John 19:30 (NIV) When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
This weekend, Christians around the world pause to reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As part of that reflection, many turn to Jesus’ final words on the cross: “It is finished.”
For many Protestant Christians, these words offer a deep sense of peace and assurance. For them it means that they can rest in the completed work of Christ. But for some within the Adventist community, these same words do not bring such peace and assurance. I used to be one of those. You may wonder why it is that? It is partly because of a misunderstanding of a unique Seventh Day Adventist fundamental belief “Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.”
Today, let’s take time to thoughtfully explore what Jesus meant when He declared, “It is finished.” Then, we’ll turn our attention to SDA Fundamental Belief #24: Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary and examine it through the lens of grace. In doing so, we want to ask: Could an overemphasis or misapplication of this belief in certain Adventist settings be contributing to unnecessary confusion or anxiety?
I want to approach this reflection with humility and a sincere desire to understand the fullness of what Christ has already accomplished on my behalf. This is by no means a criticism of the Church, but rather a personal self-examination, an honest look at how one might misunderstand or misapply this doctrinal belief.
What did Jesus mean when He said “It is finished”?
As soon as Jesus said these final words on the cross, He gave up His life. Because of this, some might assume that Jesus was simply referring to the end of His earthly life. But when we look closely at the original Greek word used for finished in John 19:30, a much deeper meaning unfolds.
The Greek word used for finished is τετέλεσται (tetelestai).
Root definition: It is derived from the root teleō, which means to bring to an end, to complete, or to accomplish.
When we go beyond the root definition of this word and examine its grammatical form and everyday usage in Jesus’ time, a much deeper and more profound meaning begins to emerge.
Grammatical form: Tetelestai is in the perfect tense in Greek. This is important because the perfect tense describes a completed action with ongoing results. Unlike the simple past tense, which says, “This happened”, the perfect tense implies, “This happened, and its effects remain active even now.”
When Jesus cried out, ‘It is finished,’ He was declaring, ‘It is finished, and it will remain finished forever.
Everyday Usage Definition: In everyday Greek during Jesus’ time, tetelestai carried several powerful meanings and these are very clear to a reader of the Gospel in those days.
- Commerce: One of its most common uses of tetelestai was in commerce. When a debt was fully paid, tetelestai would be written across a bill or receipt to show that nothing more was owed. By using this word, the Gospel writer John was declaring that the debt of sin had been fully paid through Jesus’ sacrifice, and it is forever paid. We can see Paul using this definition in Colossians 2:14 (NIV), having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
- Legal: In addition to commerce definition, this word also carried legal significance. In court settings, tetelestai indicates that a sentence had been fully served or that a legal obligation had been fully met. In this context, when Jesus said, “It is finished,” He was proclaiming that He fully met the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf once for all. We can see Paul using this legal definition in Romans 8:3, 4 (NIV): “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
- Military: Finally, while tetelestai is not a term historically used in military settings, its core meaning, “mission accomplished”, has led many theologians to see it as a declaration of spiritual victory. In this context, Jesus was not surrendering to death, but triumphing over it. We see Paul using this definition in Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV): “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Through these rich and layered meanings of tetelestai, we come to see that when Jesus declared “It is finished,” He was announcing the full accomplishment of our salvation. The debt of sin was paid, the demands of the law were met, and the power of sin and death was broken. This is a completed work, once and for all, and it stands finished forever.
By having faith in Christ, we inherit all these merits of Christs for ourselves and we remain in that inheritance forever. This was beautifully described by Paul in Romans 3:21-26 (NLT) But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
I don’t know about you, but when I read this passage, I’m overwhelmed by the grace of God. Paul is telling us that God has made a way to be right with Him, not through our own efforts, not by keeping every detail of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. This invitation isn’t limited to a few; it’s extended to everyone, no matter who we are or what we’ve done. We all fall short, we all miss the mark, but God steps in with grace. He doesn’t just overlook our sin; He deals with it fully and finally by presenting Jesus as the sacrifice. Jesus took the penalty that was ours, so that we could stand before God not guilty, but forgiven and accepted. What amazes me most is that God did this to show that He is both just and merciful, He doesn’t compromise His holiness, and yet He makes sinners right in His sight simply through belief in Jesus. That truth gives me peace and assurance.
