Written by Eng Kim Leng
Author and finisher, two simple words but with profound significance. Why do we need to understand that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith? I can think of the following reasons to make our faith in Him sure and secured:
1) It gives us confidence that our faith is founded on truth, that Jesus is who He claims to be.
2) That Jesus indeed originated, fulfilled, and continues to sustain our faith.
3) That Jesus can and will deliver on His promise.
4) That the authority is given by God.
5) That the faith is genuine, once and for all delivered for man and no other faith can offer us the way back to God.
Authority of Jesus
Authority is important as the faith Jesus preached, directs our every thought and actions, as well as the way to heaven. We examine not just His claim but also the evidence from other sources and from God Himself.
In Isaiah 45:23, God declares Himself, the Creator, the Almighty, as the One deserving of worship. In Phil 2:11, God conferred worship to His Son, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus, in John 17:1-2 acknowledges that God has given Him authority over all flesh, “Father… Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify you, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.” Similarly, in Matt 28:18, Jesus affirms, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth,” (Matt 28:18).
Unwavering Love
God loves us, He is love (John 3:16, 1 John 4:7,8) and He first loved us. It is this love that led to Jesus dying for the sin of man. In John 15:13, Jesus makes this statement, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” By His death, Jesus has shown not only His friendship but His love. Rom 5:7-8, says, “… scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die, but while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us.” Jesus’ love extends beyond what is typical of society, it transcends the love that we understand. That is agape love, sacrificial and redemptive, full of grace and mercy, going beyond the call of duty.
Obedient to God’s Commands
Jesus mission on earth is to do God’s will and to give His life as a ransom for sinners. He prayed to God that, “Thine will be done” (Luke 22:42).
He was obedient to God’s will, “although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8) and became “obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross,” (Phil 2:8). Jesus knew that He would be the Lamb of God, slain for man’s sins, “… as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do” (John 14:31). He completes the faith.
In most human account, death is the end of man’s story. But not for Christ, He rose from death. John 10:18, Jesus says, “I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it again.” And true to his words, He resurrected to triumph over death. The grave could not hold Him (Acts 2:24-27).
Triumphed over Death
Death is an appointment all must keep. The Hebrew writer says, “it is appointed for men once to die.” (Hebrews 9:27). Christians regard death as a gain (Phil 1:21), because Christ has made the way for our salvation, whereby we shall spend eternity with Him in heaven.
We do not mourn as those without hope because Christ lives, we also shall live. Hebrews 2:15 says, “By dying and rising again, Jesus ‘set free those who were held in slavery their entire lives by their fear of death.’” The fear of death is removed. Jesus has taken away the sting of death. Thus, Paul states rhetorically, “O death, where is your sting. O grave, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Today, we remain steadfast, looking forward confidently to being delivered from death, to enjoy eternity with God.
Highly Exalted
God spoke from heaven twice concerning His love for Jesus, whom He is well pleased. (Matt 3:17, Matt 17:5). From the exalted position in heaven, Jesus humbled and emptied Himself, to live as a man, and suffered all temptations as a man.
“Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,” (Phil 2:9). His exaltation to the right hand of His Father is clear proof that God is pleased with Him. “When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Hebrews 1:3). His victory is complete. It is the greatest triumph of all time and God declared Christ to the highest position possible – ‘He is the Lord’ (Phil 2:11).
Redeemer
Jesus Christ rescued us “from the power of darkness into the kingdom of His Son” (Colossians 1:13–14). He “bore our sins in His body on the tree” and satisfied the debt we owed (1 Peter 2:24). When He hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. The Apostle Peter testifies in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “… you were not redeemed with corruptible things,… but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
By His atoning death, Jesus redeemed us from destruction and gained for us, forgiveness of sin and everlasting life.
The Author Wrote a Story of Redemption
The key points covered are as follows:
Authority of Jesus
Unwavering Love
Triumph over Death
Highly Exalted
Obedience to God’s Commands
Redeemer
The first letter of each key point form the word, ‘AUTHOR’. Jesus wrote His life’s story, lived and perfected the faith He authored. Just before He drew His last breath, Jesus exclaimed, ‘It is finished’ (Jn 19:30). Jesus eliminated the debt owed by mankind, the debt of sin. He has perfected the plan of salvation.
Accordingly, we can confidently believe in the faith that was delivered once and for all, for ‘He is able to save to the uttermost’ (Heb 7:25) and we are ‘persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him’ (Timothy 1:12). May God bless us as we look to Jesus, to lead us upwards to heaven.