John 19:30, Jesus’s final words, “It is finished,” (Greek: tetelestai) signify the completion of his mission and the fulfillment of God’s plan. This declaration signifies not just his death but the victorious accomplishment of his work of redemption, as he had fully paid the price for humanity’s sins. We can’t earn it.
When Jesus said to the thief next to him “today you will be with me in paradise” he was saying the gate to the garden of Eden is now open (the cherubim no longer stand guard with swords of fire). Salvation is immediate. It’s done. The gateway to heaven is open.
This is freedom in Christ. You can’t add on to it. When you do you diminish the power of the cross. It is by grace not by works that you may boast (showing off that you are so good or better than others in the Kingdom of God. That’s PRIDE – self-righteousness. The truth is the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking but of peace abd joy (our relationship with Christ) thst Jesus is our righteousness.
Its all about Jesus Christ. Jesus is the hero of the story.
This is how I see it: I’m a sinner saved by grace. Of course I will make mistakes and sin by gossiping or being unkind but I haven’t lost my salvation. This is where confession comes in.
It’s like I had an overall spring cleaning. Then the very next day I left or dropped a gum wrapper on the floor and the dirty dishes in the sink. So before I go to bed I pick up trash and wash the dishes, clean the table, and put the laundry in the wash. Guess what! I wake up the next day and do it all over again. The more I do it the more I don’t throw trash on the floor and not leave dirty dishes stacked up ?in the sink.
Confession is to maintain our relationship with the LORD our God. The more you confess the more you realize the evil of gossiping like throwing trash in someone else’s floor.
This is freedom in Christ.