Now that we’ve established a baseline for this doctrine, let’s take a closer look at the SDA Fundamental Belief to see whether it stays aligned with the gospel, or whether it risks drifting from it.
Looking Closer at Fundamental Belief #24
I want to read the SDA fundamental belief #24 Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary. Please keep a close eye on the language of it.
There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle that the Lord set up and not humans. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. At His ascension, He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and, began His intercessory ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the holy place of the earthly sanctuary. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry, which was typified by the work of the
high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent. (Lev. 16; Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Heb. 1:3; 2:16, 17; 4:14-16; 8:1-5; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; Rev. 8:3-5; 11:19; 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:11, 12.)
How Adventists Have Told the Story
SDA Fundamental Belief #24 is built on two beautiful and biblical truths: first, that Jesus is alive and still ministering for us in heaven, and second, that one day the universe will see that God has been completely fair and just in how He saves. The belief clearly affirms that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was a once-for-all event. It then describes Jesus applying that finished sacrifice in a heavenly setting, like a courtroom, where He intercedes for those, He has redeemed. Then it talks about a judgement that reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are saved and who among the living will be saved. Once this judgement is over, human probation closes and Jesus returns.
On paper, this doctrine presents a profoundly grace-filled idea: our Savior, who has already paid the price for our sins, is now our Advocate, declaring that we belong to Him. When described this way, it sounds like a beautiful and reassuring belief. But in practice, it hasn’t always felt that way. Historically, this doctrine has been a source of anxiety for many Adventists.
I’d love to dive deep into how this belief has evolved over the past 200 years, looking at what was emphasized, misunderstood, or correctly upheld. But that kind of focus might pull us away from Christ and His grace. So, I’ll briefly share a few key points about how Adventists have grappled with this teaching over time to make you aware that this doctrine is not as solid as you might think it is. For a fuller picture, check out Dr. Anthony MacPherson’s excellent work from Avondale University and Avondale Theological Seminary (MacPherson, 2022). The full citation and link are below.
In the early 1900s, an Adventist preacher named Albion Ballenger began to question how the church was telling the story. He worried that moving the focus of atonement from the cross to an investigative judgment starting in 1844 made salvation feel conditional, like something still being decided. To him, it made faith in the cross feel incomplete, as if the verdict wasn’t fully in yet. He eventually left the church, concerned that this teaching created more fear than assurance.
A few decades later, another Adventist theologian, M. L. Andreasen, built what’s called “Last Generation Theology,” teaching that Christ can’t return until a final generation becomes completely sinless, living “without a mediator.” While this was meant to encourage holy living, many found it profoundly discouraging. It made the Christian journey feel like an impossible race, one where only the perfect finish. Some even called it “legalism in devotional clothing.”
Then came another voice. In 1980, Australian theologian Desmond Ford argued that the investigative judgment wasn’t grounded in Scripture the way many had thought, and that it distracted from the clear finality of the cross, Jesus’ declaration: “It is finished.” Though Ford’s position led to his dismissal from the Church, it pushed the church to wrestle with an important question: Are we telling this story in a way that actually sounds like good news?
In the same time period, Adventist scholars like Edward Heppenstall and Hans LaRondelle took a more balanced approach. They kept the doctrine of the judgment but shifted the tone. They taught that this judgment isn’t about deciding who gets saved, but about revealing that those who trust Jesus are already secure. It’s not a second probation, it’s heaven’s way of publicly saying “Amen!” to what Jesus already did on the cross.
I want to read the conclusion from Dr. MacPherson’s paper
The investigative judgment has been one of Adventism’s most controversial doctrines. It seems to suffer or benefit from wider theological understandings. When the church was struggling with legalism the doctrine was often taught legalistically, but when the church has been gospel-focused the doctrine is taught with gospel-based assurance, as reflected in the church’s current statement of Fundamental Beliefs. The modern teaching is in clear continuity with the views of the Adventist pioneers, though there have been discernible shifts in emphasis and a deeper understanding of its meaning over time. The more recent, softer focus on phases of heavenly ministry still strongly affirms the reality of the heavenly sanctuary. The various challenges have led to a greater awareness and exploration of the role of presuppositions and paradigms in understanding the doctrine and a more robust defense of it from Scripture. It has also led to a more Christ-focused, gospel-centered understanding of the doctrine (MacPherson, 2022).*
Today, many Adventist teachers follow this grace-first understanding. But the past still echoes. For some, the investigative judgment still sounds like a checklist or a spiritual performance review. That’s why we need to approach this teaching with care. The investigative judgment should not be an invitation to finish what Jesus started, it should be a call to rest in what Jesus already finished. Our role is to tell the story in a way that draws weary hearts to Christ, not to effort. Grace should remain the center of this doctrine.
