My New Freedom in Christ #5
Developing Spiritual Foundations • Sermon • Submitted
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How to Experience God’s Forgiveness
1. In Romans 3:20, we see the Bible’s definition of guilt. Write it
20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
down in your own words.
A feeling of self-reproach. Being aware of right and wrong.
2. In light of Luke 18:9-14, answer the following questions.
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
a. Can someone be unaware of their guilt?
Yes, unintentionally.
b. What are people to do when they realized they are guilty?
Do restitution Gods way.
c. Who was forgiven and why?
The tax collector because he humbled himself.
d. What did the apostles tell us to do when we realize we are guilty? See I John 1:9.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confess our sins
3. What keeps a person feeling guilty? See Isaiah 1:4-5.
4 Oh sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, brood of evildoers, depraved children! They have abandoned the Lord; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they have turned their backs on him. 5 Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep on rebelling? The whole head is hurt, and the whole heart is sick.
Resisting God
4. Quickly list the consequences of an unrepentant heart found in
Psalm 38:1-14.
1 Lord, do not punish me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2 For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has pressed down on me. 3 There is no soundness in my body because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. 4 For my iniquities have flooded over my head; they are a burden too heavy for me to bear. 5 My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. 6 I am bent over and brought very low; all day long I go around in mourning. 7 For my insides are full of burning pain, and there is no soundness in my body. 8 I am faint and severely crushed; I groan because of the anguish of my heart. 9 Lord, my every desire is in front of you; my sighing is not hidden from you. 10 My heart races, my strength leaves me, and even the light of my eyes has faded. 11 My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction, and my relatives stand at a distance. 12 Those who intend to kill me set traps, and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me; they plot treachery all day long. 13 I am like a deaf person; I do not hear. I am like a speechless person who does not open his mouth. 14 I am like a man who does not hear and has no arguments in his mouth.
a. Spiritual - Cut yourself off from God
b. Emotional - Depression
c. Relational - People avoid you
d. Physical - Waste away lose health
5. How does the Bible describe a person who denies their sins?
a. I John 1:6
6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.
A liar
b. I John 1:8
8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Self Deception
c. I John 1:10
10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
We call God a liar
6. Who can set you free from the guilt and the pain of the past? How does he provide it? See Romans 3:22-26.
22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. 26 God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Christ-through his redemption on the cross.
What is my part in the process? Faith
7. Because of your faith in Christ, God makes several affirming statements about you:
a. John 1:12
12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,
I am a child of God
b. John 15:15
15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.
I am Gods friend
c. Romans 8:1
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,
I have eternal life.
d. I Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.
I am Gods purchased possessions
e. II Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
I am a new creation
f. Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
I am Gods Masterpiece
g. Colossians 1:14
14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
I am forgiven
h. I John 5:18
18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the one who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.
I am born of God
8. How does one handle the sins they commit after putting their faith in Christ?
a. Psalm 32:5
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
Confess sin
b. James 5:16
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Confess to each other and pray for each other
9. What must be accompanied with confession?
a. Proverbs 28:13
13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Renunciation of Sin
Describe how a person renounces their sins:
Recognizing it and (work) progressing at never doing it again
b. Joel 2:12-13
12 Even now— this is the Lord’s declaration— turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. 13 Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster.
Repent with your whole heart
What does repentance mean?
Change your ways
10. When a person repents and confesses their sin what is God’s response?
a. Psalm 103: 10,12
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Gracious when we don’t deserve it!
b. Isaiah 43:25
25 “I am the one, I sweep away your transgressions for my own sake and remember your sins no more.
He forgets our sins.
11. Take some time to finish these sentences and discuss them with
your discipler. In this lesson…
I have discovered __________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
I believe __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
I feel _____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
12. Write out a prayer to God in response to what you have learned
in this lesson.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
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