Sunday, October 21, 2012

I Believe THAT, too! 私もそれを信じる!    パート 6


I believe in the Holy Spirit,        the Holy Christian Church,        the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,       the resurrection of the body,                   and the life everlasting.
Coming to a close on this teaching here with the final lines of the Creed.
1. Holy Spirit
2. Universal Church  (Body of Christ)
3. Communion of Saints
4. Forgiveness of Sins-basis for Faith
5. Resurrection of the Body-Blessed Hope
6. Life everlasting-and the story goes on, and on and on…

I believe in the Holy Spirit   From the Hebrew word for WIND, we get our Old Testament word for the Holy Spirit.  In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is used from the Greek word, I am told, for breathe or breeze.  The Breathe of God.”

   Many have associated or thought of the Holy Spirit as a THING rather than a Person as in the God Head: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  In my youth, I remember hearing and using the term “Holy Ghost” and was confused with that term as it conjures up in my young head something like Casper, the friendly ghost cartoon.  Something of a strangeness or even dark. Using the King James Bible, as most of us did back then, well, there was no other option for us.  This Ghost was a thing and not a person—as a ghost is not a person but maybe once was—couldn’t be more from the truth.  The Holy Spirit is a Person with whom we want to have a relationship with as with the Father and the Son.

   As part of the God Head, the Holy Spirit has a distinct personality that He shares with the other two in the Trinity. (The word Trinity does not appear in the Bible but the teaching is very clearly shown that Creator God is in three persons.)  The Apostles taught it that way and because of the location of this phrase in the creed, shows me, at least, that it was not an issue with them.  The Creed starts with I believe in the Father…and the Son…(and now) the Holy Spirit.”

   The Godhead shares at least five distinctive qualities.  (Because He is God, this is only a short list.)

a)     Omnipotent     ~He is ALL-powerful
b)    Omnipresent   ~God can be in ALL places at the same time.
c)     Omniscient      ~He is ALL knowing
d)    Eternal              ~He is eternal
e)     Equal                 ~He is equal within the Trinity

   Some will doubt this but it is the teaching of the Bible and foundational with the teaching of the Apostles. 

   The Holy Spirit was part of the Creativeness of the Godhead.  Genesis 1:1  The Hebrew word here is elohiym (can be found in most Bible research pages…not that I know Hebrew) and it is a plural form of God.  The Holy Spirit was present and active at the creation of all that is.  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

   There are three very simple facts to remember when you consider the Holy Spirit.  
1. He is a person—not a force. He is a distinct Person within the Godhead.  He is not a thing.     
  2. Our focus is not to be on Him alone as His role is to reveal Jesus…and Jesus’ mission is to reveal the Father.  And the Father has given to His Children the Holy Spirit so that we can come to Him through His Son. 
   3. The Holy Spirit gives Spiritual Gifts to Believers to be used in Ministry and empowers effective ministries.

   Maybe at another time we can look more into this but for our Creed study, let’s move on to the second phrase: the Holy Christian Church or the Universal Church the Body of Christ.

   Again, I grew up in a Roman Catholic/Baptist home.  At the age of 5 or 6, my Mom left the Roman Catholic church and embraced the church home of my father.  Back then in Rhode Island, there was a great deal of religious hate and anger.  Even gangs were set apart.  Certainly the, so-called Christian community was divided.  If you were a Protestant, then you were in the right.  If you were a Roman Catholic, you were in the right.  If you ate fish on Fridays, you were a good Catholic.  If your Lord’s Prayer lasted longer than other’s Lord’s Prayer, you were a Baptist.  Wine was served in the “higher” church’s communion service.

   In our church, back then, when we said the Creed—which was not very often as it was looked upon—wrongly—as a Roman thing—we NEVER would say Holy Catholic Church but something else—I don’t remember really.  The “Universal” word was not used as it sounded like the Universalist Church name.  In short, we all were working with broken definitions.  In truth, the words we used today in the Creed show a more ‘universal’ meaning and closer to what the Apostles had in mind in their teaching.  The Body Of Christ—worldwide.  We believe in the Body of Christ!  We believe in the Church that He started and lived for and died for!  We believe in the Church.

   Paul was very strong in this area.  When he spoke of families and of husbands and wives, he would end up speaking about, as he would say, what I am really talking about is the Church! He loved the Body of Christ and gave himself to the growth of that Body to become a healthy, growing, forgiving, active, loving community.  When you come on Communion Sunday, and you take the elements offered, I know for me, it is a blast!  I so look forward to the next time to share in this Lord’s Table. 

   The Body of Christ is active when her members respond to the call of God to live as Children of the Light.  Showing those around how much God’s love has changed them. Not in a bragging way, but in a honest, caring faction.  The old song put it, You will know we are Christians by our love.”
the communion of saints, We believe in the community of the Believers who had lived, are living now and will be enjoying the Grace of God. These are the Faithful ones or the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us who are in the Faith. Hebrews 12:1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,    ヘブル人への手紙 12章:1 わけでに多く証人たちがに私たちを取り巻いているですから私たちもいっさい重荷とまつわりつく罪とを捨てて私たち前に置かれている競争を忍耐をもって走り続けよではありませんか
   Our Heroes of the Faith. Those who have gone down the road you are going down at present and have made it to the other side—all the while—trusting in the Same Savior you have the joy of trusting right now. 
   Picture if you will an arena in which we are running the race of life that is marked out for us,” with the multitude of faithful men and women who have run before us…urging us on to faith and victory.  Their run of Faith becomes entwined with our run of Faith and may even remain dependent upon US since, as it says in Hebrews 11:40 “…only together with us would they be made perfect.” 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.      ヘブル人への手紙11:40  神は私たちためにさらにすぐれたもをあらかじめ用意しておられた彼らが私たちと別に全されるといことはなかったです
   Makes you wonder doesn’t it.  How you run makes a difference in those who ran before you.  You are not alone nor are you insignificant!  We need to depend on one another for Spiritual growth and success in the Walk of Faith.  Don’t let them down!  They had done their part—now it is our turn!
   We get the chance to participate in the Son of God by the Spirit of God in a communion of the saints with all Believers.
the forgiveness of sins [Christ] in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace(Eph. 1:7). Forgiveness is the cornerstone of the Christian Faith.  Here in Christ, anyone can find forgiveness for their sins—no matter how bad they were.  According to the riches of His Grace…therefore, all sin can be covered.  It is offered openly, without cost, yet it did cost God His own Son. 

