All things have a beginning and an end. A fashion designer sees in her mind what a dress will look like.  The process of choosing material, cutting, sewing, fitting … finally … it is FINISHED!

A contractor starts on the blueprints and gathers his materials and works on the house until it is … FINISHED!

The author has a new story to tell and begins to write and continues until the story is … FINISHED!

A new life is born in a tiny baby and he will live his life until death then it is … FINISHED!

What a feeling when we start something and complete it!  It is … FINISHED!

There are two important “finishes” in the Bible to look at …

James 1:15 says, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Just like in the examples above there is a progression.  You don’t go from an idea (dress) to finished product anymore than you go from a tiny baby to an 80 year old man.

So in James we see the progression of sin.  Lust begins in the mind.  If it is not rejected and given over to Jesus then it begins to form and is conceived.  Next progression … the act of sin.  The finality of sin does not happen immediately.  Oh, it probably feels good.  It can be rationalized and excused.  The conscience can be turned off but it will come to a conclusion and that conclusion is DEATH at which point … it is FINISHED.

There is another “finish” … John 19:30, “Jesus … said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

His sacrificial “finish” makes it possible for us to have a good “finish”.  In our selves we will give in to the lust of the flesh.  We have NO power to resist.  So many quote the scripture from James 4:7 “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” But they forget the first part of that same verse which says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.”

Jesus lived a perfect life here on earth.  We cannot.  Utterly impossible!  Every sin ever committed and yet to be committed He took upon Himself when He went to the cross.  He was accused, tried, sentenced and crucified but in that He finished the work of redemption.

To finish well, we must submit to His will for our life not just at salvation but every day … every moment.

It’s a progression that cannot be reversed.  Everything here on this earth has a beginning and will have an end.  How will you finish?  Death unto damnation and eternity in hell without God? Or death to self and life everlasting in heaven with Jesus?

Only YOU can make that decision … finish well!