Exploring Romans - Romans 16 - The Saints of Rome, Warnings, and Doxology

Christ's Promise of Cleansing - Heidelberg Catechism #71

Pastor Jason's devotional on Heidelberg Catechism Question #71

Already, But Not Yet - 1 Corinthians 4

In this devotional on 1 Corinthians 4, Pastor Jason Van Bemmel addresses the danger of adopting a worldly worldview within the church. The core issue for the Corinthian church was that they evaluated people and ministries based on how culturally impressive they were.Key takeaways from the text include:Confronting Worldly Pride: The gospel does not conform to the value systems of the surrounding culture. Instead, it directly confronts human pride, arrogance, and the worldly cravings defined as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.The Contrast of Christ and Pilate: Believers are called to imitate the humble and meek nature of Jesus Christ rather than worldly models of power. During His trial, Jesus appeared helpless and beaten, while Pontius Pilate held all the power of Rome. Yet, it was Pilate who was truly helpless to accomplish his goals, whereas Jesus successfully went to the cross.The "Already, but Not Yet" Kingdom: The Corinthians were guilty of an "over-realized eschatology," meaning they tried to pull the glory of the future kingdom into the present age. While believers will eventually inherit the new heavens and earth and be perfected in glory, that consummation has not yet arrived. In the present life, Christians are called to endure suffering, labor, and live by faith and hope rather than expecting immediate eternal treasures.Misjudging Faithful Ministry: Because they desired worldly glory now, the Corinthians risked misjudging faithful, ordinary Bible teachers. Pastors who preach about suffering and taking up the cross can appear unimpressive to a culture seeking secret insights and immediate power.The Path of the Cross: Just as Jesus rejected Satan's offer to claim the world's kingdoms without the cross, believers must recognize that true glory requires enduring the cross first. Exaltation comes after the grave.

Cleansing by Blood & Spirit - Heidelberg Catechism #70

Pastor Jason Van Bemmel of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church continues our study of the Heidelberg Catechism by exploring Question 70: What does it mean to be washed with Christ's blood and Spirit?Building on the foundation of baptism and the sacraments, this message dives into the beautiful, biblical reality of what it means to be truly cleansed by God. Pastor Jason breaks down this spiritual washing into two vital parts:Washed with Christ's Blood: Receiving the absolute forgiveness of sins through grace, entirely because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.Washed with the Spirit: Experiencing renewal and sanctification by the Holy Spirit, empowering us to die to sin and lead a holy, blameless life as members of Christ.Scripture References in this Devotional:Zechariah 13:9 – The fountain opened for cleansing.Ephesians 1:7 – Redemption and forgiveness through His blood.1 Peter 1:1-2 – Sanctification of the Spirit and sprinkling with His blood.Revelation 1:5 – Freed from our sins by His blood.Ezekiel 36:25-27 – Sprinkled with clean water and given a new Spirit.John 3:5-8 – Born of water and the Spirit.1 Corinthians 6:11 – Washed, sanctified, and justified.

Faithful Building on the Foundation of Christ - 1 Corinthians 3

Paul addresses the Corinthian church's division and jealousy, noting they are acting like "infants in Christ". The congregation had splintered into factions loyal to different leaders, such as Paul, Apollos, and Peter. To correct this, Paul emphasizes that ministers are merely God's workers; it is God alone who provides the growth. Jesus Christ is the sole foundation of the church, and ministers must be careful how they build upon it. Works built using worldly wisdom (described as wood, hay, and straw) will be burned up and fail the testing by fire on the Day of Judgment. At Forest Hill, the focus remains on faithfully preaching and living the Bible, rather than utilizing worldly church growth strategies.

Baptism & Cleansing - Heidelberg Catechism #69

Baptism is a divine sacrament instituted by Christ as a visible sign and seal of the gospel, pointing believers to the one sacrifice of Jesus on the cross as the sole basis of salvation. It signifies and seals the cleansing of the soul from sin through the blood of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, not through the water itself, which is merely a symbol of spiritual purification. Pastor Jason emphasizes that baptism does not confer salvation or regeneration by virtue of the rite alone, but rather testifies to the reality of forgiveness and renewal that come by grace through faith in Christ’s atoning death. Drawing from Scripture, including passages from Acts, 1 John, and Titus, it affirms that the Holy Spirit applies Christ’s blood to believers, regenerating them not by human works but according to God’s mercy. Ultimately, baptism is a powerful reminder of the believer’s union with Christ and the ongoing work of the Spirit in sanctifying and renewing the soul.