by Elder Johnny Kim

For our senior youth group students, high school graduation is just around the corner and they can hardly contain their excitement. In the midst of trying hard not to succumb to a debilitating bout of “senioritis,” their thoughts are no doubt on that day when, before friends and family, they will walk across the stage and be presented with their high school diploma. While the momentous occasion marks the start of a new chapter in their life, be it college or otherwise, it also represents the culmination of their high school career. It’s a final act that ceremoniously signifies that they’ve done all that was needed in order to be granted their diploma. At that moment, there are no longer any more assignments to turn in, reports to write, or projects to be completed.

During our Youth Ministry Friday Night Bible Study, we have been walking through The Gospel According To Jesus by John MacArthur. After having studied through 23 chapters of the book together, we are now at the final chapter and fittingly, it is about the final act of Christ’s earthly life – His crucifixion. When we consider the various things we come to finish or accomplish in our own lives (such as high school), how infinitely more is the sense of finality and accomplishment associated with Christ’s death on the cross! In John 19:30, when we read about Christ’s final words, ”It is finished”, consequently we must understand that it was a statement shouted in victory, not a resignation uttered in defeat. It was the proclamation of a victor having accomplished something monumental. It wasn’t only that Christ’s earthly life had come to an end as He hung on the cross, but much more, the very purpose for which Christ came into the world was now finally finished:

“The work of redemption was done. All that the law of God required, full atonement for sins, everything the symbolism of ceremonial law foreshadowed – the work that the Father had given Him to do – everything was done. Nothing was left. The ransom was paid. The wages of sin were settled. Divine justice was satisfied.” (John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus)

It was not a meaningless statement and it certainly wasn’t a lie when Christ shouted “It is finished!” before giving up His spirit. As much as it was a proclamation of triumph, it was also a proclamation of divine truth. Having finished bearing the holy and just wrath of the Father and having finished paying the penalty for all our sins past, present, and future, the work of redemption was now completed and finished forevermore. Consequently, for us to be compelled to try and contribute towards our own redemption through religious rites and rituals is to make Christ out to be a liar. To offer up our “good” works in the name of making penitence for our sins is to communicate by our actions our disbelief and distrust in Christ and what He proclaimed on the cross. The divine truth of Christ’s statement means that for those who are in Christ, not a single drop remains in the barrel of God’s wrath that would have been poured out upon us. For those who are in Christ, not a single cent remains outstanding on the balance of our sin penalty accounts.

Imagine what it would be like if on the day of high school graduation, you walked across the stage amidst cheers and applause to receive your diploma, but upon opening up the cover you see in the place where your diploma should be a list of additional assignments, reports, and projects that are still due. Understandably, any of our graduating youth group seniors would find that to be tragic I’m sure! Infinitely more tragic is the situation where the Christian would stand before God ready to be ushered into His kingdom only to find out that there remains some atonement still to be made or some ransom left to be paid. Let us not take for granted that ultimately, it’s a hypothetical situation that we need not fear because of the assurance we have in the truth of Christ, the truth of His work on the cross, and the truth of His words spoken on the cross, “It is finished!”