 60:1-5 Awake O Israel and the TRUTH shall set you free, awaken and put on strength. Awaken unto righteousness and sin not! It is in the awakening to righteousness, it is in the power of the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD which has been imputed to you, that you will overcome, because you will understand that you have overcome, and you will be able to say, "Satan you can find NOTHING in me". Paul said it so eloquently: I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ: nevertheless I live; YET NOT I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and GAVE himself FOR me (Galatians 2:20). And then Paul told us to know NO MAN after the flesh but after the Spirit and that includes ourselves. For if we know man after the flesh, we will only see guilt, sin, and condemnation. But if we know man after the Spirit, we behold the NEW CREATION MAN. God grant us the eyes to see TRUTH and behold the CHRIST in ourselves and in others. And in closing we have this comfort which gives us peace: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Hebrews 7:25-27 Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. We overcome Satan through the blood of Jesus, the supreme sacrifice and our TESTIMONY is IT IS FINISHED and we love not our lives (own wills, mind, emotions) unto death. Meaning we love HIM more and we let our own self-will, our own self-life die to HIS .