It is Finished! The Abiding Grace of Salvation through the Cross

Grace is given to us freely, but only because Christ paid so much for it. It costs us nothing. It cost Him everything. Our gift in return is to live our lives for Him, living sacrifices, BY GRACE.

Ever wonder how much God hates sin? Think for a minute about the two ways His wrath is (not "may be." IS) atoned for: 1. Eternal torture of the sinful being. Dishonoring God (sinning) is punishable by ETERNAL TORTURE. His wrath is never appeased. The justice for an unredeemed sinner's life - for one who dishonors God - is death and damnation. Forever. I was thinking, it wasn't the crucifixion that atoned for our sin. Because then you could maybe reason that a sinner could be tortured and crucified as Christ was and atone for their own sin. They could pay that price themselves. But no. They would die on the cross, and then STILL God's wrath would not be appeased. The only way to appease God's wrath yourself is to be tortured in hell with Satan and his beloveds for eternity! (so it's NEVER appeased!)

2. (The second and only other option): The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Christ's crucifixion atones for us not because of how he died, but because of Who He was (is). I wonder if this would be easier to understand if I had a deep and complete understanding of the Jewish sacrifices. How do Christ's crucifixion and an eternal outpouring of anger, disgust, and hatred stand as equal punishments? Christ's capture, torture, and murder took place over the span of days, and yet equals punishment, FOREVER, in hell. It more than equals it, even. It ATONES for the sin, finishes God's wrath then and there. Hell is an unending continuation of God's wrath - there is no atonement through it, no finishing. Unredeemed sinners are in hell forever and it's not enough to atone for their sins. Christ was tortured and killed and that was enough. THAT is how much Christ's death meant to the Father. The Lamb's death is worth more than eternity in hell.

That is the cost of the grace which we are freely given. Christ lived the pain of an eternity damned as He died on that cross. His sacrifice was acceptable and atoning because He was the spotless Lamb. Perfect. Holy. Pure and without sin. He was the Son of God (still is). God poured out on His obedient and beloved Son all the wrath of eternal torture deserved of all the sinners who would instead find new life by letting Him die their death.

As a believer, your sin is atoned for. It was atoned for when Christ died. At the cross, He took the punishment of those who believed, and who would believe. Don't cheat Christ by saying your sin is too much for Him to have covered. If you're God's child, He paid for it! God knew before time, and He knew as Jesus was nailed - He knew as Jesus breathed His last and cried,
"It is finished!" exactly who His son was atoning for, and He punished Him for each of those people. Each of those eternities of torture. Christ took them on Himself. Don't say your sin is beyond Him. Don't say you're evil isn't covered. It is! God GIVES saving grace through His Son's death and resurrection, and He doesn't take it away.

You will be completed one day. Perfected. God has begun the good work in you, and He will continue until it is finished. We are called to walk in the light now - to leave behind our old lives, to die to them and be born again in Christ, into God's family and have new lives. This is all by grace. We cannot turn from Satan and sin in our own strength. What does it mean to rely on grace? I've been trying to articulate that recently. Perhaps it is simply the admission before God that we can't do it - that we need Him - and praying each step of the way, asking for His hand to hold us up and walk us through. Is it all in our heart and mind? A submission?

Truly, as the light of God is revealed to us - His holiness - our own corruption and wickedness are also revealed. But we mustn't wallow in them. We mustn't lose hope looking at ourselves! God's grace is sufficient for us! And we must look at the Cross and KNOW that He has taken the punishment, and He took it so that we could have fellowship with the Father. To wallow in our sinfulness with self-pity and despairing is to discount Christ's sacrifice, and defeat the purpose of it by creating a barrier between us and God! That is not what our Lord wants; that is what Satan wants. Yes, we are sinful and wicked and corrupt. Yes, we are called to change and be holy as He is holy. And we do that by grace, by the power of the Holy Spirit as we bow before Him and ask for help - every minute of every day.

By the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the flesh and live! Living by grace, allowing Jesus to take your sin, you can fellowship with the Father - you are His child. You need not fear condemnation because there is none for you. Jesus did not die in vain: if you are His, your sin is atoned for. It is finished.