"When Jesus had therefore received the vinegar, He said; 'It is finished:' and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost."

There seems to be a problem in understanding Calvary, and what God intends for the Human race through the cross of Christ. In what way can the cross be of real use to people in the year 2000? Jesus died 2,000 years ago. What does that have to do with anything now?

There is a great deal of modern preaching which presents, as a remedy for sin, things like puppy love, social regeneration, culture, self development, etc. Today, Papists, punk rockers, and everybody in between place crosses on their Churches, upon their altars, or around their necks or on the ear lobe, as part of their garments. Everywhere is seen the insignia of the cross. The cross is outwardly exalted by many people from many walks of life.

The Bible tells us that very serious problems can develop out of this kind of thing. The most serious problem is that Jesus tells us, not to let our crosses shine: but rather, He says longingly:
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Mat.5:16).

"When the Saviour yielded up His life, and with His [last] breath cried out: 'It is finished,' (Jo.19:30), [it was] then [that] the plan of redemption was assured. The promise of salvation to the sinful pair [way back] in Eden was [verified]. The kingdom of grace, which before had existed by the promise of God was then established. Thus, the death of Christ - the very event which the disciples had looked upon as the final destruction of their hope, was [actually] that which made it forever sure."
(G.C. .347).

Jesus died to recreate the mind of God in the helpless human agent. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus...who...made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death - even the death of the cross." (Phil.2: 5-8).
There is no Biblical reason to look upon Jesus as a great martyr. His death was not something which happened to Him that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came to planet Earth! Jesus once said to His disciples: "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work." (Jo.4:34).

"In this life, we can only begin to understand the wonderful theme of redemption. With our finite comprehension, we may consider most earnestly the shame and the glory, the life and the death, the justice and the mercy, that meet in the cross; yet with the utmost stretch of our mental powers, we fail to grasp it's full significance..." (G.C.650).

I have often wondered: what do I really know about the cross? Sometimes, I have gotten the feeling that I can't quite keep up with all the things of salvation. New knowledge is always unfolding. There's always new things to do. New things to study. New things to think. I have gotten tired of it all at times.
And yet, we are told:
"The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity..." (G.C.650).
Even though I have sincerely given my heart to Jesus, the cross is still a bit of a mystery, yet, inspired counsel tells us that:

"The mystery of the cross explains ALL other mysteries." (G.C.651).

When I was asked to speak on the subject of the cross, I thought: "What can I say, that somebody in the Church doesn't already know, and that somebody will really care about and relate to? There is so much theology about the cross and many Christians have a sort of religious pride about their "accurate" knowledge of the cross. And if what you say does not agree with their personal fancy, they will label you, or the Church you attend as somehow being unsaved, legalistic, or deluded. You might even get labelled as a cult!

Have you ever talked about the cross to someone, only to find as many different opinions as people you talk to? What good is all the knowledge of the cross if this is how it ends up? Creating as many different denominations or disagreements as you can count? Is there a problem with the Bible account of the cross that there are so many views on it?
No, there is no problem with the Bible, or the cross. The problem is only with our understanding. God's way of thinking is so different than ours. (compare also Isa.55:8).

1 Corinthians 2:9 - “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

This may come as a shocker to you, but, you should never talk about forgiveness based only on the fact that God is our Father and that He will forgive us because He loves us! This is not what the Bible says about Jesus Christ's revelation of God; it makes the cross unnecessary; and the perfect Redemption of the Saviour a pointless fable. If God does forgive sin, it is only because of the death of Jesus Christ. (See Eph.2:13, Heb.10:19).

God could not forgive people any other way, except by the death of His Son; and Jesus is exalted to be our Saviour, only because of His death on Calvary. "...We see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour..." (Heb.2:9).
The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe, was sounded on the cross of Jesus Christ. "It is finished!" (Jo.19:30). That is the last Word in the redemption of fallen human beings! There is nothing you or I or anyone can add to it, no matter what you say, think, or do!

Anything that belittles or obliterates the holiness of God, by a false view of the love of God, by eliminating the need for Christ and Him crucified, is untrue to the revelation of God given by Jesus Christ Himself. How dare we allow the sentimental thought that Jesus Christ stands with us, against a vengeful God, strictly out of pity and compassion; or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy with us?

