John 19:28-31 (HCSB)
28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, He said, “I’m thirsty!”
29 A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it up to His mouth.
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Is there someone without any sort of debt? There are all kinds of debts, and everyone owes someone something, we owe in cash, kind and even time. The creditor will always come for the debt- we get calls, letters and personal visits to get us to “pay up.”
When these calls come and we don’t have the resources, we either ask for an extension on paybacks, forgiveness or cancellation of the debt or we may rob Peter to pay Paul; using unusual means to pay what we owe.
The debt that Jesus was referring to is the debt that the world owed God, both a physical and spiritual debt that has far-reaching effects on those who refuse God’s payment plan. We are all born into debt, not a financial but a spiritual debt. People are conceived and born into spiritual debt because of sin which means that spiritually, we were already “in the red and have no capacity or capability to pay off this debt.
What do you do, if someone walks up to you and tells you that the thousands you owe in whatever kind of debt has been paid in full and you didn’t have to do anything in return or pay it back, you simply have to believe and accept the gift? Accept the paid in full voucher and walk away debt-free. Daily the bible tells us our bill has been paid in full without us having to work to make that payment but to simply accept the “finished” work of the cross and accept the “paid in full” card. What did Jesus mean when he said, “It is Finished”?
Did he simply mean that his physical suffering was over?
Did he mean that the price he paid for our salvation was only paid in part and that there must be more suffering over the next three days while his body was in the grave? NO! He declared it paid in full.
Did his soul and spirit have to suffer more before the price of redemption could be fully paid? NO!
Picture a criminal standing trial awaiting sentencing: long prison term or death sentence but when the time comes to be taken into custody to serve his sentence, the judge steps down from the bench and swaps place with the criminal, who goes free of his crimes while the judge serves the time. Sentence paid full.
What paid for your salvation?
Was it the beatings in Pilate’s Hall?
Was it the nails in his hands and feet?
Was it the crown of thorns on his head?
What was it?
All the sufferings of Christ served a purpose, in fulfilling the Law on our behalf, for our healing, but the only thing that washes our sin away is his shed blood and nothing else.
When Jesus said, “It is finished”, he meant that the price for our redemption was paid in full. He had suffered and was going to surrender the “ghost” or give up his life willingly, but the price of redemption for all mankind was forever paid, once and for all time. It is finished- the debt of our sin was paid in full by the precious pure blood of Jesus. It is paid in full!
Shalom