Jesus ended His work on earth with three words, "It is finished" (John 19:30). Hearing these words during Lent, we associate them with Jesus' death on the cross. When declaring His work "finished," Jesus chose an important word that can be used to mean perfection, completeness, or fulfillment of an outcome.

Today's verse from 1 Peter uses the word "finished" to describe "the outcome of your faith." Hebrews 12:2 uses it to call Jesus the "perfecter of our faith." Mark 13:13 includes it this way, "But the one who endures to the end will be

saved." John 19:28 speaks of Jesus' work, "to fulfill the Scripture." Jesus' death was a perfect finish. By faith in it, He opens the way to new life on earth and to new life forever in a new and perfect world.