It is finished (part 2) Week 18, 2012

“Since Jesus said it is finished everyone is automatically saved now. We shall all get to heaven.” No! It doesn’t work that way though I wish it did. “You told me we became sinners automatically because our first parents sinned. Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to everyone, because all have sinned Rom 5:12(ISV). Why are we not saved automatically since Jesus has died?” When Adam sinned whether we liked it or not, all of us who come from him become sinners like him, but to benefit from Jesus’ salvation we must make a conscious choice. But God's free gift is not like Adam's offense. For if many people died as the result of one man's offense, how much more have God's grace and the free gift given through the kindness of one man, Jesus Christ, been showered on many people! Rom 5:15(ISV). In everything God has for man there is a part for God and a part for man.
“So it is not finished then?” Remember “it is finished” refers to what Jesus was expected to do. The work of Jesus is a provision. If your mother has provided food for you does it mean you have fed? Would you not still have to put it into your mouth and swallow it? “I would of course.” Very good; God has through Jesus provided eternal salvation. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Highest Majesty Heb 1:3(ISV).
Have you not participated in free medical treatments before? Who pays for the treatment? Is it the man to be treated? “No the organisers come with free drugs.” Fine, is it the day the drugs were bought that the sicknesses were cured? “Not so. It is from the day we heard of the free treatment and took the drugs that we got well.” Very good: the gospel, which has come to you… is bearing fruit and growing--as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth Col 1:5, 6(ISV). Jesus has finished the payment. You now need to hear and understand and believe for it to work in you. In fact for a surgical operation the person has to sign the consent before the operation is done. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead Col 2:11, 12(KJV). Now that you have heard and understood, will you sign over your life to Jesus? “How do I do that?” With all your heart ask Jesus to forgive you and give you his salvation; He’ll do the rest.