Living Water

August 19, 2025

In John chapter 4, Jesus spoke these profound words to the Samaritan woman after asking her for a drink of water from the well: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10 NASB95) The woman is initially confused and perhaps a bit resistant, but Jesus continues, “… Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14 NASB95) What does this mean?  Let’s take a closer look.

We learn more about this living water in chapter 7, when Jesus stands up at the feast and cries out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’  But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive…” (John 7:37-39a) So, we see that the living water Jesus is offering is a reference to the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of God is like a fountain or a river of water that flows from our inner being.

There is a thirst within all people, modern and ancient, for something that will satisfy the soul.  There is a yearning for meaning and wholeness.  Man tries to fulfill this desire with earthly things—worldly pleasures, wealth, career, substances, and the like—but these things will never take away the inner longing.  The thirst will always return.  But what Jesus is offering is a never-ending source of life that will truly satisfy.  The Spirit of God, dwelling within us, brings satisfaction.  He brings joy and peace!  He brings true life!  With the Spirit dwelling within us, our souls become like well-watered, fruitful gardens which bring forth His beautiful fruit.  The water is a blessing not only to our own souls, but as it flows forth, it brings refreshment to those around us.

But notice that we have to come to Jesus for this living water.  We have to ask Him.  We have to believe in Him (and continue to believe).  If we spend our lives living with one foot in Jesus and one foot in the world, we will deprive ourselves of the living water.  But if we will continue to trust in Jesus and follow His voice, He will grant life and peace through His Spirit.  The living water will spring up to eternal life.

—Scott Colvin

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Born of Water and the Spirit

August 12, 2025

In John chapter 3, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 NASB95) What does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit?

First, let us notice the absolute need to be born again—from above.  No one will be able to enter God’s kingdom without this radical change, this complete transformation from above.  But how can a person be born again?  That was exactly the question that Nicodemus asked.  Jesus’ answer: One is born again of water and the Spirit.  But what does that mean?

To understand Jesus’ words, we need to consider the historical context.  What would have come to Nicodemus’ mind when he heard “water and the Spirit”?  At that time, John the Baptist was going around the region baptizing multitudes of people in water—an event that would have been the talk of all of Israel.  Jesus Himself was baptized by John.  When He came up out of the water, the heavens were torn open, and the Spirit of God came down upon Jesus as God announced to all that Jesus is His beloved Son.  These things created quite a stir among the religious leaders and all of the people.  Water and Spirit would have been on the minds of everyone, including Nicodemus.

Furthermore, we have other scriptures that show us what being born of water and the Spirit means.  Water and Spirit show up together in other passages.  For example, think of Acts 2:38, which says, “Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:38 NASB95) Baptism and the Spirit appear together here. Or how about Paul’s words to Titus: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5 NASB95) Here we have washing and the Holy Spirit appearing together.  Or what about these words, where the Spirit and baptism occur together again: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13 NASB95)

So, what do we learn?  One is born again of water and the Spirit when they are baptized into Christ.  That is the time at which the new birth happens, by the power and working of God.  We come up out of the water as a new person, born again from above.  Fundamentally changed by God.  Of course, all of this is made possible by Jesus, the One who was lifted up on the cross for all to look to in faith for salvation.  Baptism is an expression of that faith in Jesus, and the time at which, by God’s grace, we are made new by the Holy Spirit.  Have you been born again?  If so, are you still walking in the new life God has granted you?   

—Scott Colvin

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Jesus, the Word

August 7, 2025

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2 NASB95)

These opening words of the gospel of John have been thought of by many as an overture that beautifully introduces the coming symphony.  These words frame how we are to see and understand the rest of John’s gospel.  With the phrase, “In the beginning,” John calls to mind the opening words of Genesis which tells us about God’s creation of the universe.  Here in John’s gospel, we will be told of a new creation which God is bringing about through the Word.  “In the beginning was the Word.” The Word already existed in the beginning.  John wants us to know that the Word is not a created being but existed from all eternity.

“The Word was with God.” Not only did the word exist from the beginning, but He existed in the closest possible fellowship with God, so much so that it can be said, “The Word was God.” John is not saying that the Word had some divine qualities, but that the Word “is fully God.” (NET) The Word, in His essence, was fully deity, just as God the Father is.  Or we might say, what God is, the Word is.

Who is the Word that John speaks of?  We find that answer in verse fourteen which says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NASB95) As this sentence indicates, and the rest of the gospel shows us, the Word is Jesus Christ.  And so, we learn this profound truth:  Jesus is God.  He is God the Son.  Everything that God is, Jesus is.  As the author of Hebrews says of Jesus, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power…” (Hebrews 1:3 NASB95)

God has expressed Himself to mankind through the Word.  God has revealed to us who He is by sending His Son Jesus to “tabernacle” among us.  Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature.  When we look at the glory of Jesus, we see the glory of God.  And Jesus, as I write, is upholding all things by the word of His power.

Given all of this, what an amazing thought it is that God in the flesh came down to die for us.  Through the death of God the Son, those of us who have received Him have received eternal life.  We have become children of God.  We have been born again as a new creation.  Let us praise God for this amazing truth.

—Scott Colvin

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