Personally, this is how I’ve come to find peace with this doctrine: the investigative judgment isn’t about God searching for reasons to exclude me. It’s about Him lovingly showing that, through Jesus, my place in His family is already secure.
I know that for some of you, this doctrine, especially when misapplied or overemphasized, has left deep and painful marks. You may carry memories of sermons that made salvation feel like a performance, or experiences where God’s love seemed conditional, always just out of reach. For some, this has led to anxiety, shame, and even a kind of spiritual exhaustion, what some might call religious trauma. It is not easy to “get over it” in a day and it takes time.
But if there is one truth, I pray sinks deep into your heart today, it is this: when Jesus declared, “It is finished,” He wasn’t offering a hopeful sentiment, He was announcing a completed reality. Your salvation was accomplished once and for all. There is no second probation, no hidden standard that you have to meet, no spiritual performance audit you must pass. Through the cross, your sins are not only forgiven, but they are also forgotten forever. You are not on trial. You are not under review. You are fully known, fully loved, and fully accepted in Christ.
So, rest on that. Rest in Him. You should remember this truth not just on Easter weekend but every Sabbath. Each Sabbath, Jesus invites us to pause and remember that the work of salvation is finished, and that we are secure in Him. Sabbath is not just a day of physical rest; it’s a sacred reminder that we are saved, sustained, and made holy by the One who completed the work on our behalf.
God said in Ezekiel 20:12 I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
You are God’s child, not temporarily, not conditionally, but eternally. And nothing, not your past, present or future struggles or failures can undo what Jesus has finished in your life.
Finally, I want to close with what Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:38–39 (NIV):
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That love is Ours. Forever.
Discussion Questions
- What does it mean to believe “It is finished” in your day-to-day walk with God?
- When you think of the sanctuary or judgment, do you feel peace or fear? Why?
- Is your faith more energized by what Christ has done, or what you still feel you must do?
Joyce: I feel so thankful for what Christ has done for me, and I could really relate to what you were saying about the old Adventist Church—yeah, I lived through all that. I tried so hard to get it right and just couldn’t. Even as a teenager, I couldn’t get it right. I went back again in my twenties—still couldn’t. So this kind of chokes me up.
When I went to the Oakwood church—it was shortly after my brother passed away—my kids were asking me, “Where’s Uncle Roger?” I hadn’t really taken them to church before. My little girl Jeannie was about five, and Jackie was nine. Jackie had started getting on the Baptist bus to go to church with some other kids, so she had a little bit of exposure. I thought, okay, I need to find a church.
Dorothy Parsons—you probably remember her—used to be my babysitter. She was an Adventist, and she told me where the Adventist Church was. So I went. And what I needed so badly at that time, that church provided for me—unlike any other Adventist church I’d been to. It had community, and that’s what I needed because I was in pain. It wasn’t just about more Bible knowledge—although we did have a lot of classes. It went deeper than that. It was about sharing your life with like-minded believers—not just on Sabbath during church, but afterward too.
I had lived a very secular life for a long time. For me, it would have been either go back to the bar—because, believe me, there are friendly, nice people there—or find something better. And the people at the Oakwood church just embraced me and helped me through that time.
The funny thing was, I thought every Adventist church had changed. So I went back to a couple of the other ones and found out—nope, that wasn’t true. I’ve been going back to Oakwood off and on for the last 15 years. It would be heartbreaking if we were to lose that community.
So when the Bible talks about the church of brotherly love, I think it’s talking more about a church within ourselves. That we become a place where love flows outward to any community, any neighbor, any school. It may not be a physical church I ever find in my lifetime. So I feel like I have to be that church of brotherly love—to try to do that for those around me.
I moved into a retirement co-op apartment, and the people here are so receptive to community that I’ve been able to find that again. I feel very thankful for that. We’re not all like-minded believers, but they are believers. I think we are called to be the church of brotherly love within ourselves.
