Preparing Our Children for War

July 14, 2023

When should you allow children to be exposed to evil in this world? I have had several conversations over the years with parents about this question. We all know that it is not a question of if they will be exposed to evil, but how much exposure should parents allow, and at what age? How old should your children be before you let them have a smart phone? Allow them to be on social media? Watch the news?

Good Christian parents will have differences of opinion on this topic, and perhaps there is no one-size-fits-all answer. One thing is certain, there is a spiritual battle going on for the souls of our children. We must prepare them. We must be on a wartime footing, spiritually speaking, and must be training our children to survive the battle. As we read in Ephesians chapter 6, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:11-12 NAS95) This warfare imagery is very instructive. Think of it this way: If a war was raging in this country, would you hand your little one a gun and a helmet, wish them luck, and send them off into battle? No! They are too young and inexperienced. They would most certainly lose their life. But what about spiritual warfare, where the stakes are much higher? Are you preparing your children to fight the battle?

It seems to me that we prepare our children in stages over time. When they are young and innocent, we must protect them and carefully shield their minds and hearts. They are not ready to fight and would be swallowed up in a minute. As they grow older, we must step up the preparation and training. We must show them how to put on the armor of God while still carefully protecting them from danger. One day, when the war shows up at our front door, we must face the battle with our children. They are still very vulnerable and inexperienced. They are like a private just out of basic training, but you are like a battle-hardened sergeant. You will keep them close to your side, pointing out the dangers, showing where the enemy lies in wait, and watching their flank.

It is critical that we all realize this battle is real and ongoing. When parents don’t realize this fact, they can throw their kids right into the war without any defenses. There are grave spiritual dangers on the internet, social media, television, and all around us. May God help us and give us the wisdom to prepare our kids for battle.

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | Christian, Christian parenting, Ephesians 6:11-12, parenting, preparing children, protecting children, spiritual warefare | Permalink
Posted by Russell Holden

The Importance of Women in the Church

July 7, 2023

It is sometimes said by those who are not very familiar with the scriptures that the apostle Paul imposed an unhealthy view of women on the church. The facts of the matter, though, are very different. Paul and the other New Testament writers, following the teaching and example of our Lord, placed a high value on women. In fact, the scriptures elevate women far beyond the typical status they had in ancient societies and specifically emphasize their great worth and equality with men in the eyes of God.

One passage in which you can see Paul’s high view of women quite clearly is Romans chapter 16. In this chapter, Paul spends some time greeting his fellow workers in the gospel. It is interesting to note his deep gratitude for his sisters in Christ. For example, he commends Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea, because “she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.” (Romans 16:2b NAS95) He also commends Prisca (Priscilla) as a fellow worker in Christ Jesus because she, along with her husband, “risked their own necks” for Paul’s sake (verse 4). Paul specifically mentions four women, Mary (verse 6), Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis (verse 12), because of their hard work for the Lord. In addition, it is clear that Paul thinks highly of Rufus’ mother (verse 13), Julia, and Nereus’ sister (verse 15). These women were all important to the work of the church. They were dedicated servants of God.

While it is true that men and women have different roles in the church and in the family, we must always remember that women are, and always have been, equally important to God. As I think of Paul’s high regard for these women, I am reminded of my own high regard and thankfulness for the women of this congregation. The Lord is at work in many ways through you ladies. Your gifts and abilities are critical to the healthy functioning of the church. May God richly bless our sisters in Christ, and all of us, as we strive to do the work of the Lord.

— Scott Colvin

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Posted by Russell Holden

Why Read the Old Testament?

June 30, 2023

If I am a New Testament Christian, that is I’m under the new covenant, why should I read the Old Testament? As a reader of the entire Bible, I recognize that the question is short-sighted. It fails to listen to the testimony and evidence of the New Testament. Many reasons for reading the Old Testament alongside the New can be given.

1. The New Testament quotes the Old Testament 96 times without indicating that it is a quotation. We are simply supposed to be familiar enough to recognize it. It cites the Old Testament 238 times with indications of it being a quotation, and it alludes to the Old Testament 1640 times.* Many times, it is helpful for us to be familiar with these passages in the Old Testament context to understand them in the New Testament. The New Testament also mentions by name over 100 people from the Old Testament.

