I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended into hell; On the third day '
He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the
right hand of God the Father almighty;
From there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
Scripture: Galatians 5:19-21, Romans 3:9-19, Romans 10:4-14, James 5:16, Romans 6:1-10
Intro:
- We're exploring the creedal statement: "I believe in the forgiveness of sins."
- This is good news! God is merciful and gracious, unlike any other.
- We'll examine how we got to a place where God can forgive sin.
Understanding Sin:
- To appreciate forgiveness, we must understand sin.
- Sin means to "miss the mark."
- It's crucial to define what sin is and is not.
- Galatians 5:19-21 lists the acts of the flesh: sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, etc.
- Romans 3:9-19 reminds us that all fall short of God's glory.
- There is a remedy for sin, and that is Jesus Christ.
Jesus, the Atonement:
- Jesus is God's perfect plan to address the sin problem.
- God is holy and will not tolerate sin.
- Sin creates a debt that must be paid.
- Jesus lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and paid the debt.
- John 3:16 highlights God's love and the value of His Son.
- Jesus endured the cross for the joy of our salvation.
Forgiveness for All:
- Romans 10:4-14 emphasizes that Christ is the end of the law, and righteousness comes through faith.
- Confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection leads to salvation.
- The forgiveness of sins is for everyone!
- We must believe this truth if others are to believe our testimony.
Confession and Repentance:
- Forgiveness requires confession.
- James 5:16 encourages confessing sins to one another for healing.
- Confession leads to repentance (turning away from sin).
- We must expose sin and walk in the light.
- Forgiveness should be extended to others.
- Unforgiveness imprisons us.
- Forgiveness changes us, imitating Christ.
Eternal Consequence:
- The consequence of forgiveness is eternal.
- God's faithfulness endures through generations.
- We can be forgiven, no matter what we've done.
- Romans 6:1-10 explains that we die to sin and are raised to new life in Christ.
- Death no longer has mastery over us.
Call to Respond:
- Invitation to those who want to say yes to Jesus.
- Invitation to those wrestling with unforgiveness to seek healing.
- Invitation to those burdened by shame to receive God's forgiveness.
Conclusion:
- God pours out grace and mercy.
- We proclaim His victory over sin and death.
- We call on His name for healing and restoration.
*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI.
Please notify us if you find any errors.