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Calling All Contenders - Mike Muzzerall

Two In One

 August 2018

The Cross, the Cross—why the Cross? The answer is found in what was accomplished upon the Cross. Jesus, in one action, accomplished two monumental things: He met the stringent demands of God’s holy law, and, at the very same time, paid the price for all sin—two in one.

It Is Finished
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30). The Greek word here for finished is tetelestai. It is in the perfect tense meaning that it was a “past action with ongoing results”; “it stands finished.” This word is also “two in one.” The requirements for the law were totally finished, completed, satisfied and fulfilled in Jesus Christ with the result that nothing could ever be added to what Jesus did at the Cross. The law stands fulfilled. It also means that the debt of sin was paid in full with the result that no further payment is necessary or would be accepted. Man cannot add to what Jesus did at the Cross.

Salvation Is Supplied Only Through The Cross
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation is only through faith and not by anything that we can accomplish. It is faith in the completed finished work of Calvary. Salvation is not based on what we do, but in whom we believe.

I Believe In Me
Many place their faith in themselves. They have somehow bought the humanistic lie that man is inherently good. The Bible teaches the opposite. Paul said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom 7:18-19). The great apostle to the Gentiles stated that there was nothing within himself that could be considered good. Trusting in himself always resulted in spiritual disaster and disappointment.

Sanctification Is Supplied Only Through The Cross
Just as salvation was supplied only through the Cross, sanctification is also supplied only through the Cross. It is not of ourselves. It cannot be a result of our works, our righteousness, or religious endeavors. It cannot be 99 percent what Jesus did at Calvary and one percent what we do to earn our sanctification. We cannot be saved by God and sanctified by self—saved by grace then sanctified by works—saved by the blood then sanctified by sweat.

Two In One
At the Cross salvation and sanctification were obtained for all who would believe—two in one. Both come as a result of faith in the completed work of Calvary. The substitutionary sacrifice of Christ effectively paid the debt of sin and also sanctifies us unto a thrice holy God. Neither of those are possible apart from faith in the tetelestai of Calvary.

Not Of Man
From the beginning of God’s dealing with man, it has always been salvation by faith. First it was salvation by believing that the blood of bulls and goats would cover the sin of the repentant sinner. It remained covered—not removed—until Jesus completed His earthly mission at Calvary. After Calvary, it is now faith in the blood of the Lamb of God that removes our sin. In both situations it is “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:9). In one action, both salvation and sanctification were fulfilled—two in one.


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