“It” (Memento Vivere, II)

“Christ’s Crucifixion: It Is Finished.

Christ’s Resurrection: No, Seriously, It IS Finished.”

I enjoy Christ’s line. There’s something definitely Alpha about when He said, ‘It is finished.’ But one thing I’ve asked myself was, shouldn’t He have said it when He rose from the dead, instead of at the cross? In an attempt to answer this, we ought to also ask, what WAS finished, anyway? 

Before going any further, I would like to state that it is not my intention to have you believe that what I have to share here are absolutes.. Nor is it an attempt to merely share my perspective on the matter, for you, dear reader, to consider. No, more than anything, I write this to inspire you to think about what Christ’s finished work means to YOU, personally. It could be possible that we share the same sentiments (which would be cool, actually), but I encourage you to explore the subject of who Christ is and what He did for YOU – from you, with the help of, and not fully from, any outside influence, if any. 

As you’ve probably read in a recent article, for this year I’ve found Isaiah 53 to be a good place to read an alternative perspective, independent of the Disciples’ first-hand accounts in the Gospels. Isaiah had his own vision of what eventually turned out to be the crucifixion of Christ. The article is full of my insights but for this piece you could go ahead and read on. 

Christ’s death resulted in Righteousness Unto Reconciliation: And vice versa. The act of Christ Himself laying down His life as a sacrifice did not just just result in an exchange, but a union.

The Law as introduced beginning in the book of Exodus was so perfect that there were naturally provisions for when people would make a mistake, or sin. Sacrifices needed to be offered when a person was deemed unclean, and just so that nothing flows through the cracks everyone needed to offer a sacrifice at least once a year. 

The cleanliness of the sacrifice would be transferred to the Levite priest, who represented the people; the sins of the people were then transferred to the sacrifice, which was consequently killed. That was the exchange. But consider that Christ was the sinless, perfect sacrifice. 

This means 5 things, at least:

1. Christ took in ALL of our sin. 
2. ALL of Christ’s cleanliness and righteousness was imputed to us. 
3. Christ’s sacrifice served as atonement for sin for ALL time.
4. There was no longer a need for a sacrifice to be made after Christ’s.
5. This sacrifice was for an exchange so perfect, it was a union!

By Christ offering His life, He became sin, and we became His righteousness. Again, this was an exchange involving a sacrifice so perfect that right then and there, we were united with Christ. At the cross, Christ won over death by His death. And when He died, He took the sting of death with Him; united with Christ, we died with Him. This is what was finished at the cross.

But it didn’t stop there. 

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know – Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken up by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

Whom God raised up, having loosed the pain of death, becauseit was not possible that He should be held by it.“– Acts 2:22-24

 Christ defeated death once and for all, and as a result it was impossible for Him to stay dead. Reconciliation was finished at the cross. Christ paid the wages of sin at the cross, and His resurrection was confirmation of the transaction. Death had done its worst, but death, defeated, could NOT hold Christ down. 

 As Christ died, so we died. Now, because Christ has risen, we have boldness and courage to believe, and declare, that we are risen and born again! As Christ is victorious over death, so we relish in His victory, for we are alive in Him! 

Because Christ is risen, the enemy who once had power and complete dominion over us is defeated and vanquished, now and forever!

Because Christ is risen, we can truly say that sin and the flesh no longer have any authority over us, and now NOTHING could separate us from the love of God!

Because Christ is risen, it is CONFIRMED that we have Life eternal, we bear Light everlasting, driven now and always by perfect and everlasting Love! 

Christ’s death and resurrection has our new hearts full and overflowing with grace which teaches us, mercies that are new every morning, and an unbreakable peace that goes beyond all human understanding. 

Christ won FAR more than just colored eggs, chocolate rabbits and a long weekend.

This perfect Love could give no less than a perfect and complete salvation. 

And for this, we give thanks. 

In quarantine or not. Now, and forever. Amen.