David: I found Joyce’s testimony moving and touching. I agree with her that the church is really within us. And what Joyce has done is something I think we’re in danger of forgetting, something Adventist beliefs may be in danger of missing: That salvation and God are not exclusive to any church. They in everyone. Everyone can be that church.
I liked Kiran’s comments about teleos. Teleology is the philosophy that there is purpose in things. A lot of scientists take issue with it, but you can certainly point to evidence for purpose in the way things are. There was certainly purpose in Jesus’ life and mission. So when he said, “It is finished,” I think he meant he had achieved his purpose.
The question is: What was his purpose? The common belief is that his purpose was to save us. But I think his message was to remind us that we are already saved. We were saved the very day of the Fall. The Father was as loving that day as on any other day—he didn’t start loving us later on. He loved us from the start. To me, the purpose of Jesus was to remind us—or simply to tell those who didn’t know—that simple truth.
We’re told we have to have faith in Jesus. But what does that mean? What about those born before him, or born in societies that never speak of him? If salvation is only possible through faith in Jesus, then I look again to what Jesus said about Judgment Day. He said: Did you feed me? Did you clothe me? Did you give me a drink? Did you visit me in prison? As long as you did this for anybody, you did it for me. He did NOT ask: Did you believe in me?
So I think we’re getting something fundamentally wrong in our interpretation of Jesus’s mission and message.
Reinhard: I think somewhere in the chapter with the judgment scene, it mentions those who do the will of the Father. So this is the issue—we keep coming back to obedience. SDA Fundamental Belief number 24 is about investigative judgment. I think that’s extra firepower for being Adventist, through the writings of Mrs. White and the co-founders of this church.
I believe it’s procedural. Adventists are the ones who talk about 1844—when Jesus entered from the Holy Place into the Most Holy Place and began the investigative judgment. On one hand, we know there’s no condemnation for those who believe in Christ, but I think this process is procedural. The Bible talks about Jesus working in heaven for those who are going to be saved—I think it’s in Revelation.
We know there’s a first resurrection and a second resurrection. The first resurrection is for those who are going to be redeemed. I think that’s the key. That’s why Jesus started doing his work in the Most Holy Place—because by the time of the Second Coming, those in the first resurrection are already determined to be saved. So if we’re talking about judgment in heaven, maybe it’s just procedural. People already know. Those resurrected in the first resurrection—we’re certain they’re going to be saved. So what more judgment is needed?
As for the first question—what did Jesus mean by “It is finished”?—I just want to add that the plan of salvation started back in Genesis, after the fall of man. Or maybe even earlier—maybe it was already discussed in heaven. I would say the plan of salvation for humanity was already decided. So when Jesus said, “It is finished,” I think he was referring to that great work, that great plan. The Old Testament prophets all pointed to this moment—it culminated here.
Those who have faith in God, who receive the grace that happened when Jesus died on the cross—when we have Jesus, when we have faith in Jesus—we don’t need to worry about what’s coming next. We know we’re going to be saved. But in some churches, including Adventist churches, we study further. We want to know more about what God wants from us. We seek more knowledge.
We claim to be a unique church, a peculiar people. Mrs. White wrote a lot—but it’s considered a lesser light compared to the Bible, which is the true source of light. That’s the way I look at it.
Donald: I was born into the Adventist Church. I’m a person of the church. I’ll be in church in another hour. I love my church. Maybe there are aspects of it that cause some people to feel like they can’t be a part of it—but that’s not my situation.
The words Kiran shared with us this morning are so profound and important and central. And I guess that’s why it’s critical for the people who dot the I’s and cross the T’s to be careful. There’s one sentence in the 24th Fundamental Belief that really tries to hold on to your actions.
C-J: We know in our own minds and hearts who we would be without choosing God daily. It’s more about this time and place—not our eternal relationship with God. Because what you were saying is what I heard Paul say—from the time, “Lord, Lord, why do you persecute me?” Paul says, “Aren’t I a Pharisee among Pharisees?”—all those doctrines, rules, rituals.
And what does Jesus say? “I’m none of those things.” He may be found within them, in that they help focus our attention—but the real relationship we have with God is so personal. That’s why it’s so different for everyone.
Because of our binary minds, we want to ask, “What lane am I in? Who has it right? How should I do this?” But community really comes when God reveals the mission where He’s planted us: whatever church, whatever community, whatever workplace, whatever family we were born into—that becomes part of our mission. And it transforms us constantly. It challenges us. But God is ever-present, and grace abounds—unmerited favor and kindness.
