Episode 26: The Forgiveness of Sins pt. 1 | We Believe: A Study of the Apostles Creed
Why Forgiveness Comes First
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the order of the creed. It’s not accidental. We can’t fully embrace the hope of the resurrection or rejoice in the promise of everlasting life if we haven’t first recognized our need for forgiveness. That’s because the forgiveness of sins is the foundation of the gospel.
When we say “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we’re not making a casual claim. We’re confessing something deeply personal and universally true—we are sinners in need of grace. And that confession is essential. As beautiful and powerful as the resurrection and eternal life are, they mean very little without the good news that God has dealt with our sin first.
At baptisms in our church, whether it's a baby or an adult standing before the congregation, we ask a key question: “Do you recognize that this person—no matter how young or outwardly innocent—has the same problem as the rest of us: a sin problem they cannot solve on their own?” That question grounds us in Romans 5:12 and Psalm 51, reminding us that sin entered through Adam, and now it’s part of all of us from the start.
This is why the gospel is good news. Jesus, the second Adam, came to do what the first Adam couldn’t—live a sinless life, die a sacrificial death, and rise again so that we might be forgiven and made new.
What Forgiveness Means for Us
When we say we believe in the forgiveness of sins, we are acknowledging a few critical things:
We are sinners by nature, by choice, and by action.
We see it in our kids before they ever learn to talk. No one teaches a child to disobey or to lie. It's part of our nature. And as 1 John 1:8-10 makes clear, if we claim we don’t have sin, we’re deceiving ourselves—and calling God a liar.Our sin separates us from God.
Ephesians 2 says we were “dead in our transgressions and sins.” Dead—not just wounded or broken, but spiritually lifeless. That’s what total depravity means. It’s not that we’re as bad as we could possibly be, but that sin affects every part of us—mind, body, and spirit—and leaves us unable to save ourselves.Only Christ can save us.
The forgiveness we believe in isn’t earned by good behavior. It’s not the result of religious effort or moral striving. It’s a gift, accomplished by Jesus on the cross and offered to us by grace through faith. Our sins were imputed to Him, and His righteousness was imputed to us. This is the great exchange at the heart of the gospel.We still need daily forgiveness.
Though our sin debt is paid once and for all, we continue to ask, “Forgive us our sins” in daily confession. As believers, we live in the tension of being justified and still being sanctified. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray that prayer every day. Forgiveness is both a past event and a present need.
And let’s not forget how this doctrine was fiercely defended in the early church. The apostle John wrote passionately to confront the Gnostic teaching that denied the goodness of the physical world and even questioned whether Jesus truly came in the flesh. But we affirm that He did—fully God, fully man. His physical death matters because our sin is real. And His physical resurrection matters because our forgiveness is real.
Why This Matters
When we confess “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we’re doing more than quoting ancient words. We’re saying, “I have a problem—and it’s not just emotional or circumstantial. It’s in me.” We’re recognizing that we need salvation from sin and all its consequences. And in that confession, we proclaim our need for a Savior.
The forgiveness of sins is the doorway to resurrection and everlasting life. Without it, we have no hope. But with it, we have everything.
So, together with the Church throughout history, we affirm:
We believe in the forgiveness of sins.
And because of that, we can believe in the resurrection of the body.
We can hope in the life everlasting.
Amen.
From Death to Life: The Heart of the Gospel
As we journey through the Apostles’ Creed together, we’re reminded that our faith isn't just a list of doctrines to affirm—it’s a declaration of transformation. One of the most powerful reminders of this is found in Ephesians 2, where Paul paints the stark picture of who we were apart from Christ and what God has done for us through His mercy and love.
We were dead in our transgressions. Not struggling. Not in trouble. Fully dead. That means we couldn’t lift ourselves up, fix ourselves, or earn our way back to life. We needed Someone from the outside to come in—to quite literally resurrect us. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit, taking our hearts of stone and replacing them with hearts of flesh, just as Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied.
When the Spirit moves, we begin to love God, not just believe in Him. And that love transforms everything. It compels obedience, not out of fear or obligation, but out of genuine affection. If love for God isn’t our motivation, even the good things we do—justice, mercy, service—miss the mark. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 that without love, we are nothing, gain nothing, and do nothing of lasting value.
Love Is the Evidence of New Life
Paul’s words challenge us deeply: “If I give all I possess to the poor… but do not have love, I gain nothing.” We live in a time where causes and activism can become substitutes for actual transformation. But the gospel reminds us that love—real, God-centered love—is not optional. It’s the evidence of new life.
So, we pray differently. We don’t just ask that our friends and family become better people. We plead with the Holy Spirit to go get their hearts, to intervene supernaturally, to awaken them to the reality that Jesus is Lord. Because only the Spirit gives life. Only the Spirit awakens dead hearts.
And when that life comes, it shows. We repent. We turn. We look to Jesus. We stop pointing fingers at the world, at systems, at others. We acknowledge: “I am the sinner. I am the problem. And Jesus is the solution.”
Repent and Believe
This is how Jesus began His ministry, as Mark 1 reminds us: “Repent and believe the gospel.” It’s simple. It’s powerful. It’s the gateway to eternal life.
So as we continue this journey through the Apostles’ Creed, let’s remember that we’re not just studying theology—we’re proclaiming a rescue story. We’ve been brought from death to life. We love because He first loved us. And now, we live to love Him back.
Stay with us as we dig into the next part of the Creed—the forgiveness of sins—and examine how ancient heresies like plagiarism (Pelagianism) and the prosperity gospel are still alive and well today, just wearing new disguises.