2. Luke reports of Jesus, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27, ESV). We cut ourselves off from some of the evidence for Jesus being the Christ, the Messiah, if we do not know the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Christ.

3. Paul writes in Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (ESV). The Old Testament scriptures still serves the New Testament people of God in encouraging endurance.

4. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (ESV). Paul had just surveyed some of the history of the Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings. These Old Testament examples still instruct those under the new covenant. We see good examples to follow, and bad examples that warn us of the paths not to follow.

5. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (ESV). He has reminded Timothy of the sacred scriptures that he had been acquainted with from his infancy. This is a clear reference to the Old Testament scriptures. So, all scriptures would include both the old and the new. The Old Testament still has a teaching, reproof, correction, and training role in our lives.

Clearly, we must distinguish between the covenants so that we properly understand our covenant obligations. Christians don’t practice animal sacrifices for example. But the New Testament itself gives us ample reasons to continue to read the Old Testament.

—Russ Holden

*Jackson, Jeffrey Glen, and Rick Brannan, eds. New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2015.

Leave a Comment » | 1 Corinthians 10:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Luke 24:27, Old Testament, read, Romans 15:4, why, why read the Old Testament | Permalink
Posted by Russell Holden

Knowledge and Love

June 24, 2023

Did you know that you can be right about a topic and yet be completely wrong? Did you know that even if you had a perfect Bible knowledge, you could be very far from the Lord? How can this be?

The church desperately needs to remember these words penned by Paul, “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.” (1 Corinthians 8:1b-3 NAS95)

Certainly, the knowledge of God is vital to our Christian walk. It is absolutely critical that we know the word of God and the commands of God. Without the knowledge of God, we would perish. But knowledge is not the entire story! In fact, knowledge without love amounts to nothing! (1 Corinthians 13:2). Walking in knowledge without love makes a person arrogant. Knowledge without love tears down the people of God and the work of God. How many times have we seen brothers or sisters hurt, relationships destroyed, and churches splintered because God’s people are walking in loveless knowledge? Walking in knowledge without love can cause us to sin grievously against one another and against Christ (1 Corinthians 8:12). Walking in knowledge without love can cause us to destroy one for whom Christ died (1 Corinthians 8:11).

But what about love? Love edifies. Love builds people up. Love strengthens the church of God. Love never tears people down. Love transforms the expression of our knowledge and makes it acceptable to God.

Yes, let us always strive to increase our knowledge. Let us always be willing to discuss the correct doctrine and the correct interpretation of the word. Let us always be willing to correct one another, when needed, according to the knowledge of God. But brethren, let us make certain that we do all these things in love.

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | 1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 Corinthians 8:1-3, 1 Corinthians 8:11-12, knowledge and love | Permalink
Posted by Russell Holden

The Supremacy of Love

June 19, 2023

“If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.” (1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NAS20)

Love is the most important quality we can possess. Without love, we are nothing. Let the magnitude of this truth sink in for a moment. You could be the most spiritually gifted person the world has ever seen, but without love you are nothing. You could be a person of great knowledge, but without love, all your knowledge amounts to nothing. You can be a person of great faith, generosity, and service, but without love, none of these things mean anything to God.

Without love we have nothing, but with love we have everything. It is when we walk in love that we truly begin to know who God is. It is when we walk in love that we begin to take on the nature of our God. It is when we walk in love that we fulfill everything that God has commanded in the Law and the Prophets. When Jesus was questioned about the greatest commandment in the law, He replied, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND’. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF’. Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36–40 NAS20) Do you see the supremacy of love? It is both the first and the second greatest command in the Law. Everything God has said hangs upon love.

Brethren, let us walk in love! This is the most important thing we can learn to do. This is something we should devote ourselves to, because without love we are nothing, but with love we are becoming everything that God wants us to be.

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Matthew 22:36-40, supremacy of love | Permalink
Posted by Russell Holden

Test Yourselves

June 9, 2023

“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NAS95)

These are the apostle Paul’s instructions to the church at Corinth. The church was struggling with sin—so much so that Paul was afraid of what he would find when he came to visit them. There needed to be some serious testing and self-examination. There needed to be a genuine effort on their part to discover the true nature of their relationship with God. Were they still in the faith? Was Christ still dwelling within them? They needed to test and see.

