Title: Whose Fault Is This?
Speaker: Rev. Jason Van Bemmel
Series: Heidelberg Catechism Devos
Date: January 21, 2026
Bible: Genesis 1:26-31; Psalm 8:4-6
Episode Summary: In this installment of the 2026 Heidelberg Catechism series, Pastor Jason Van Bemmel explores Question #6: "Did God then create man so wicked and perverse?". While previous lessons focused on human guilt, this devotional clarifies that our brokenness was not God’s original design.
Pastor Van Bemmel breaks down the "Image of God," explaining that humanity was created "very good" and endowed with four specific gifts:
1. True Righteousness: Having the upright character of God.
2. True Holiness: Being uniquely set apart for fellowship with the Creator.
3. Right Knowledge: The capacity to truly know God and His creation.
4. Dominion: The authority to rule over the earth as God’s representatives.
Drawing from Genesis 1, Psalm 8, and Ecclesiastes 7:29, the lesson highlights how humanity fell from this state by seeking out "many schemes". The devotional concludes with the hope of the Gospel: Jesus Christ, the "Second Adam," has come to restore the perverted image of God within us and return us to our original purpose—to know, love, and glorify God forever.
Key Scripture References
Genesis 1:26-31: The creation of humanity in God's image.
Psalm 8:4-6: The glory and honor bestowed upon mankind.
Ecclesiastes 7:29: God made man upright, but man sought out many schemes.
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