Question:  Dear Greg,

            I found your website by accident one night and love it.  What you are trying to do by helping folks like us to understand the Bible.  We have been studying with a pastor who is on TV, and I have a couple of questions that I am confused about after listening to him.  Question #1: what was meant when Jesus was on the cross and his last words were, “It is done”?  The next question pertains to Matthew 24:19 when Jesus says in part “and woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!”?  I tried looking these things up on several sites, but couldn’t find anything pertaining to them.

            I would really appreciate your input.  One more question: is there, or is there not going to be a rapture?  I believe there is, but I’ve been told that this wasn’t going to happen.  Thank you very much for your help in understanding these things and God bless you and your ministry.

            Nick

Answer:  Dear Nick,

When Jesus said, “it is finished” he meant his atoning work, his work of saving us and reconciling us to God.  In terms of our debt of sin, he was saying, “the debt is paid”.  This pronouncement is important because there are those who teach that Jesus’ sacrifice was only part of the work that is needed for our salvation—we need to do the rest.  But, in terms of our salvation, Jesus clearly said the work is done.  Finished.

            Your next two questions concern the end times, the rapture, etc.  May I refer you to the feature on our site “Search our site”—simply type in words like “rapture”, “end times”, “Great Tribulation”, “prophecy” and “dispensationalism”.  We have many resources, articles and questions and answers that you can read and study at your leisure to give you a better picture of what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 24 and about various ways to understand what the rapture is.  We also refer you to the cover article in our March-April 2003 Plain Truth, available on our website.

            We are delighted to hear that our site is helpful to you and that we have an opportunity to help serve you.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht