Word for Today, Fri, 21 Nov 2003: It Is Finished
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Today's message is about the completely fulfilled and finished
work of Jesus Christ. Oswald Chambers writes more concisely
about it than I do, so I share his work with you and wish each of
you a good weekend!
Yours in Christ,
Brian
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November 21
"It is Finished!"
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do
--John 17:4
The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the
very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus
Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to
Him--something that might have been prevented. His death was the
very reason He came.
Never build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is
our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. That
contradicts the revealed truth of God in Jesus Christ. It makes
the Cross unnecessary, and the redemption "much ado about
nothing." God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ.
God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of
His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death.
"We see Jesus... for the suffering of death crowned with glory
and honor..." ( Hebrews 2:9 ). The greatest note of triumph ever
sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on
the Cross of Christ-- "It is finished!" ( John 19:30 ). That is
the final word in the redemption of humankind.
Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of
God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of
God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe
that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of pity
and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy
for us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our
part in realizing the tremendous meaning of His curse is the
conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame
and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates
the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.
Oswald Chambers was born in Scotland and spent much of his
boyhood there. His ministry of teaching and preaching took him
for a time to the United States and Japan. The last six years of
his life were spent as principal of the Bible Training College
in London, and as a chaplain to the British Commonwealth troops
in Egypt during World War I. After his death, the books which
bear his name were compiled by his wife from her own verbatim
shorthand notes of his talks.
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/utmost/
=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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