   I believe that this is the most misunderstood doctrine of the Christian Faith.  The TWO most difficult teachings Believers have a hard time with is: 
  1) his sins have been forgiven—completely and eternally forgiven and 
 2) this forgiveness needs now to be extended to others.  Been forgiven and forgive. 

   Why is that so hard?  Because we are human and there are times we forget God is not.  He is Divine and He forgives.  And this forgiveness that the Creed teaches about is basic in the Bible and can reveal a great deal of hurt and pain.

   All of us needs to grow in this understanding.  Things done in our past that we just can’t forgive are areas of great need for our own forgiveness.  John 20: 23  If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”  ヨハネの福音書 20章: 23 あなたがたがだれか罪を赦すなら罪は赦されあなたがたがだれか罪をそまま残すならそれはそまま残ります
Eph 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.    エペソ人への手紙 4章: 32 お互いに親切にし優しい人となり神がキリストにおいてあなたがたを赦してくださったよ互いに赦し合いなさい
Col 1:14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  コロサイ人への手紙 1章: 14 御子ちにあって私たちは贖いすなわち罪赦しを得ています
Col 2:13  When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,  コロサイ人への手紙 2章: 13 あなたがたは罪によってまた肉割礼がなくて死んだ者であった神はなあなたがたをキリストとともに生かしてくださいましたそれは私たちすべて罪を赦し

Col 3:13  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  コロサイ人への手紙 3章: 13 互いに忍び合いだれかがほか人に不満を抱くことがあっても互いに赦し合いなさい主があなたがたを赦してくださったよあなたがたもそしなさい

Romans 4:5-8  5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:  7 Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”   ローマ人への手紙 4章: 5 働きもない者が不敬虔な者を義と認めてくださる方を信じるなら信仰が義とみなされるです6 ダビデもまた行いとは別道で神によって義と認められる人幸いを言っています7 不法を赦され罪をおおわれた人たちは幸いである8 主が罪を認めない人は幸いである.
Acts 13:38-39 38 Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.   使徒の働き 13章: 38 ですから兄弟たちあなたがたに罪赦しが宣べられているはこ方によるといことをよく知っておいてください39 モーセ律法によっては解放されることできなかったすべて点について信じる者はみな方によって解放されるです
   It is not a matter of if you….then I will forgive.”  That is under the Law.  Now, it is confess you sins and you will be forgiven.”  Under Grace. Matthew 6:12, 14-15.  12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.    マタイの福音書 6章14 もし人罪を赦すならあなたがた父もあなたがたを赦してくださいます15 しかし人を赦さないならあなたがた父もあなたがた罪をお赦しになりません
Luke 6:37c just says it plainly: Forgive and you will be forgiven. ルカの福音書 6章: 37 さばいてはいけませんすれば自分もさばかれません人を罪に定めてはいけませんすれば自分も罪に定められません赦しなさいすれば自分も赦されます
Luke 17:3-4 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”   ルカの福音書 17章: 3 気をつけていなさいもし兄弟が罪を犯したなら彼を戒めなさいそして悔い改めれば赦しなさい4 かりにあなたに対して一日に七度罪を犯しても、『悔い改めますと言って七度あなたところに来るなら赦してやりなさい
 Forgive one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.” Eph 4:32.    エペソ人への手紙 4章: 32 お互いに親切にし優しい人となり神がキリストにおいてあなたがたを赦してくださったよ互いに赦し合いなさい
 Same in Col 3:13. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. コロサイ人への手紙 3章: 13 互いに忍び合いだれかがほか人に不満を抱くことがあっても互いに赦し合いなさい主があなたがたを赦してくださったよあなたがたもそしなさい
   With offenses done against God, note the order:
1. Offense committed.
2. Confrontation and rebuke.
3. Repentance of offender.
4. Forgiveness extended by victim. And
5. God’s forgiveness extended.

   Once we are forgiven, we are free.  Thus, the forgiveness of sins
the resurrection of the body  This is called, once again, “The Blessed Hope!”  In the last day, those who are dead in Christ will be raised from the dead.  Remember when Jesus visited Martha and Mary at their bother’s funeral?  Jesus spoke about this there. Go to John 11: 21 Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
 ~Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ~   Titus 2:13  テトスへの手紙 2章: 13 祝福された望みすなわち大いなる神であり私たち救い主であるキリストイエス栄光ある現れを待ち望むよにと教えさとしたからです
and the life everlasting.  Life everlasting-and the story goes on, and on and on…
   He would not lie to us.  When He said this in John 14:2-4, He meant it.  2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.   ヨハネの福音書 14章: 2 わたし家には住まいがたくさんありますもしなかったらあなたがたに言っておいたでしょあなたがたためにわたしは場所を備えに行くです3 わたしが行ってあなたがたに場所を備えたらまた来てあなたがたをわたしもとに迎えますわたしいる所にあなたがたをもおらせるためです4 わたし行く道はあなたがたも知っています

Do you believe Him?


Help for this sermon was given from The Berean Bible Society and from the web page: yahoo.co.jp/jusus_christ_no1