Sep 13, 2015 |Credo

The Liberating Power Of The Gospel

09.13.15 | Credo

The Liberating Power Of The Gospel

Noel Heikkinen

Pastor Noel Heikkinen launches the new Credo series by teaching on Riverview’s mission and vision, “to proclaim the liberating power of the Gospel,” to the Greater Lansing Area, the nation, and the world.

Various Scriptures

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Riverview Church’s Mission and Vision.

Riverview exists to proclaim the liberating power of the Gospel as we grow, serve, and go. We believe that Jesus Christ has set us free from the eternal consequences, guilt, and power of sin. No longer enslaved to our own sinful desires, we are set free to walk in step with the truth of the Gospel; we no longer live for ourselves, but for the name of Jesus, for the glory of God the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit; we will proclaim this message of freedom until every man, woman, and child in the Greater-Lansing area has repeated opportunities to hear and respond to Jesus; we will plant churches throughout the state of Michigan, proclaiming the message of the Gospel from there to our nation and world.

Christianity is about being free, but most of us don’t feel free.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18-21)

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Though the enemy may constantly accuse us, Jesus stands for us and with us.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. (Revelation 12:10)

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Jesus Christ has set us free from the eternal consequences of sin.

Jesus Christ has set us free from the guilt that comes with sin.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

Jesus Christ has set us free from the power of sin.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:1-2, 5-14)

“There is a chemistry of the heart (we are united to Christ) that is greater than the math of the mind (I am saved so I can sin).” 

– Bryan Chappel

Riverview exists to proclaim the liberating power of the Gospel as we grow, serve, and go.

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