It is Finished: Why Objective Justification Matters

God has given us a way to know for sure whether we are saved. You can be absolutely, positively certain that you are saved. But how do you know?
In this collection of books we call the Bible, also rightly known as God’s Word, there are four separate accounts of an important event: And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit (Matthew 27:50 ); And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last (Mark 15:38); Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46); When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30).
What a strange thing, that the death of one individual is so significant for us to have it recorded four times. But we have the meaning of this explained:
[Jesus Christ] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). All those Old Testament animal sacrifices, goats and calves and others, were done so that the sins of the people wouldn’t stay on the people’s heads, but would be removed. God is a just God, and therefore he has to punish sin. The sacrifices of animals pointed out how the sin of a person would be removed and punished in another.
But those animal sacrifices were not perfect and therefore had to be offered day after day, year after year. But when we see Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only perfectly innocent man, dying on the cross and saying, “It is finished,” then we may realize just what it is that is finished: We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:10). He justified the entire world.
Of course, there are those who reject that justification and therefore individually are not justified. But St. Paul writes that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). By faith, you are personally justified.
Here’s how it works: Salvation was won for everyone on the cross. That salvation is offered to you in the Means of Grace (the Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper). That salvation is received by faith.
So, you know that Jesus died, right? Then the objective justification of the whole world is assured! And further, you know that God doesn’t lie, right? Then you can trust his Word that says that your sins were laid on Christ. And finally, knowing that that was for you, you are justified.
That’s how you know you’re saved.
Reverend Michael Lilienthal
Contributing Writer
Messiah Lutheran Church
Omro, WI
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Iola, WI