It is Finished

I was listening to a sermon by Bill Johnson yesterday about the New Covenant and the fulfillment of requirements of the Law by Jesus.

His foundational verses were Matt 5:17-18 and Luke 16:16-17 and John 19:30:

(NIV)Matthew 5:17-18
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

(NIV)Luke 16:16-17
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. [17] It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

(NIV)John 19:30
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The word used for finished is as follows:

Teleo tel-eh'-o

Definition
1. to bring to a close, to finish, to end
a. passed, finished
2. to perform, execute, complete, fulfil, (so that the thing done corresponds to what has been said, the order, command etc.)
a. with special reference to the subject matter, to carry out the contents of a command
b. with reference also to the form, to do just as commanded, and generally involving the notion of time, to perform the last act which completes a process, to accomplish, fulfil
3. to pay
a. of tribute

"It is finished or paid" John 19:30

The basic premise is that when Jesus died He fulfilled all the requirement of the Law, and enabled us to step beyond into the new covenant. Jesus said, "it is finished." And in that statement, He was talkng about the perfect will of the Father and all He was domanded tp do, not just speaking aboutnHis life on earth. Paul talks about this in Gal 3:23-25.

(NIV)Galatians 3:23-25
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. [24] So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. [25] Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

So since the law was the guardian, and since faith in Jesus has come and been revealed to the world, we are no longer under the law. So many people operate with an old testament, old covenant mentality and mindset. They do not fully comprehend the new covenant, nor what Jesus has accomplished. Paul continues on in Gal 5: 1.4-6

(NIV)Galatians 5:1, 4-6
[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
[4] "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

When we think that God punishes us, when we think that our actions can influence God's perspective of us, when we think we are holier than our brothers or sisters because of our righteous lifestyle, when we are judgemental, when we require adherance to our rules for religious life, when we are more concerned about other's wrong choices or ideas, when we think the enemy has power or authority, when we think sickness and disease are the will of God, then we are living under an old testament, old covenant mindset.

Lord, help us hold tightly to You, and Your grace. Help us to live fully in faith being expressed through love. Help us to free ourselves from religious mindsets and spirits that require adherance to rules and regulations, negating Your sacrifice and the grace of God.

(NIV)Romans 3:23-26, 28
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--- [26] he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
[28] For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.