It Is Finished
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)
It appears to me that the percentage of people in the world who profess Christ as the savior is no more, and maybe less, then the percentages at the close of the third century AD. We have more buildings, organizations, missionaries, ministries and raise more money than at any time in history yet very little impact on the percentage of people who follow Christ.
So why? Well my opinion is simply that we have misunderstood passages like the above. We interpret the above passage as teaching that Christians are to DO the work of the Lord. But that is NOT what it says. The work of the Lord was done BY THE LORD and it was to “seek and to save those which are lost”. The LORD was Victorious. He SAVED the world. The work “is finished”. There is no WORK left to do for evangelicals or anyone else.
So what is OUR “labor” which is said not to be "in vain” mentioned above?
Our "labor" is to tell people, starting with our children and grandchildren, that they have been RECONCILED to God by the blood of Christ and will be SAVED from death when Jesus returns to RESURRECT the dead. Then there will be no more tears, sorrow, pain, suffering, sin or evil. Then there will be no more liars, thieves, murders, child molesters, politicians, theologians, republicans or democrats. As for NOW they should do the best they can to live life in appreciation for what God has and will do for them in Christ and do the best we can to convince others to do the same.
“…since we know what it is to be in awe of the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God….Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again… All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ…God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation…God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)
Evangelicals hear sermons on grace, salvation and discipleship every week, but do not distinguish between Law and Grace or Salvation and Discipleship. Salvation is a done deal. Discipleship is a matter of living life like we appreciate such great Grace that saved us.
“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him…Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing…the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One…He said, IT IS FINISHED! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." (Luke 23:33-35; John 19:30)
It appears to me that the percentage of people in the world who profess Christ as the savior is no more, and maybe less, then the percentages at the close of the third century AD. We have more buildings, organizations, missionaries, ministries and raise more money than at any time in history yet very little impact on the percentage of people who follow Christ.
So why? Well my opinion is simply that we have misunderstood passages like the above. We interpret the above passage as teaching that Christians are to DO the work of the Lord. But that is NOT what it says. The work of the Lord was done BY THE LORD and it was to “seek and to save those which are lost”. The LORD was Victorious. He SAVED the world. The work “is finished”. There is no WORK left to do for evangelicals or anyone else.
So what is OUR “labor” which is said not to be "in vain” mentioned above?
Our "labor" is to tell people, starting with our children and grandchildren, that they have been RECONCILED to God by the blood of Christ and will be SAVED from death when Jesus returns to RESURRECT the dead. Then there will be no more tears, sorrow, pain, suffering, sin or evil. Then there will be no more liars, thieves, murders, child molesters, politicians, theologians, republicans or democrats. As for NOW they should do the best they can to live life in appreciation for what God has and will do for them in Christ and do the best we can to convince others to do the same.
“…since we know what it is to be in awe of the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God….Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again… All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ…God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation…God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)
Evangelicals hear sermons on grace, salvation and discipleship every week, but do not distinguish between Law and Grace or Salvation and Discipleship. Salvation is a done deal. Discipleship is a matter of living life like we appreciate such great Grace that saved us.
“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him…Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing…the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One…He said, IT IS FINISHED! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." (Luke 23:33-35; John 19:30)