Results of Forgiveness

 

    Forgiveness is the key to freedom.  When God forgives it gives people eternal life.  Jesus took our justice upon himself, so that we could live free.  Jesus' forgiveness makes you sinless.  When you choose to have faith and trust in Jesus, your guild is removed.

    The Holy Spirit changes us from within.  God took the death sentence from all who follow Jesus faithfully and replaced it with life.  There is no freedom in life like that freedom.  When God forgives you, Jesus forgets your sins.  They are permanently removed.  It is no longer something you will face on judgment day.  

    God's grace moves believers to a place of thanksgiving, transformation, glory, hope, and we become teachable.  Being forgiven by God is the ultimate reconciliation.  It turns us into ambassadors to tell the world what they could have.  How we treat people matters because we represent Jesus.  Other people should be able to see the gospel in your life and want to know Jesus because of it.

    The Results of forgiveness are freedom.  This freedom enables you to do good in a way that you never could before.  You receive peace that will rule your heart.  You live in harmony with other believers.  It allows your heart to hold thanksgiving and true love.  It also provides an eternal home with God.

Matthew 6:7-15, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Colossians 3:12-15, & 1 John 1:7-11

Cause for Forgiveness

 

    The cause of forgiveness is hope.  We acknowledge that we are sinners.  Then we confess our sins to God.  We will need to sincerely apologize to any wronged people at some point.  This is part of mourning our sins.  Then we turn away from our sins.  We let them go and sin no more.

    If you are not a Christian, then you are a slave to sin.  The sad part is that Christians are free, but so many still live like they are slaves to sin.  If you declare and walk in faith of Jesus, then he unlocked the lock to your chains to sin.  All you have to do is remove them and walk away from the burden.

    When you confess your faith in Jesus, it gives you the ability to be strong enough to walk away from your past sins.  This is why we need Jesus.  He is enough.  He saves.  He loves you no matter how bad you were before or are now.  He is the only way to restore your relationship with God.

    Jesus is the heart of salvation.  He is your on true rescuer.  He sought us while we were sinners and cleansed us if we decide to follow him faithfully.  He is your righteousness, living salvation, and faithfulness.  His holiness makes Christians holy no matter what their past was before.  That is what causes you to see your need for forgiveness.

John 1:6-9, 3:16-17, Romans 5:6-11, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, & 1 John 1:7-11

Need Forgiveness

 

    We all need forgiveness.  Like it or not, we have all sinned.  We all fall short of God's expectations for us.  Yet, He still loves us.  He never gives up on us.  He allows us to make our own choices including having a relationship with Him or not.  

    Did you know that not acknowledging that you are a sinner is a sin?  It is a sin because it denies the truth.  It denies the standards that God made for all people.  Sin is a common issue that all people struggle with.  No one is the exception.  Everyone has guilt, shame, and levels of distance from God.  The more sin there is in our lives, the more distant we become from God.  Sin is an universal issue that cannot be fixed on it's own.

    Sin is a reality of life.  It defies God's purpose for our lives.  We all defy God at some point.  Some of us do it more than others, but that doesn't matter.  Sin is sin.  One time is enough to condemn us.  We are born with a sinful nature and we need God to reveal the truth to us.  We can't change unless we choose to accept Jesus in faith.

    Sin always corrupts.  It breaks our relationship with God and brings judgment into our lives.  Judgment is more than punishment.  It is the consequences of choosing our path over a relationship with God.  Sin always has consequences.  If you are Christian, then you fall under the immediate judgment similar as a good parent.  However, if you deny God, then your judgment is eternal.

    You cannot escape your sin.  Jesus has to remove it.  There are no freebies.  No one can earn their way out of eternal consequences.  We have to go through Jesus' blood in faith that he is our redemption.  When we do, he takes away our well deserved punishment.  He already bled on the cross for it.

    We all need forgiveness.  Forgiveness is what frees us to become the people God designed us to be.  It frees our heart and soul to do good.  God's forgiveness shows us how to forgive other people for what they have done against us.  Most importantly forgiveness opens the relationship with God through Jesus to be lived out with the Holy Spirit with no more hinderances.  His forgiveness gives us hope, thanksgiving, harmony, and joy.  It gives us life.

1 Kings 8:27-30, Psalm 51:1-6, 133, Matthew 6:14-15, Romans 3:23-26, 5:12-17, 6:20-23, Ephesians 2:1-3, Colossians 3:12-15, & 1 John 1:8-10

Believe in Forgiveness

 

    Imagine that Jesus had kept a journal.  What do you think he would have written in it.  I think it would read a lot like the Bible.  The Bible is God inspired.  He breathes life into the words written.  It had several different authors, but all of them come together to make one solid book.  That is why I think the in Jesus' journal he would write about how he loved and forgave people.

    One thing that would not be in the journal is all of life's distractions.  Jesus didn't get distracted by life.  He lived it fully, but was on earth as a human to have connection and relationships with people.  Hs journal would be all about those relationships.  It would consist of his prayers for them (us).  He always made time for people.