What is the nature of this self-examination? How can you test to see if you are still in the faith? That Christ is still in you? From the context of the passage, it seems that the test is this: Are you continuing in unrepentant sin? Paul says earlier in chapter 12, “For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish… that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances…” (2 Corinthians 12:20 NAS95) Paul is afraid that he won’t find what he wishes to find, i.e., that they are still in the faith. What would be the evidence of this? Ongoing interpersonal strife. An ongoing unwillingness to get along with each other. When someone continues unrepentantly in these things, they are failing the test!

Paul goes on in the next verse, “I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.” (2 Corinthians 12:21 NAS95) There needs to be a test! A critical self-examination! Those who continue on in unrepentant sexual immorality are failing the test!

If Christ is really in us, there will be an obvious change in how we live our lives. We don’t fail the test because we sin, or because we struggle with temptation. No, we fail the test when we continue on in a lifestyle of sin.

We fail the test when we choose to not turn from our sins. Is there sin in your life that you need to repent of? Is Christ in you? Let us test ourselves to see if we are in the faith.

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | 2 Corinthians 12:20, 2 Corinthians 12:21, 2 Corinthians 13:5, test yourselves | Permalink
Posted by Russell Holden

They Laughed at Him

June 3, 2023

The situation was grave, and the request was urgent. Jairus’ daughter was dying, so he sought Jesus’ help. When he found Jesus, he fell at his feet and implored him to come to his house. Think about this for a moment. Have you ever felt so desperate that you fell at someone’s feet to make your plea?

Jairus’ only daughter was dying. Let the word “only” sink (Luke 8:42). It is not that with several children you have one that can be expendable. The death of any child would be horrible. Yet, there is a special pain that accompanies the word only. To lose an only daughter is to have no other daughter left to comfort you. To lose an only daughter is to have no other daughter to give you grandchildren.

Do you think Jairus was urgent getting Jesus to move in the direction of his house? After all, the crowds pressed around him. It would be like seeing an ambulance with lights flashing and siren sounding stuck in a traffic jam. Then Jesus himself stopped to ask who touched him. And then a further delay as Jesus spoke with a woman who had been ill for twelve years but was now cured. No doubt a wonderful cause as you worry that the joy of the past twelve years of your life may be fading away.

While Jesus was speaking, the bad news from home arrived: “You daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” Yet, Jesus pressed on. He assured Jairus that she will be well. But when they arrived, they were confronted with the realities of death — weeping and wailing. Jesus responded, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” But the hearers knew death only too well, and they laughed.

This laugh of derision was changed to joy. Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter, but I suspect that the disciples of Jesus heard this kind of laugh again.

  • Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. Acts 17:32, ESV
  • And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” Acts 26:24, ESV

With this laugh, I am reminded that the disciple is not above his master, and what they do to the master, they will do the one who follows. They laughed at Jesus, and some may very well laugh at us, but I am persuaded of the power and reality of Jesus’ resurrection.

—Russ Holden

Leave a Comment » | Acts 17:32, Acts 26:24, Jesus, laughed, luke 8:42-56, ridicule for the faith | Permalink
Posted by Russell Holden

When You Suffer Unjustly

May 27, 2023

Have you ever suffered unjustly? Have you ever had someone slander you? Have people ever looked down on you or ostracized you for your faith? How should a Christian react to unjust suffering? The apostle Peter deals with this question very thoroughly as he writes to Christians who are facing this very thing. Let’s look at his inspired words and see how the Lord wants us to react in these situations.

“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…” (1 Peter 3:13–15a NAS95)

“But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (1 Peter 4:13–14 NAS95)

“For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps… and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;” (1 Peter 2:20–23 NAS95)

Some very important principles emerge from these verses. What does the Lord want us to understand when we suffer unjustly? First, we must understand that we are blessed! As we share in the sufferings of Christ, we should rejoice because the Spirit of God is resting upon us. Second, we need to lay aside fear. This can be very hard to do, but we need to set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts. Jesus needs to reign supreme in our hearts, not fear. Third, we need to keep entrusting our­ selves to God who judges righteously. We often want to take matters into our own hands, as if we are alone in our struggle. We may be tempted to get even and fire back at those who are hurting us, but his was not the way of the Master. He en­ trusted everything to the Father, and so should we. Finally, we need to realize that as followers of Christ, we have been called for the very purpose of suffering for what is right, following in the footsteps of Jesus. He laid down His life even for those who persecuted and abused Him. What a powerful lesson for us. Let us fol­low His example!

