The word τετέλεσται- the sixth of Christ's Seven Last Words from the Cross- is usually translated "It is finished." But it has a much deeper meaning than that.
In the ancient world, it was the word that would be written across a canceled bill. "Tετέλεσται" meant "paid in full."
Jesus actually spoke Aramaic, of course, But the word τετέλεσται- the word the Holy Spirit uses in Scripture to express His thought- conveys far more than meets the eye. It conveys the most essential thing about Christ's suffering and death: its completeness, not merely as satisfaction to His Father's justice for every sin you have ever committed or ever will ever commit, but its having left nothing undone. Even your repentance and faith are His doing in you through the Word, and not your own contribution needed somehow to complete some unfinished business left over from Golgotha.
It's not just that Jesus has already paid for your sin. It's that you don't have to look to the quality of your own repentance, or of your faith, or anything else of your own for assurance of God's constant love and forgiveness. All you have to do is to look precisely away from yourself and your own supposed contributions to forgiveness, to Jesus.
Tετέλεσται. "Paid in full." There is nothing else for you to do or worry about doing. Your sin cannot hurt you as long as you look away from your own efforts and merits, to Jesus. He has done it all. Tετέλεσται. It is finished. Paid in full!
Wonderful and uplifting- thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis a hundred times! I'm seeking therapy for scrupulosity and will eventually go on medication. OCD is so painful, especially when it has to do with God. I have reached my wits end after 22 years of it. Therapy has to work. I'm exhausted.
ReplyDeleteMedication- especially SSRI's- can help. So can therapy. The OCD Foundation can help you find the latter.
DeleteIf you were to meet me, you would think I'm a totally normal person, but I carry with me fear and torment everywhere I go. I have no one to talk to. How do you tell people you have delusions about God? I'm stuck wondering if God is still within me, how does this ailment exist? I can sometimes only conclude He's gone...
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I urge you to join The Scrupe Group at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/the_scrupe_group/info
DeleteThere you'll find people who share you're problem and who can help you with their experiences and insight. Also if you email me I'd be glad to correspond with you. You can reach me through the Group. If you have any trouble, email me at bobwaters@gmail.com .
Yes I have become so aware of this condition especially when I want to donate something to whom I have a real heart for persecution Christians and a couple of other groups who have really helped encourage me in the Reminder of Christ's love for me, I see I very much introspect stuff, after going through some really tramatic events over years I started to see the common thread of wanting to help people but also realised that you can burn yourself out because not as you mentioned is everything for me to sort so I am kind of on the healing journey I found myself double doubting after reading the scripture examine your motives this sent me into a spin and a revolving mind that wouldn't stop im I doing this for the right reason is it out of love for Jesus in the end I said you know God if this is not of you then just pardon me .And I gave it anyway and the lady said wow I was wanting this so I agree much of ocd comes from a deep rooted fear of getting it wrong and being punished which then leads to condemnation instead of .gentle conviction I also realised this root cAme from childhood but I still fight with it every day and learn to cry out to jesus saying take this torment from me it dose not belong to me as a child of God I see now quicker when the episode comes on and instead of resisting it I just keep speaking out there is no condemnation I am covered in the blood this gives me some relief but as my granddaughter is in hospital for 5 months with rare illness I suddenly became aware that I was inndepression because I was blaming myself I had issues with my daughter as was divorced and I saw where the guilt was coming from it's been and still is a hard battle long journey over coming anxiety and off especially cleaning when I'm under alot of heavy pressure I'm learning when to back of now more and got to words like I will never love you nor forsake you with breathing techniques this works sometime but as you say it's being aware of the triggers but at then end of the day just pray now sorry Jesus I got that wrong .I don't expect to be perfect and still fighting the guilt thoughts but using what I can to calm me down the wonderful thing is we can be honest with God and when I cry out to God I can't do this if you don't go me he amazingly answers the prayers and I know his there bless you really interested in following this group the other thing that you mentioned helped me because there has. Been some really tough trials but in that I have reminded God he promised his grace strength and that has helped too thank you for reading
ReplyDeleteGod bless you. Email me at bobwaters at gmail.com if you need to talk things over.
ReplyDelete