    Jesus is still making time for you and me.  The question we need to ask ourselves: are we going to make time for him?  Are we willing to forgive each other and move forward honoring him?  Do you even believe in forgiveness?

    You have to believe in forgiveness to have salvation.  If Jesus had not forgiven you of your sins, then there would be no salvation.  His time here would have been a weird vacation from Heaven.  That would make no sense.  

    The reality is that we need forgiveness because we are sinners.  The result of forgiveness from God is salvation for all those who walk in faith. It enables us to truly forgive other people in return.  We are not capable of love if we are not able to forgive.

Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:12-15, & 1 John 1:7-9

Church Unity

 

    Jesus is the cornerstone of the church, but unity among the believers is what makes it work as a church.  Jesus set the standard for the church.  He gave it meaning.  He became our purpose.  The prophets and apostles built the foundation through their teachings on what to expect and how to follow Jesus (the Bible).  We are the living stones that continue to build the church.

    The church is a living unit.  Unity is necessary for it to be built and grow.  We learn how in the Bible.  The truth, wisdom, and guidance is all there.  If the believers are in the Bible, then they will hold onto unity with a common purpose and sense of belonging.

    Christians are not to be isolated.  We are not obeying God when we push His church away.  He created us to need each other.  It is a healthy co-dependency.  If we lean on each other so we can follow Jesus, then the need is not unhealthy.  It is empowering.  When we unite as a church in life and prayer, then we are uniting the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

    Unity with the Holy Spirit means that the heart is aligned with God.  When Christians come together united with the Holy Spirit, then their goals align to follow Jesus.  All hands are on deck.  It is not the small 10% doing all the work, but the entire church working for a common goal.  We can't accomplish the goal successfully unless everyone finds their way to be involved.

    The Holy Spirit provided gifts to be used for the church, not personal gain.  Christians have a responsibility to use their gifts in obedience to God.  If we obey, then we see so much good in life.  We work as a church.  We grow in the church.  We have fellowship that makes it where others want to become a part of the church.  The church only works if we are united together.

John 17:20-21, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Ephesians 2:17-22, Philippians 2:1-2, Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 10:23-25, & 1 Peter 2:4-8

Holy Church

 

    The Holy Church is a group of people that are joined together through salvation from Jesus.  They choose to form a membership in the community to share God's Word.  They rely on Him as their source of power.  It is a communion of saints as they come together in common faith.

    The Holy Church is a household of saints led by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus gave us access to the Holy Spirit at the moment we accept the truth and declare our faith.  There is no longer a difference between Jews and Gentiles.  There is now only believers (followers) or unbelievers.  All believers are united by one Spirit to be reconciled with God.

    Redemption brings transformation.  Christians see sin for what it is: evil, wicked, anything that goes against God.  It is the job of the Christian to convince the world the truth about sin and what is sin.  Sin is the problem.

    Being a part of the holy church is to be a part of God's family.  We are citizens in Heaven.  We are no longer children of wrath, but on God.  Salvation makes us a part of His household.  We were called out of sin and the darkness of the world to be given hope, fellowship, and a life in light.

    The Holy Church is all the people who live in faith: past, present, and future.  We are the ones that profess faith to the world.  It doesn't matter the nation, language, or culture we were brought up in.  We are united by faith.  We pray for each other as an international church.  We may be strangers in this world, but we will know each other in Heaven as family.

Acts 2:42-47, Romans 12:3-5, Ephesians 2:17-22, 1 Timothy 3:14-16, & Hebrews 12:1-4

Believe in the Church

 

    Church is the body of believers that follow Jesus.  It is not the building in which they gather at a set time during the week.  It is people that live life together.  They use their spiritual gifts to connect with the community and help the church grow.  They invest into other believers to make disciples.  This is why we need to believe in the church.

    Each church does communion at a different time.  It is scheduled, so that the people in the church can take the time to reflect on what it is about.  It gives the members time to make things right with other believers and God before they participate.  Christians are blessed and we need to remember that.  Communion is just a good time to do that as a Church.  

    Together we are God's temple.  The church has been delivered.  We have been passed over on the final judgment.  We have all this because we acknowledge that we are not perfect, we sin, and we need God.  The church community are just people that are trying to do better.  We are all on different places, but most are trying to grow in their relationship with God.  

    We are not perfect and we do hurt people.  The important thing is when we realize it, that we do what we can to make things right.  People have been hurt in churches.  Some don't like the hypocrites.  However, it is better to go to church with hypocrites than to hell with everyone else.  Instead, focus on how we can motivate each other to act in love.  Encourage each other to do good work instead of acting like people of the world.

    The church is full of spiritually sick people.  Hurt people hurt others.  Hopefully they are at church to get better and not continue to hurt other people.  If someone in the church hurts you, then let them know and choose to forgive them.  Do not part take in communion if you have not let go of that hurt.  Confess your hurts, evaluate your salvation, seek forgiveness, and then part take in communion with a clear conscience.

Mark 12:18-31, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Corinthians 11:23-34, Ephesians 2:17-22, & Hebrews 10:23-25