Forgiveness, Resurrection, and the Promise of Eternal Life

 

Summary

In this session, we explore the profound truths encapsulated in the final affirmations of the Apostles' Creed: the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. These elements are not just abstract theological concepts but are deeply personal and transformative realities that lie at the heart of the Christian faith. The forgiveness of sins is a cornerstone of our relationship with God, addressing the universal human condition of guilt. Every person, regardless of belief, grapples with guilt, an objective reality that stems from our transgressions against God's law. This guilt is not merely a psychological burden but a spiritual reality that affects our standing before God.

The forgiveness of sins is not just about alleviating guilt feelings but is fundamentally about our future standing before God. Jesus' teachings emphasize the inevitability of judgment, where every word and deed will be accounted for. This underscores the necessity of forgiveness, which is made possible through Christ's atoning work. Without forgiveness, the entire narrative of Christ's incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection would be meaningless. Forgiveness restores us to a righteous relationship with God, offering peace and reconciliation.

Moreover, the creed affirms the resurrection of the body, a promise that extends beyond spiritual renewal to include physical restoration. This belief distinguishes Christian hope from Greek thought, which viewed the body as a prison for the soul. Instead, Christianity promises the redemption of the body, culminating in a future where believers receive glorified, imperishable bodies. This hope is not mere wishful thinking but is grounded in the historical reality of Christ's resurrection.

Finally, the creed points to life everlasting, a life free from pain, sorrow, and death. This eternal life is the ultimate fulfillment of human longing, a life where God Himself wipes away every tear. It is a life that begins with the forgiveness of sins and is sustained by the power of the resurrection. This is the essence of the Gospel, a message of hope and redemption that transcends the temporal struggles of this world.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Universality of Guilt: Every human being experiences guilt, an objective reality that arises from our failure to meet God's standards. This guilt is not just a feeling but a spiritual condition that affects our relationship with God. Understanding this helps us appreciate the necessity of forgiveness, which is central to the Christian faith. [03:01]

2. Forgiveness and Future Judgment: The forgiveness of sins is not only about relieving guilt in this life but is crucial for our future standing before God. Jesus' teachings on judgment remind us that every action and word will be accounted for, highlighting the importance of being reconciled with God through forgiveness. [05:19]

3. The Reality of Forgiveness: True forgiveness is a divine promise that, once received, should not be doubted. Continually seeking forgiveness for the same sin reflects a lack of trust in God's promise and can be seen as arrogance. Believing in God's forgiveness brings peace and liberation from guilt. [13:03]

4. The Hope of Resurrection: The resurrection of the body is a promise of physical restoration, not just spiritual renewal. This belief offers hope beyond the decay and suffering of this life, assuring us of a future where we receive glorified, imperishable bodies. [20:06]

5. Life Everlasting: Eternal life is the ultimate fulfillment of human longing, a life free from pain, sorrow, and death. This promise begins with the forgiveness of sins and is sustained by the resurrection, offering a future where God Himself wipes away every tear. [25:01]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:34] - Introduction to the Final Affirmations
- [01:13] - Personal Experience of Forgiveness
- [02:33] - The Universality of Guilt
- [04:09] - Forgiveness and Future Judgment
- [05:58] - The Crisis of Judgment
- [08:04] - The Rhetorical Question of Iniquities
- [10:13] - Silence Before God's Judgment
- [12:04] - The Necessity of Forgiveness
- [13:03] - Trusting in God's Forgiveness
- [15:37] - The Joy of Forgiveness
- [18:03] - The Resurrection of the Body
- [20:06] - Redemption of the Body
- [22:00] - Pascal's Paradox of Man
- [24:11] - The Promise of Everlasting Life
- [26:27] - The Essence of Christianity

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
2. Romans 8:1 - "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
3. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 - "So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the sermon suggest is the universal human experience related to guilt, and how does it affect our relationship with God? [03:01]

2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the forgiveness of sins in relation to future judgment? [05:19]

3. How does the sermon describe the resurrection of the body, and how does it differ from Greek thought? [20:06]

4. What is the ultimate promise of life everlasting as described in the sermon, and how does it relate to the forgiveness of sins? [25:01]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of guilt as an objective reality challenge or affirm personal experiences of guilt within the group? [03:01]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that forgiveness of sins impacts our future standing before God, and how might this influence a believer's daily life? [05:19]

3. How does the promise of the resurrection of the body provide hope beyond physical decay, and what implications does this have for how believers view their current physical struggles? [20:06]

4. What does the sermon imply about the nature of eternal life, and how might this shape a believer's understanding of their current life and struggles? [25:01]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by guilt. How did you seek forgiveness, and what was the outcome? How does this align with the sermon’s message on forgiveness? [03:01]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's promise of forgiveness. How can you cultivate a deeper trust in this promise, especially when feelings of guilt persist? [13:03]

3. Consider the hope of the resurrection of the body. How does this promise affect your perspective on physical health and aging? What practical steps can you take to live in light of this hope? [20:06]

4. Eternal life is described as a life free from pain and sorrow. How does this promise influence your approach to current challenges and suffering? [25:01]

5. The sermon discusses the importance of not repeatedly asking for forgiveness for the same sin. How can you practice accepting God's forgiveness and moving forward in peace? [13:03]

6. How can the assurance of no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1) change the way you view your past mistakes and future decisions? [16:03]

7. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to believe in the promise of life everlasting. What steps can you take to strengthen your faith in this promise? [25:01]

Devotional

Day 1: The Weight of Guilt and Its Spiritual Reality
The universality of guilt is a profound truth that affects every human being. It is not merely a psychological feeling but a spiritual condition that arises from our failure to meet God's standards. This guilt impacts our relationship with God, creating a barrier that only forgiveness can remove. Understanding this reality helps us appreciate the necessity of forgiveness, which is central to the Christian faith. The forgiveness of sins is not just about alleviating guilt feelings but is fundamentally about our future standing before God. [03:01]

"For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer." (Psalm 32:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a time when you felt the weight of guilt. How did it affect your relationship with God, and what steps can you take today to seek His forgiveness and restore that relationship?


Day 2: Forgiveness as Preparation for Future Judgment
The forgiveness of sins is crucial for our future standing before God. Jesus' teachings on judgment remind us that every action and word will be accounted for, highlighting the importance of being reconciled with God through forgiveness. This forgiveness is not only about relieving guilt in this life but is essential for our eternal destiny. It is through Christ's atoning work that we are offered peace and reconciliation with God, preparing us for the inevitable judgment. [05:19]

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your daily actions and words. Are there areas where you need to seek God's forgiveness to ensure you are prepared for future judgment?


Day 3: Trusting in the Promise of Forgiveness
True forgiveness is a divine promise that, once received, should not be doubted. Continually seeking forgiveness for the same sin reflects a lack of trust in God's promise and can be seen as arrogance. Believing in God's forgiveness brings peace and liberation from guilt. It is essential to trust in this promise and live in the freedom it offers, knowing that God's forgiveness is complete and sufficient. [13:03]

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a sin for which you have repeatedly sought forgiveness? How can you trust in God's promise of forgiveness and live in the freedom it offers today?


Day 4: The Hope of Physical and Spiritual Resurrection
The resurrection of the body is a promise of physical restoration, not just spiritual renewal. This belief offers hope beyond the decay and suffering of this life, assuring us of a future where we receive glorified, imperishable bodies. It distinguishes Christian hope from other philosophies and is grounded in the historical reality of Christ's resurrection. This hope is not mere wishful thinking but a profound truth that transforms our understanding of life and death. [20:06]

"So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power." (1 Corinthians 15:42-43, ESV)

Reflection: How does the promise of the resurrection of the body influence your perspective on physical suffering and mortality?


Day 5: The Fulfillment of Human Longing in Eternal Life
Eternal life is the ultimate fulfillment of human longing, a life free from pain, sorrow, and death. This promise begins with the forgiveness of sins and is sustained by the resurrection, offering a future where God Himself wipes away every tear. It is a life that transcends the temporal struggles of this world, providing hope and redemption. This is the essence of the Gospel, a message that invites us to live with an eternal perspective. [25:01]

"He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 25:8, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you live with an eternal perspective today, focusing on the promise of life everlasting rather than the temporary struggles of this world?

Quotes


I know, again if I can speak personal and experiential for a second, when I go back to my own conversion experience to Christianity, from experiential perspective, from a feeling dimension, an emotional dimension if you will, what my experience was, was an overwhelming awareness of the forgiveness of my sins and I think that more than anything else in terms of my own psychology and my own emotions is what turned my life upside down. [00:01:13]

Because everybody has guilt, and everybody experiences guilt and guilt is something real, something objective. We can distinguish between guilt feelings and the objective state of guilt and sometimes we confuse them. Sometimes people will say “Well, I don’t feel guilty, therefore I’m not guilty,” but we know that in a law court, that defense of murder will not get very far if the only defense was, “Well, I couldn’t have committed that crime because I don’t feel guilty.” [00:03:01]

Because the Bible teaches and Christ taught unequivocally that every human being will stand accountable to God for his life. Now, I know that that tends to be obscured in our culture, people don’t like to talk about last judgments and so on. But you cannot have an intelligible understanding of the preaching of Jesus and the teaching of Jesus if you obscure that central motif of judgment. [00:05:19]

Jesus tells us, and the apostles tell us that at the final judgment every mouth will be stopped. Why? Well, I think the analogy comes out of the book of Job. After Job is protesting with God, and God comes and interrogates him for several chapters, and after God interrogates Job with one rhetorical question after another, finally Job repents and when he repents, he says I repent in dust and ashes, I will place my hand upon my mouth and speak no more. [00:10:13]

One thing that man desperately needs, is forgiveness. I mean what good is an incarnation, a virgin birth, a crucifixion, a burial, a resurrection, an ascension, a return in glory, if there’s no forgiveness. But the point is, is that the bottom line for me is that what Christ has done has, He has made it possible for me and for anyone who has violated the standards of God’s righteousness, to be restored to a righteous relationship with God, to be reconciled, to be justified, and that comes about through the forgiveness of sins which is real. [00:12:04]

I said, “If God says I will forgive you if you repent and confess you sins. And you do that once. And then you get up off your knees and you’re still feeling guilty, so you say because I feel guilty, I’m still guilty. Do you allow your feelings to have the final authority over what God Himself has promised and declared?” I said, “That’s arrogance, that’s the sin I want you to confess, the sin of arrogance. Get back on your knees and ask God to forgive you for your unspeakable arrogance, of assigning to God the same kind of inconsistency and lack of truthfulness that characterizes our own lives.” [00:13:03]

But as a Christian we say I believe in the forgiveness of sins. I believe that when I come to God and confess my sins. He forgives me. That’s the joy of the Christian life, is, that’s like Christian in, “Pilgrims Progress,” to get that ugly, obscene, dreadful burden of weight that’s what’s weighing down on the back. Get it off of you and throw it away. And what it means is that when God says, “I forgive you,” He holds it against you no longer. [00:15:37]

But, because of forgiveness we can say the “resurrectionus carnes” I believe in the resurrection of the body. God doesn’t just promise me a stored soul or peace of mind, which in and of them selves are the Pearl of Great Price. But He promises us a new body. And there are lots of times when I think ‘Hey, you know that’s what I need, a new body because the old one is wearing out. And the old one is falling apart. You know? But God says that we will be given new bodies in the resurrection. Glorified bodies, bodies that are immortal, bodies that are indestructible. [00:20:06]

When the Christian stands up and says I believe in the resurrection of the body, I’ve noticed that some people think that what their saying when they say this that they’re believing, the resurrection – they’re affirming the resurrection of Christ. No, when we say we believe in the resurrection of the body, whose bodies are we talking about? Ours, our own body, that that’s the result of the resurrection of Christ and it’s a bodily resurrection of Christ that’s why we look for a resurrection of our bodies. [00:22:00]

But Jesus Christ has conquered death. And He says to us that there will come a time because of the forgiveness of sins that our bodies will be raised. And we will have everlasting life. Now, we get everything in our power to continue the life that we now enjoy. Most of us would rather bare those ills we have as Shakespeare said, than fly to others we know not of. I don’t want to die. I want to hold onto a life that is marked by tears, by failures, by pain and sickness, death. I still want to live. [00:25:01]

But the life that we are promised in the resurrection of the body is an everlasting life that our LORD says is in a situation where He personally will wipe away every tear. There will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more death, no more sin. That’s the Gospel, and you can call a pie in the sky but I don’t want a ticket to that feast, and I don’t want to loose my appetite for that pie because that’s the pie that every human being wants. [00:26:27]

That’s the message of the New Testament in an outline. And it captures the essence of Christianity. I think that says something for the riches of the creed and why it has persevered so long, and I’m sure it will continue in the history to come. [00:27:12]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?