Roman Catholic and Ecumenical Views on Finished Work of Christ
The concept of the "finished work of Christ" refers to the belief that Jesus's atoning sacrifice on the cross fully accomplished salvation, requiring no further human works or sacrifices for its efficacy. This understanding is central to Protestant theology, though it is articulated differently across traditions and contrasts with certain Roman Catholic views.
Protestant traditions, including Lutheran and Reformed churches, emphasize the complete and sufficient nature of Christ's sacrifice. The Augsburg Confession states that Christ's passion was "an oblation and satisfaction, not for original guilt only, but also for all other sins," citing Hebrews 10:10 and 10:14 to assert that "We are sanctified through the offering of Jesus Christ once for all" and "By one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified" [3]. Similarly, the Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles declare "Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross," affirming its singular and complete nature [10]. Charles Hodge, one theologian, explains that Christ's work was a "satisfaction" that met "all the demands of God’s law and justice against the sinner," meaning the law no longer condemns those who believe in Christ [2]. He further notes that this orthodox doctrine, common to Latin, Lutheran, and Reformed churches, views Christ's work as a "real satisfaction, of infinite inherent merit, to the vindicatory justice of God" [9].
In contrast, Roman Catholic doctrine, while acknowledging the infinite merit of Christ's satisfaction, has historically been understood by some Protestant theologians to restrict its application [1]. Hodge notes that it was once a prevalent doctrine in the Latin Church that Christ's work applied only to sins committed before baptism. For post-baptismal sins, it was held that either they were unpardonable or that atonement required further action [1]. This perspective suggests that while Christ's satisfaction is infinite, its application might be limited, requiring additional satisfactions for temporal punishments and purgatory, which are administered by the Church [5]. This view, according to the Augsburg Confession, "diminish[es] the glory of the passion of Christ" [3].
The work of Christ is understood as a covenantal act, where the Father gave the Son a work to do, promising a reward upon its accomplishment [7]. The intrinsic worth of Christ's satisfaction is considered "infinitely meritorious, absolutely perfect from its intrinsic worth, and completely efficacious in its application to all the sins of the believer" [4]. This satisfaction addresses the demands of divine law, which requires more than just punishment for sin [8]. The patristic writer Origen, in his commentary, speaks of Jesus "finish[ing] his words," implying a complete and detailed account, which can be seen as an analogy for the completeness of his redemptive work [6].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 99: the edification of the Church, and the glory of God. In this view all Protestant churches concur. Romish Doctrine of Satisfaction. Romanists, while on the one hand they exalt to the utmost the intrinsic value of Christ’s satisfaction, yet on the other hand they restrict its application. At one time, it was the prevalent doctrine in the Latin Church that the work of Christ availed only for the pardon of sins committed before baptism. With regard to post-baptismal sins, it was held either that they were unpardonable, or that atonement must ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 99: § 2. The Intrinsic Worth of Christ’s Satisfaction. The first point is that Christ’s work was of the nature of a satisfaction, because it met and answered all the demands of God’s law and justice against the sinner. The law no longer condemns the sinner who believes in Christ. Those, however, whom the infinitely holy and strict law of God does not condemn are entitled to the divine fellowship and favour. To them there can be no condemnation. The work of Christ was not, therefore, a mere substitute for the execution of the law, which God in”
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 24 Concerning these opinions our teachers have given warning that: 24 Concerning these opinions our teachers have given warning that they depart from the Holy Scriptures and diminish the glory of the passion of Christ. For Christ’s passion 25 was an oblation and satisfaction, not for original guilt only, but also for all other sins, as it is written to the Hebrews 10:10: 26 We are sanctified through the offering of Jesus Christ once for all. Also, Hebrews 10:14: 27By one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. [It is an unheard-of inno”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 100: § 3 . Doctrine of the Scotists and Remonstrants. While Protestants and the Church generally have held the doctrine that the satisfaction of Christ, because of the dignity of his person and the nature and degree of his sufferings was and is infinitely meritorious, absolutely perfect from its intrinsic worth, and completely efficacious in its application to all the sins of the believer, the Scotists in the Middle Ages, and after them Grotius and the Remonstrants, denied that the work of Christ had inherent 486 value to satisfy divine justi”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 99: Church practice with the doctrine of the infinitely meritorious satisfaction of Christ. That theory was that the satisfaction of Christ, infinite though it was in merit, was designed only to secure the remission of everlasting death. Temporal punishments and the pains of purgatory after death are still to be endured, at the discretion of the Church, as satisfactions for sins. This is not the place for the full discussion of this subject. It is enough to remark, (1.) That if, as the Scriptures teach, every sin deserves God’s wrath and curs”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — 14. HOW JESUS FINISHED HIS WORDS. (part 1): "And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these words."(6) He who gives a detailed and complete account of each of the questions before him so that nothing is left out, finishes his own words. But he will give a declaration on this point with more confidence who devotes himself with great diligence to the entire reading of the Old and New Testament; for if the expression, "he finished these words," may be applied to no other, neither to Moses, nor to any of the prophets, but only to ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 72: a much wider foundation. When one person assigns a stipulated work to another person with the promise of a reward upon the condition of the performance of that work, there is a covenant. Nothing can be plainer than that all this is true in relation to the Father and the Son. The Father gave the Son a work to do; He sent Him into the world to perform it, and promised Him a great reward when the work was accomplished. Such is the constant representation of the Scriptures. We have, therefore, the contracting parties, the promise, and the con”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 102: § 5. The Work of Christ Satisfies the Demands of the Law. A third point involved in the Church doctrine on the work of Christ, is that it is a satisfaction to the divine law. This indeed may seem to be included under the foregoing head. If a satisfaction to justice, it must be a satisfaction to law. But in the ordinary use of the terms, the word law is more comprehensive than justice. To satisfy justice is to satisfy the demand which justice makes for the punishment of sin. But the law demands far more than the punishment of sin, and the”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 109: § 1. The Orthodox View . The first is that which has been for ages regarded as the orthodox doctrine; in its essential features common to the Latin, Lutheran, and Reformed churches. This is the doctrine which the writer has endeavoured to exhibit and vindicate in the preceding pages. According to this doctrine the work of Christ is a real satisfaction, of infinite inherent merit, to the vindicatory justice of God; so that He saves his people by doing for them, and in their stead, what they were unable to do for themselves, satisfying the”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), XXXI. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross: XXXI. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross”