Here is a simple diagnostic question:
If staying saved depends on ongoing effort, performance, or maintenance, is that rescue—or management?
The gospel is called “good news” because it announces something finished, not something perpetually earned.
When Jesus breathed His last on the cross, He declared, "Tetelestai!"—translated as "It is finished" (John 19:30). This Greek word carries profound theological and historical weight. In Roman culture, Tetelestai was a term written on financial documents to signify that a debt had been fully paid. It was also marked on legal sentences to confirm that a punishment had been completely served—no further payment or imprisonment required.