Trustworthy Speech

August 29, 2023

Psalm 15 is a beautiful description of the character that God wants in His people.  The psalm begins in this way: “O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?  Who may dwell on Your holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1 NAS95) Who is it that God will allow into His presence?  Who may live in God’s tent on His mountain?  Much of the answer that follows is focused on our speech.  Only those who have integrity of speech may come before the Lord.

Who may come into God’s presence?  It is the one who “speaks truth in his heart.” (Psalm15:2 NAS95)What does this mean?  To speak truth is to speak what is correct (to the best of our ability), but also that our words would be trustworthy.  Can people rely on the things you say? When you speak, can people take it to the bank?  Do you follow through on your verbal commitments?  What does it mean to speak truth in the heart? Our words must be sincere.  The things we say should truly line up with the thoughts of our heart.  Contrast this with the ungodly and unfaithful person of Psalm 12.  “They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.” (Psalm 12:2 NAS95)  

The one who may dwell in God’s presence is one who “does not slander with his tongue.” (Psalm 15:3 NAS95) Our words should never tear down another person.  Perhaps, in our hearts, we have a low opinion of someone, or think negatively of something they have done.  In those cases, it is wise to think very carefully before we speak.  Slander is a serious offense in the eyes of God.

In verse four, we see once again the importance of integrity of speech. The one who may dwell in God’s presence is one who “swears to his own hurt and does not change…” (Psalm 15:4 NAS95) This is a person who will not go back on his word, even if it later becomes clear that it is going to cost him.  Yes, to go back on what you said you would do is sometimes necessary (in cases of emergency or serious unforeseen circumstances) but doing so should never be done lightly.  As the people of God, let us make sure that our word is as good as gold.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Today

August 18, 2023

I like the emotional honesty of Augustine’s Confessions. His mother, Monica, had believed in Jesus Christ and prayed for her son all his life. But Augustine was ambitious and lustful. He had pursued philosophy and rhetoric. He had made money. He had satisfied his bodily appetites even having a mistress and a son out of wedlock. He admitted that he had opposed Christian belief “out of malice.” This became his prayer: “I had prayed to you for chastity and said ‘Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.’”*

The words, “but not yet,” tell a cautionary tale. We have another expression “sow your wild oats.” The problem with sowing wild oats is the law of harvest. “You reap what you sow.” “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” I have known some people who sowed their wild oats and came to their senses. The story of the prodigal son has been repeated by many a son or daughter. But sometimes there are painful consequences even when forgiveness is found. David sowed to the wind with Bathsheba, and he reaped the whirlwind of a rapist Amnon and a treacherous, mutinous Absalom. “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psalm 32:1). But better is it to learn this lesson sooner than later.

“But not yet” has another danger. There are other prodigals who have simply stayed in the far country. The danger of repentance put off is that sin has way of deceiving and hardening our hearts. “But exhort one another every day … that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13, ESV).

“But not yet” also presumes that opportunities for repentance are unlimited. I deliberately left out part of the quote from Hebrews 3:13 in the above paragraph because it is fitting here: “as long as it is called ‘today.’” Hebrews is reminding its readers that not all the wilderness generation made it to the promised land. The quotation from Psalm 95 sums up the issue and is repeated twice in the chapter for emphasis. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:7-8, 3:15, ESV)

Today is the day we have. Maybe we will have tomorrow, and maybe we won’t. As Paul states, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2, ESV). “But not yet” is tempting.

Yet, repentance and salvation are too important. God will help us say no to our sinful past if we trust him. May all of us seize the opportunity called today!

—Russ Holden

*Augustine, The Confessions, 8.7

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Posted by Russell Holden

God, the Examiner of Hearts

August 8, 2023

One theme that we find in the Sermon on the Mount is that God sees the thoughts and intentions of our hearts, and that those inner thoughts and intentions will determine our standing with God.  It’s not merely our actions that God is concerned about, but the condition of our inner being.  For example, in the Beatitudes, Jesus pronounces a blessing upon those who are “poor in spirit,” on those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” and on those who are “pure in heart.”  Each of these qualities are first and foremost a condition of the inner person (though they certainly create noticeable, external effects).

Later in Jesus’ sermon, He continues teaching about the condition of our hearts.  “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court…” (Matthew 5:21-22a NAS95) We all get angry at times, but Jesus is teaching us that to continue in anger toward another, to nurse our anger and hold on to it makes us guilty before God.  This is entirely a matter of the heart!  Notice that Jesus hasn’t said anything about the words we say in anger, or the things we do in anger.  It’s all about what is going on inside—things that only God could know!  Yes, Jesus deals with the words that we might say in anger (later in the same verse). But notice that it all starts as thoughts within the heart.

Similarly, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28 NAS95) Here is another case where no physical act is taking place.  One might think they are in a right relationship with God because they didn’t “do” anything.  But Jesus says that God looks at lust in the heart as adultery.

Sometimes people will flippantly say, in order to lightly excuse their sinful behavior, “God knows my heart!”  Yes, God does indeed know our hearts, and the sin that dwells there can condemn us eternally.  We must have a deep concern about the condition of our hearts!  The teaching of Jesus, when heard carefully, will not cause us to casually dismiss our sinfulness, but will drive us into the arms of Jesus to beg for His mercy, His cleansing, and His continual transformation of our hearts through His Spirit.  Thank God for the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus!      

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

A Heart for God

July 28, 2023

God has always been supremely interested in the heart of man. He is always looking inside of us to see if we have a genuine love in our hearts for Him. The scriptures are quite clear that God has never been interested in religion without heart. In fact, going through religious motions when our hearts are disengaged is a great offense to Him. Jesus said to the Pharisees of His day, “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’” (Matthew 15:7–9 NAS95) The Pharisees were simply going through the religious motions. They were doing things by rote and thought that this pleased God. Their religion was an external one—it may have had the correct form, but in God’s eyes—because He didn’t have their hearts—it was all in vain. It meant nothing to God.

Why is God so interested in our heart? It is because everything about our lives flows from our hearts. When the heart is set on God and His ways, wonderful, God-honoring things flow out of our lives. But when our hearts are far away from God, our lives become defiled. As Jesus said in the same passage as above, “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man…” (Matthew 15:18-20 NAS95). And how do you think God will feel when our actions are continually in direct opposition to Him, yet we come before Him with empty praises and simply go through the motions? Will God accept worship such as this?

Does God have your heart? Do the words that you sing and the prayers that you pray genuinely reflect the life you are striving to live? If not, what should you do? Be honest with Him. Admit your sin to Him. Ask for His help. Cry out for His mercy and grace. Genuine, heartfelt responses such as these will always find favor with God. He desires truth in our innermost being, and a broken and contrite heart He will not despise. May God help us all to offer a genuine, heartfelt worship to Him today.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Russell Holden

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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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Posted by Russell Holden

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