❓The great question
❗️The great confession
🙏🏼The great blessing
📣The great declaration
🔑🗝️🔐The great authority responsibility or access

This key is the Gospel and the response to it.
The key of the Gospel is forgiveness
Defining forgiveness. There is always a price to be paid for wrong.
The question is who absorbs and pays for the cost 💲.

Leviticus 4:20 CSB
[20] He is to offer this bull just as he did with the bull in the sin offering; he will offer it the same way. So the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven.


Example from VBS…their favorite toy. I used the example of my bicycle and Aaron the leader of rec and games for VBS.

Having a key-access, trust, integrity, power, control, ownership

Bind-in bondage, not released from, under the control of
Loosed-set free, no longe under the bondage

When you turn from your self, your sin, the world system, and submit to Jesus as your Sin bearer, Savior, and King you are released from your sin.

Some people want their sins forgiven but they don’t want to turn from their sin. They want to still be on the throne of their life and personal ambitions. They don’t want to relinquish control they really don’t ultimately have anyway. The want to say they believe in Jesus but not as He commands for salvation.

(ESV Global Study Bible Notes) keys of the kingdom of heaven. Peter (along with all who are called to preach the gospel) is given the authority to provide entrance into the kingdom through their proclamation (unlike the scribes and Pharisees in 23:13).
In Acts, Peter is the apostle who first preaches the message of the kingdom
to the Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2),
to the Samaritans (Acts 8), and
to the Gentiles (Acts 10).
whatever you bind . . . whatever you loose. Peter also has authority to exercise discipline concerning right and wrong behavior for those in the kingdom.
This authority is extended to the church as a whole in Matt. 18:18;
compare John 20:23.

Matthew 18:15-20 CSB
[15] "If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. [16] But if he won't listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. [17] If he doesn't pay attention to them, tell the church. If he doesn't pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you. [18] Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. [19] Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them."

John 20:23 CSB
[23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Bound in sin:
John 3:18,36 CSB
[18] Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. [36] The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

1 Corinthians 5:5 CSB
[5] hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 CSB
[9] I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. [10] I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world. [11] But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. [12] For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don't you judge those who are inside? [13] God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.

Acts 5:3-4 CSB
[3] "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? [4] Wasn't it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn't it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God."

1 Timothy 1:20 CSB
[20] Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

The church has the keys to the kingdom to simply declare what Heaven has made clear. What Jesus who is the Great Representative of Heaven, has made clear.

Side note: where is Heaven? Wherever God is. So wherever He is, I simply want to be there.
The local Scripture led Church should be a glimpse of Heaven as we are a temple of the Holy Spirit-minimally it is individually, ultimately it is the church assembled or gathered.

Acts 2:37-38 CSB
[37] When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" [38] Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:38 CSB
[38] Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you.

Matthew 6:12,14-15 CSB
12] And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
14] "For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.
15] But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.

the keys of the Kingdom is the Good News, Gospel of Jesus. The key of the Gospel is forgiveness
forgiving the debt of others.
receiving the gift of having our debt of sin paid for and forgiven.
are you still bound in bondage or are you loosed and set free?