Jesus Christ became a curse for us out of agreement with, and submission to, the divinely appointed solution for the fallen state of the human race.

What does it all mean for us today? If we realize that the tremendous meaning of the curse is conviction of our sinfulness, and our need for a Saviour, then the great gift of repentance will be given to us, because: "Him hath God exalted...to be a Prince and a Saviour, and to GIVE REPENTANCE to [Pineridge Church], AND forgiveness of sins!" (Acts 5:31). This is the great mercy of God that sets people free from the chains that bind them to Satan's claims that God does not really love the human race. Jesus Christ hates only the sin that is in human beings - and Calvary is the estimate of His hatred.

The most amazing discovery I have made yet in my Christian walk is that "In the cross, all influence centres, and from it, all influence goes forth...If the cross does not find an influence in it's favour, it creates an influence!" [repeat again].
(Manuscript 56, 1899).

Last week in Church; I sat there all discouraged and irritated at some wrongs an individual in the Church had done to me. I was really treated like a bag of dirt. In fact; I didn’t even want to be in Church because of it. We had communion that day; and through a series of events; I had no partner for the ordinance of humility, (footwashing), and I was looking around for someone whom I wasn’t mad at to do it with, and “get it over with.” Wouldn’t you know it. Christ had been speaking to me as I tried to find a partner, and He said: “You need to pray for them, and bless them...” Well, I was arguing away with God about it: “No way! I won’t!” Just then, the guy I was most angry with came around the corner; looking for a partner. I didn’t really want to pray for him. But I did; and that’s when the Word had His chance. I am becoming friends again with this man. Christ, and Him crucified has saved me from the sad tragedy of another broken dream in my church experience

When Jesus said: "It is finished," He was assuring us that we can come to Him just as we are. Whenever we don't come to the Saviour openly and honestly, our life starts to get a bit like trying to lift up your car with one hand, and changing the tire with the other hand...You just can't do it. Your life will be like mine was for so long at work. "If you are like me, you won't be able to bear the weight even for a minute. Likewise, when your trials hit, you'll drop Jesus, without hesitation as did Peter when He denied the Lord who was about to die for him. Peter was not in the habit of going to Jesus as he really was! ("I'll never deny you Lord!"). And as soon as the tension level went up, Jesus was put down!

When Jesus said, "It is finished," He was assuring us that if we did not come to Him just as we are, that we would drop our beliefs, the very minute a heavy trial hit us, just like I would put my car down in a hurry when I try to hold it up!

When Jesus said, "It is finished," He was telling us in fervent tones of love that "The Atonement of Christ is not a mere skilful way to have our sins pardoned; it is the divine remedy for the cure of transgression, and the restoration of spiritual health. It is the heaven ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may not only be upon us, but in our hearts and characters." (6BC 1074).

When Christ said, "It is finished," He gave each of us today the opportunity to say:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal.2:20).

"The surrender of the heart to Jesus subdues the rebel [soul] into a penitent [one], and then, the language of the obedient soul is: 'Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.'
(2 Cor.5:17). This is the true religion of the Bible. Anything short of this is [outright Satanic] deception," (4T 625), and will eventually weigh you down like lifting up your car with one hand.

When Jesus said, "It is finished," He was giving us the strongest possible illustration that we, today, here in Pineridge Church simply need to accept the fact, in all of our life circumstances that we are:

IN HIS HANDS

The hands that made the world and gave the sun and moon their light, the tiny hands of a Baby born one cold [winter] night. The hands that stilled the wind, and tamed the fury of the sea,
the calloused hands of a Carpenter, Who lived in poverty...The hands that held the power to break the binding chains of sin the gentle hands that washed the feet of tired and dusty men...The hands that cleansed the leper, healed the blind, and raised the dead, the praying hands of One Who cried, "Not My will, but thine instead..." The hands that shaped the universe, and flung the stars in space, the nail pierced hands of a dying man Who suffered in our place...The hands of our Creator, Lord, and King of Heaven above, the Saviour's hands, forever reaching out to us with love.

(Pause for a moment...motion for music to start and say: "Because Jesus said, "It is finished," Christians can't help but sing:

"Christ has for sin Atonement made, What a wonderful Saviour!"
(Hymn # 335).

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"The joy of the Lord will be your strength." (Neh.8:10).

Your brother in Christ

David T. Battler