Finish

Jesus Christ has always “finished the work” he was sent to do. He’ll never stop working until the job is finished.

He still has a work to finish as it pertains to Israel. His work was cut short (Daniel 9:26) or “interrupted” when he went to Calvary, but he will come back and finish the job he set out to do (Romans 11:25-27).

He has a job to finish as it pertains to the “church of God.” Our salvation is complete, but the perfecting of our faith still needs work. He has promised that he will perform that work in us “until the day of Jesus Christ,” which is “at hand.” (Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 4:13; 5:27)

Christ, being our example, and Paul being our ensample, reminds us that we too have to finish what we’ve started. Christ, teaching on discipleship in Luke 14:27-33, used examples of building a tower and going to war that we should first sit down, count the cost, and take counsel, so we are prepared and “able to finish it.”

Paul tells Archippus, in Colossians 4:17, to “Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.” Paul, in 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” In Acts 20:24, Paul is speaking of his desire to “finish” and says this: “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

So then, with that desire and determination, Paul writes at the “end” of his ministry these words, “I have fought a good fight, I have FINISHED my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)