Answers 05 – What Did Jesus Mean When He Said “It Is Finished”?

Answers 05 – What Did Jesus Mean When He Said “It Is Finished”? – David Hibbert.

Introduction

 In this series called “Answers”, my goal is to help you, by sharing with you short, Biblical answers to questions that people have been asking me. Today’s question:

What Did Jesus Mean When He Said, “It Is Finished”?

Many people ask, “What did Jesus mean when He said “It Is Finished?”

John 19:30, NIV – (30) When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

When Jesus hung on the cross, paying the price for our sins, just moments before He died, He declared “It is finished”. What did He mean by that?

The Greek word for “salvation” (Strongs G4982) is = “σώζω [sōzō]”. However, the word “sozo” actually means “to save, to heal, and to deliver”. So when Jesus died on the cross, He paid the full price for all of our salvation, healing and deliverance.

1. Salvation – All Sins For All People For All Time Were Paid For.

Hebrews 7:27, NIV – (27) Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

Since Jesus was a man, He could pay the price of forgiveness for a man. Since Jesus was also God, He could pay the price of forgiveness for all men, for all time. So all of the sins of all humanity have been paid for by Jesus on the cross.

2. Healing – All Healing For All People For All Time Was Paid For.

1 Peter 2:24, NIV – (24) He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Not only did Jesus pay the price for the forgiveness of all of our sins, He also paid the price for the healing of all of our sicknesses and diseases.

3. Deliverance – All Deliverance For All People For All Time Was Paid For.

Galatians 5:1, NIV – (1) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

On the cross Jesus paid for our deliverance – for our freedom from depression, freedom from fear, freedom from anxiety, freedom from every torment of body, soul and spirit.

4. We Must Receive Jesus’ Finished Work By Faith.

So when Jesus said, “It is finished”, He meant that He had done everything necessary for our salvation, healing and deliverance. We don’t have to ask Jesus to save us, because He already has. We don’t have to ask Jesus to heal us, because He already has. We don’t have to ask Jesus to deliver us, because He already has.

Then why isn’t everyone saved, why isn’t everyone healed, and why isn’t everyone delivered? Because everything in the Kingdom of God is received by faith.

Ephesians 2:8, NIV – (8) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith …

Romans 4:16, NIV – (16) Therefore, the promise comes by faith.

So if we are not saved, it is because we have not received salvation by faith. If we are not healed, it is because we have not received healing by faith. And if we are not delivered, it is because we have not received deliverance by faith.

The role of the evangelist, is to preach on Jesus’ finished work of salvation, and then help people receive salvation by faith. The role of the healing minister, is to preach on Jesus’ finished work of healing, and then help people receive healing by faith. And the role of the deliverance minister, is to preach on Jesus’ finished work of deliverance, and then help people receive deliverance by faith.

5. Jesus’ Unfinished Ministry.

Although Jesus finished everything He came to earth to do, there is still one task for Him that is unfinished.

Romans 8:34, NIV – (34) Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Jesus’ only ministry now, is interceding for us each and every day, that we would receive our full salvation, healing and deliverance by faith.