The Creed: What We Believe - 8

August 1, 2021 Preacher: Series: The Creed: What We Believe

Scripture: Colossians 1:13–14

Colossians 1:13,14

I believe…in forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body
and the life everlasting. Amen


Because of Jesus we are forgiven and will live forever


I. The Forgiveness of Sins
We know that without the forgiveness of sins there is no gospel, no hope for the people of God and no hope for the world.

What is sin? “Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.” W. Grudem

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” Romans 7:18

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.” Titus 1:15

Thank God for the person and work of Jesus Christ. When we place our faith and trust in him and his work, we are now free! Our sin has been paid for and our union is with Jesus and not Adam.

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:18,19

II. The Resurrection of the Body
When the creed speaks of “the resurrection of the body” it has in mind the general resurrection — the resurrection of all people when Christ returns in glory.

When Adam and Eve fell into sin, sin corrupted not only their souls, but also their bodies. And this corruption of their bodies ultimately resulted in their physical death.

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:19

God did not create humanity for death; he created us for life. And our salvation won’t be complete until Christ returns and redeems our bodies.
III. The Life Everlasting
Question: When does eternal life begin?

“When does eternal life begin? Christ said that he’s come that we might have life and have it abundantly. Certainly, he’s suggesting that to be in Christ, to be a disciple of Christ, introduces us to a qualitatively superior way of living, but is that eternal life? Does eternal life begin when we pass from this sphere of mortal existence to the life beyond? Is that when eternal life begins? Well, in a sense, yes. But there’s, in another sense, the new life, the resurrection life of Christ that will carry us through the grave and propel us on into eternity, an unending eternity with God, is a life that has been planted as a seed within us now. So that the life that will never end is beginning now, and it’s important to understand that this eternal life is not just a life defined by endless duration, but a life defined qualitatively as a life that is now Christ-centered and God-centered and is moving toward the full restoration of all that was intended for human beings. And we get to participate in that now, even while we were still embedded in a painful, struggling, broken world.” Dr. Glen G. Scorgie

Scripture often says that believers already possess everlasting life as a present reality.
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:12

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:11-13

IV. Conclusion

Amen means ‘so be it’ or ‘this shall truly and surely be’

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