Advertise on podcast: Boasting on SermonAudio

How Can We Have Confidence in Our Salvation? | Hebrews 10:15-22 Not all confidence is created equal. False confidence is brash and boastful; true confidence is secure and peaceful — like a daughter jumping off the couch into her father's arms, knowing he will catch her. How can we know the confidence we have before God is true and not false? Hebrews 10 gives us a sure sign: when God saves us, the Holy Spirit writes His laws on our hearts and minds, so that we are deeply grieved over our sin and truly desire righteousness. Yet our confidence is grounded not in our own sincerity, but in Jesus alone. Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, through the new and living way He opened for us, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, we can draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith — washed clean, truly redeemed, deeply loved, and warmly welcomed. Hebrews, Day 34 — a devotional study through the book of Hebrews with Pastor Jason Van Bemmel of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church.

Romans 11:18 "Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee." King James Version

This, the 49th sermon on Romans, explores the call for believers to embrace humility and unity within the body of Christ, using the metaphor of a 'Humble Workers Union' to illustrate mutual dependence. The message emphasizes that while individual gifts and functions differ, all members belong to one body under Christ's headship, requiring a sober assessment of self rather than inflated pride. Drawing from Romans 12, the teaching urges the congregation to view their spiritual gifts as expressions of God's grace intended for active service to others, not for personal boasting. The tone is pastoral and encouraging, addressing contemporary cultural divisions by contrasting them with the biblical mandate for shared belonging and diligent, cheerful ministry. Ultimately, the sermon challenges listeners to move from passive reception of grace to faithful, humble action that supports the collective mission of the church.

Ephesians 2:8-10 Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. 0For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

This sermon concludes the book of Galatians by examining Paul's exclusive boast in the cross of Jesus Christ as the sole source of spiritual blessing and redemption. It contrasts the man-centered boasting of false teachers, who sought to secure their own glory through circumcision and escape persecution, with the believer's reliance on the new birth and the death of the world to the self. The message emphasizes that true righteousness is motivated by a high view of God and results in a life marked by the love and service of Christ rather than external religious observances. Believers are encouraged to walk according to the rule of the Gospel, recognizing themselves as the true Israel of God who possess peace and mercy through grace. The sermon calls for a transformative application of this truth, urging the church to bear the marks of Christ through sacrificial love and to rest in the sufficiency of His grace.

Theme: The Scriptures Witness to Believers Being Saved While Sinners, Prior to Any Works I. Abraham Believed God and it Was Accounted to Him for Righteousness – vv. 1-4 A. If Justified by Works, we Have something to Boast About – vv. 1-2; Ro 3:20; Is 64:6; I Co 1:31 B. Belief Accounted for Righteousness – v. 3; Gen 15:6 C. If Salvation were by works, it would not be grace – v. 4; Lk 17:7-10 II. God Justifies the Ungodly by Faith – vv. 5-8 A. Being Justified by Faith is Grace – v. 5; Eph 2:8-9 B. Justified apart from works – vv. 6-7; Ps 32:1-2; 85:2 C. Sin NOT Imputed – v. 8; 2 Co 5:19 III. Sacraments are Seals of the Righteousness Received Through Faith – vv. 9-12 A. Faith Accounted for Righteousness Without Sacrament – vv. 9-10; Mt 3:9 B. Sacraments are Signs and Seals of Imputed Righteousness – v. 11 C. Salvation in the Way Abraham was Saved is not Limited to a time and people-group – v. 12; Col 2:11

In this message from John 6:24-29, Pastor Rockhill opens the preliminaries of the Bread of Life discourse, pressing the crowd's question of why they sought Jesus after the feeding of the five thousand. He shows that the multitudes followed Christ not out of saving faith but out of fascination with His signs, and worse, out of a carnal craving to be fed without labor. Their hearts had reduced the Savior to a provider of perishable bread. The central burden is the difference between temporary fulfillment and eternal blessing. Pastor Rockhill warns that signs are given to point beyond themselves to the truth they signify, drawing a careful parallel to the sacraments, which are signs and seals of grace rather than the salvation they represent. To fix upon the sign while missing Christ is spiritually and eternally dangerous. The heart of the passage is Christ's call to labor not for food that perishes but for food that endures to everlasting life, a gift freely given by the Son of Man whom the Father has sealed. When the crowd seizes on works, Pastor Rockhill answers with the gospel: eternal life is received, not earned, and even faith itself is the gift of God, lest any man boast. The application is searching and tender. Pastor Rockhill urges hearers not to harden their hearts or view Christ through the eyes of this material world, but to humble themselves, repent, and believe, feasting by faith on the everlasting food that Christ alone supplies.

This sermon examines the doctrine of justification by closely analyzing Romans 3:24-28, emphasizing that righteousness is bestowed upon the believer rather than earned through human effort. The message distinguishes between being declared righteous and being made righteous, refuting the idea that salvation is a progressive work of human merit or a combination of faith and works. It highlights that justification is freely given by God's grace through the redemption found in Christ Jesus, who serves as both the just and the justifier. The teaching further clarifies that this method of salvation excludes boasting and applies universally to both Jews and Gentiles, establishing the law rather than voiding it. The tone is instructional and doctrinal, aiming to correct misconceptions about works-based salvation and affirm the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.

This sermon examines Romans 3 to clarify the distinction between national covenant promises and individual salvation, arguing that being part of God's chosen nation does not confer spiritual advantage or leniency. The text asserts that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin, with the Law serving solely to reveal guilt rather than provide justification. The central message emphasizes that righteousness is manifested apart from the Law, accessible only through faith in Jesus Christ, who serves as the propitiation for sin. This doctrine ensures that God remains both just and the justifier, excluding all boasting in human works. The tone is instructional and convicting, urging listeners to rely entirely on grace rather than cultural identity or religious performance for their eternal security.

Biblical humility begins with seeing God rightly and remembering His grace in Jesus Christ. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins examines Philippians 2:3–8 and 1 Peter 5:5 to explain how Christ's humility shapes our everyday relationships. Learn to receive biblical correction, acknowledge and use your God-given gifts without boasting, confess sin, forgive others, and serve faithfully. Humility grows as we recognize our dependence on the Lord and look to the Savior who humbled Himself for sinners. Part of our November series on gratitude and Christian character. For more from Contending for the Word Q&A, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-qa/

The sermon explores the doctrine of justification by examining the Westminster Confession of Faith and the book of Hebrews, emphasizing that Christ's active and passive obedience provides a full, real, and proper satisfaction to God's justice. It argues against the notion of partial atonement by highlighting the once-for-all nature of Christ's sacrifice, which perfectly discharges the debt of sin for the elect. The text outlines the Trinitarian structure of salvation, where the Father decrees justification in eternity, Christ accomplishes it in time, and the Holy Spirit applies it to believers through regeneration and faith. By establishing Christ as the surety who bears the guilt of sin and imputes His righteousness to believers, the message underscores that salvation is solely of free grace, excluding any human merit or boasting. This theological framework serves to comfort believers with the assurance of their secure standing before God, grounded entirely in the finished work of Christ.