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Russell Holden

Prayer and What Might Have Been

May 19, 2023

We could probably all say that our prayer life is not as rich as we would like it to be. The Lord tells us to be devoted to prayer, yet we struggle to pray like we should. Even the most devoted Christians feel this struggle with prayer at times. What is it that hinders our prayer life? Is it busyness? Is it a lack of faith? Is it doubt that prayer really works?

I think one of the most powerful hinderances to our prayer life is our inability to see what might have been. As human beings, bound by time, we are not able to see and know for sure what our lives would have been like if we had made different choices. What would your life be like if you had gone to a different college? What would your life be like if you had never met your spouse? If you had moved to a different city? The fact is that we do not and cannot know for sure. We have an inability to see what might have been.

In a similar way, what would your life be like if you had not been a person of prayer? Perhaps we don’t have a devotion to prayer because we don’t ever see what our lives would have been like without it. Perhaps we assume that the good things in life “just happened,” and that prayer had little to no effect. But in reality, our lives could have been vastly different, in a bad way, had we not been people of prayer. Here’s a question: what has the Lord kept you from because of your prayers and the prayers of others on your behalf? What disasters have been averted? What heartaches have been avoided? What temptations never came our way? What might your life have become without prayer? Another way to ask the question is this: what would your life have become without the direct intervention of God in it? I shudder to think of the answer.

We’ll never know for sure what might have been, but if we could know, we might be astonished, and it might cause us to put much more emphasis on prayer. Though we are unable to see these things, realize this: God does see and know not only what would have been, but also what is, and what will be. And with His perfect knowledge God is telling us, “Be devoted to prayer!” God knows that prayer matters! Prayer impacts our lives in profound ways, whether we can fully see and understand it or not. Prayer changes things because it invites the Almighty to shape and direct our lives for our good. Let us thank the Lord for keeping us from what might have been, and let us renew our dedication to being people of prayer.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Russell Holden

The Need for Biblical Preaching

May 12, 2023

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:1-2 NASB95)

Listen to the seriousness of this charge the apostle Paul gives to the young preacher, Timothy. Paul charges Timothy in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is the Judge of the living and the dead. He charges Timothy by the appearing of Christ and by His kingdom. As Paul writes, he is quickly nearing the end of his life. What is this solemn charge that he wants to make certain Timothy understands and appreciates the gravity of? The charge is this: preach the word!

We have a great need in the church for biblical preaching and teaching. Why is it so important? It is the word of God that breathes life into us. It is the word of God that will renew our minds and transform us with the Spirit’s help. There is nothing else in the world that can do that. When we faithfully preach the word of God, the saints of God are hearing the voice of God through the word. What an amazing thought that we have the words of God Himself handed down to us. And what a tragedy it is when the word of God is not proclaimed! When the church is not fed with the word, spiritual malnourishment and atrophy quickly begin to set in.

I ask myself often, what is biblical preaching and teaching? What is it not? I have observed over the years that there is a type of preaching that seems biblical at first glance but is actually not very biblical at all. This type of preaching (and teaching) gives a nod to the word of God, and then goes its own way. It is a type of preaching that only uses the Bible to prove what we think we already know. There is very little actual listening to God. There is very little dealing with the text and wrestling with its meaning. The listeners can come away with a good feeling that “God agrees with us,” but we never carefully listened to what God said. We didn’t sit at His feet to listen in humility. Instead, we passed over the scripture like a stone skipping over the water.

To those who preach and teach among us: let us heed the solemn charge of God. Preach the word! To all of us who assemble to hear the word of God proclaimed (myself included): cherish the word of God and take it into your heart. May God bless us all in this endeavor.

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | 2 Timothy 4:1-2, Biblical preaching | Permalink
Posted by Russell Holden

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