“The Finished Work of Christ and the Saving Work of God”
By Dr. James Woods

The Finished Work of Christ

The last recorded words of Christ before His death was “It is finished” (John 19:30). These words did not refer to to His life, His service, nor His suffering. They did refer to the unique Work the Father had given Him. This work began when Christ was nailed to the Cross and was completed when He died.

This work was distinctly for the whole world of Man (John 3:16; Heb. 2:9) and provided for every man: redemption (1 Tim. 2:6); reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:19); and propitiation, that is, the complete and final satisfaction of God’s Holiness concerning man’s sin (1 John 2:2). This Finished Work of Christ is effective for Man the moment one believes.

The Saving Work of God

The Saving Work of God is accomplished for each one at the moment one believes. This work of God consists of various manifestations of God’s grace (Eph. 2:8,9). These include redemption, reconciliation, propitiation, forgiveness, regeneration, imputation, justification, sanctification, perfection, and glorification.

By the Saving Work of God, believers are made qualified (Col. 1:12), made accepted (Eph. 1:6), made the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21), made near (Eph. 2:13), made sons of God (John 1:12), made citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20), made a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), made members of the family and household of God (Eph. 2:19; 3:15), and made complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).

The Believer has been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13), and now possesses all spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3) as one walks in fellowship with God in the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:6).