When we start tinkering with that, that’s when we get into trouble. We start feeling not good enough, ashamed, guilty, unworthy—thinking “I can’t do this.” All of that may be true. But that’s where the glory of God comes in.
When the “me, myself, and I” gets smaller and smaller, the light of the Holy Spirit within us becomes more present—no matter where we go. Look at people like Mahatma Gandhi, or Sister Teresa—there’s a long list of people who lived a life completely committed to the mission they believed God gave them. Forgiveness—it’s everywhere. And I’m sure they still had egos, and doubts. “Is this enough? Am I supposed to be here?” But even when we don’t feel it or recognize it, God is leading us.
The words are for us. But what did Jesus say to Paul? “Why do you persecute me?” Paul had this litany of reasons why he was worthy—why he was good. “I did this for you, Lord.” But the truth is, we’ll never be free until we understand and accept that it’s nothing of our own flesh that keeps us in relationship with God—or that reveals who God is through this relationship.
Don: The whole theology of the investigative judgment taking time—and the idea that certain activities must occur before Jesus comes—is kind of a strange notion. It implies that God needs a certain amount of time to go through the books and make judgments. But God is like a supercomputer. He could do all of that in 30 seconds—or less.
So the idea that there’s some kind of linear time allotment that has to be observed is a bit odd. In that same light—I think Reinhard pointed it out—we’re talking about something that Revelation 13 says occurred “from the foundation of the world.” The Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world.
So the idea that something was finished on Easter weekend requires more reflection. It shouldn’t be interpreted as if there was a battle hanging in the balance, and maybe salvation would happen or maybe not—but then God, through Jesus, made it happen. I think the investigative judgment is metaphorically similar to what Michael described with the scapegoat. It’s a ritual, a symbol—something being done not to condemn us but to prove, as Kiran said, that we are covered by God’s grace.
It’s not about trying to make us unholy or to condemn us. We’ve been justified by His blood. So I think, Kiran, you did a very nice job traversing a difficult subject. You outlined the pros and cons well. And I see this process as a vindication of God’s grace, not a condemnation of us for our imperfections.
Donald: Why do you think Jesus so often responded in parables? Some people would say he almost never gave direct answers. There are only a couple of places where he did. Why do you think he didn’t just come right out and say things directly, especially about matters that were so important? Was it to encourage faith? Why be so indirect?
C-J: I believe it’s because God’s relationship with us is individual. Your mother’s relationship with her other two sons is very different from her relationship with you. So if you tell a story, people can internalize it in their own inner world.
If you tell someone something directly, it becomes carved in stone. But a story leaves space for imagination—for growth and experience. It’s not about lining up with doctrine or a specific way of being. You grow into who you are. And hopefully, that includes an awareness of God that’s been shaped over time.
Some people dismiss it. They say, “This doesn’t fit me.” But I think that’s a lie we sometimes embrace. “I can’t help it—it’s just genetics,” or “It’s how I was raised.” A lot of it is given to us nonverbally, and sometimes, it’s not great.
Donald: I think that’s a good answer, because it probably connects back to the conversation we had this morning. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, by laying out very specific information, ends up getting picked apart. Now we’re analyzing the specific wording of just one of the 28 beliefs.
So when you’re very specific in what you say, it becomes harder for people to respond in the way it was intended. Specificity can box people in.
David: But how much more specific can you get than “Love God, and love thy neighbor as thyself”?
Donald: That’s true.
Don: There’s a sense that data is not timeless, but questions and parables are. They transcend culture, they transcend time. That’s why in the Scriptures, whenever God shows up, He comes with a question. He rarely shows up with an answer.
The question is meant to provoke thought, to make us introspective. And that’s timeless. The data set you’re working with today is completely different from the one in Jesus’ time. Our knowledge of the world, of life—it’s changed completely. And yet, his parables and questions remain relevant. They transcend the data and go straight to the heart.
Donald: So it would be very difficult for a highly organized, corporate religion to operate with such loose terminology, don’t you think? Isn’t that the challenge we’re facing here?
Don: Yes, I think it is. I think it is.
We’ll discuss this further. Thank you, Kiran, for your essay and for your insights.
* * *
* MacPherson, Anthony (2023, March 02). Investigative Judgment (Judgement). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved April 17, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=7FOL.
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