Dear Friend,

It is finished!

These three words can change your life.

They changed mine.

For the longest time, it seemed everywhere I went, or whatever I tried to do, guilt was right there with me, haunting me and toying with my mind. My sins weren’t the stuff of legend, but they were sins just the same, and I deserved to be punished. But when, how? I didn’t have the answer, only the sobering thought that someday God was going to punish me.

This fear kept me from seeing what Christ had accomplished on my behalf.

I knew of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and I knew He died for the forgiveness of my sins. Yet, forgiveness was not a reality in my life. I wasn’t even convinced that it was a possibility. Because I kept messing up, I wondered if God was willing to forgive me at all. I pleaded with Him, asked Him into my life countless times, but still guilt hovered, casting a shadow on everything I did. Nothing changed.

In my mind, the issue was far from over. I wanted forgiveness. Surely there was more that I needed to do to get it. But what more could I do? Something had to give.

I felt overwhelmed. I finally cried out to God for answers. The answer I needed came at a Bible study I started attending. Colossians 2:13, 14 was the passage that delivered the good news to my heart: He forgave us all our sins,having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

Jesus had already accomplished for me what I was so desperately working for. He forgave all of my sins. His shed blood took them away once and for all.

Forgiveness was mine.

But why was this truth so hard for me to believe? I knew Christ had died for me. I learned that at a very young age, but I missed the meaning.

I think this is true for many believers. We have certainly seen this to be the case on our radio broadcast. And recently, this comment showed up on our First Life, Then Change blog: “I have always struggled with the truth that my sins are forgiven. I never felt forgiven, always the feeling of guilt. I thank God that He is teaching me my sin really is taken care of completely in Christ.”

In the 26 years of the program, forgiveness ranks as the number one topic of discussion. Of all the truths we have discussed, forgiveness is the most misunderstood, the most vigorously debated, and yet the most desired.

You can understand why forgiveness is such a hot topic. All of us sin. That truth just keeps forgiveness in the forefront of our thinking, primarily in the form of questions.

What do I do when I sin?

Can I know with full confidence that God has forgiven my sin?

If He has forgiven me, why do I keep doing the same sin over and over?

The answer to all of these questions is contained in the three words Jesus uttered from the cross. When He cried out, “It is finished!” that is exactly what He meant. These weren’t mere words; this was a victory cry. The sin issue between God and man was over. The fatal blow to sin had been delivered. Sin had been taken away once and for all, the debt paid in full. 

Yet, far too many believers struggle with the fact that nothing more needs to be done, or can be done concerning forgiveness of sins.

We have had the privilege of helping countless believers finalize the cross, leading them to the place where they say in their hearts, “It is finished!” This is the point in a believer’s life when the love of God breaks through and overwhelms the soul.

This truth hit the heart of a pastor in Thailand as he was listening to the broadcast via the Internet. Here is what Kongsak had to say about coming to know and experience the forgiveness of God.

I served in an institutional church in Thailand as a preacher, music leader, charismatic mover, active evangelist. All these just to cover up sins that lay beneath. Christianity was like wearing a mask and riding a roller coaster. A mask was to cover my reality so I could enjoy a better ride. The message of grace from People to People Ministries flipped me when I heard it. God brought me back from believing in what I was doing to believing in what He did at the cross. May I live each day under the totality of the cross and the reality of His resurrection. Trusting in Jesus’ finished work at the cross brings peace with God, and that peace will never depart. Thank you.

Just three simple words comprise the most powerful, life-changing phrase in the entire Bible. “It is finished!” 

So many people are still wondering what this phrase means. They want to know they are okay in God’s sight and that their sins have been forgiven. Yet, they continue to live with the fearful expectation of God’s punishment. We need your help to reach them and deliver the good news that God has reconciled them unto Himself through Christ’s death and is no longer counting their sins against them.

Think back to the day when the finished work of Jesus Christ became a reality to you, that moment when you knew with utter certainty that your sins, all of them, were forgiven. What if you could help just one other person experience the love of God in such a powerful way?

By contributing to People to People Ministries, you can help thousands know the total and complete forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ.

Will you do so today? When you do give, please know that God will use your gift to make a difference in the life of someone struggling under a burden of guilt and fear. So give with the wonderful expectation that your contribution will matter for eternity.

Daily, thousands of people listen to People to People either on their local radio station, the Internet, or via our podcast. It is the gifts of friends like you that make these outreaches possible. I ask that you be as generous as possible with your contributions. If you haven’t already, join the People to People team as a monthly lifeline supporter.

To do so, simply complete the reply slip indicating your desire to be a monthly partner and then send it to us along with your gift. You can also set up a monthly contribution online at realanswers.net. Click the support link and then follow the instructions.

Thank you in advance for supporting this work. Because of you, Jesus’ words, “It is finished!” will become a reality in the hearts of many people around the world.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

In His love and forgiveness,

Bob Christopher

P.S. I want to send you a copy of The Good News of Forgiveness as our thanks for your gift of any amount this month. This teaching lays out the incredible grace of God as He invites both unbelievers and His children to rest in the finished work of Jesus. This is important information to share with your friends and family who have doubts about forgiveness. Please check the appropriate box on the enclosed reply card. Thanks, again, for your generosity.