November 4, 2025
“And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind” (John 9:39 NASB95).
Why did Jesus come into this world? It was for judgement. But how can this be reconciled with Jesus’ earlier statement in John chapter 3? Jesus said to Nicodemus, “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). Jesus did not come to earth with the goal of condemning mankind. No, He came to save. He came to offer eternal life. Nevertheless, the words of Jesus, which embody truth and light, will by their very nature create a separation. In John 9:39, Jesus uses the word “judgement” not in the sense of condemnation, but in the sense of separation based on the response of people to His word. Some, when they hear the words of Jesus, will come into the light, but some will reject His word and go farther into the darkness. This type of judgement is unavoidable.
And what is the judgment? That those who do not see may see. Who are those who do not see in this passage? It is those who have been in darkness but who long for the light. It is those who recognize their spiritual poverty but hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is those who recognize their spiritual ignorance and their need for God. It is those who, like the tax collector of Luke 18, beat their breast and cry out to God, “Be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). It is people like this to whom Jesus will grant sight!
But on the other side of this separation are those “who see.” Jesus came that those who see may become blind. Who are those who see? It is those who are like the Pharisees. It is those who are self-righteous. It is those who think they already know all the answers. It is those who think they already have their lives together. It is those who are impressed with their own spiritual performance. It is those who are so sure that they already see. Jesus says it is these who will become blind because they will reject Christ and His word. It is those who say, “we see” who will remain in their sins (John 9:41).
In all of this, there is encouragement and warning for you and me. On which side of the divide will you fall? Will Jesus grant you sight? It all depends on our willingness to recognize our spiritual need and to humbly listen to the words of Jesus.
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Posted by Scott Colvin
October 21, 2025
Jesus is the light of the world, and His light shines upon all, but people will have vastly different reactions to Him. What is your response to the Light?
John writes in the opening of his gospel, “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5 NASB95). Jesus stepped in to this dark world as a blazing beacon of light. What was the response of the darkness? They didn’t comprehend it. What do we learn from this? Don’t be surprised if the world cannot grasp who you are or what you stand for. John continues, “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9) Those who will step into the light of Jesus will find enlightenment. God will shine light into their hearts and onto their path.
In John 3, we learn more about how people respond to the Light. “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3:19-21). We learn some profound truths here. Why will some people refuse to come to Jesus? It is because they don’t want the light shining on how they are living. If we live in darkness we can come to love the darkness and desire to remain in it. What a dangerous situation to be in! It is like spiritual Stockholm syndrome, where abused captives begin to love their captor. What else can we learn from these verses? We should not be surprised if the world hates us. It is the nature of darkness to hate the light, and we are light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8).
But there is also good news here. We see that those who practice the truth will come to Jesus. It may not always be comfortable for us to come, because the light does expose our sinfulness. But those who love truth will come. And even those who are walking in darkness can choose to come, as you and I did. Not everyone in darkness wants to remain there.
Let us be encouraged by the offer of Jesus, made to all people: “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life’” (John 8:12) Let us continue to follow Jesus and let Him light up our world.
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
September 30, 2025
Is it the case that God chose some individuals, before time began, to be saved, but chose that others to be eternally lost? Are some people “elect” and others not? This is a doctrine that is taught by many well-meaning people in Christendom. But does it line up with the scriptures? Is it in line with the nature of God as revealed in the scriptures? This is a dangerous doctrine that leads to some very serious errors. Let’s take a closer look.
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NAS95)Did Jesus die only for the elect, or for the entire world? Is His offer of salvation only for some, or for whoever will believe? Jesus said in John chapter 5, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life…” (John 5:24a NAS95) Again, is Jesus offering eternal life to anyone who will hear and believe? Or is He only offering life to the elect?
Someone may say, “Ah, but what about John chapter 6?” Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me…” (John 6:37a NASB95). And also, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him…” (John 6:44a NASB95) Don’t these statements prove that some are elect, and some are not? That some can come to God and some cannot?
Yes, Jesus says that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws him—but how does the Father draw people? The very next verse explains: God draws people through His word. Jesus said, “… Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.” (John 6:45b NASB95). God invites all people, through the word, to come to Jesus, but only those who have heard and learned from the Father will come to the Son. Those who do not know the Father will reject Jesus. A second way in which the Father draws all people to Himself is through the cross. Jesus says in chapter 12, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself. But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.” (John 12:32-33). All are invited, but many will reject Jesus and His sacrificial death.
This rejection of the word and the cross is not what God desires. Remember these words of Paul, that God “…desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4 NAS95) Or consider what Peter wrote that the Lord is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NAS95) What is God’s desire? It is for all people to be saved! He does not wish for any to perish, but for all to repent! Is this really God’s desire? If so, are we to believe that He would condemn most of mankind to the fires of hell before they were even born? Are we to believe that God truly desires all to repent, but created most people with the complete inability to repent? Do these ideas line up with the plain statements of the word of God?
I am so thankful that God does indeed desire all people to be saved. He gives all people the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. This is the plain testimony of the scripture. Praise God for sending His Son to rescue us from eternal condemnation!
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
September 23, 2025
In John chapter five, Jesus healed a lame man who was lying by the pool of Bethesda. This man had been ill for 38 years and Jesus healed him by simply telling him to get up, pick up his pallet and walk. (John 5:8) While one might expect that this great miracle and blessing bestowed on this man would induce great rejoicing in those who heard of it, quite the opposite occurred. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day, and because of that, the Jewish leaders persecuted Him. They even sought to kill Him. Why? Because Jesus said these words: “… ‘My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.’” (John 5:17 NASB95)
Why did this statement so enrage the Jews? The next verse explains: “…because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:18 NASB95) They were not wrong. Jesus was indeed claiming equality with God, and in His teaching in the following verses, He reinforced this claim very clearly in multiple ways. But how is Jesus’ claim to be working on the Sabbath a claim of equality with God?
The creation account in Genesis tells us that on the seventh day (the Sabbath) God rested from His work which He had done (Genesis 2:2-3). God made the Sabbath for man as a day of rest, but does God work on the Sabbath? He certainly does. People are born and people die on the Sabbath. The sun shines, the rain falls, and the crops grow on the Sabbath day. People can be healed from disease on the Sabbath. We could multiply examples. Aren’t all of these things the work of God? In fact, if God stopped working on the Sabbath day, the entire universe and everything in it would cease to exist!
So, when Jesus said that He works on the Sabbath just as God does, He was clearly claiming to be more than a mere human. Man was to rest on the Sabbath, as commanded. But just as God has the divine prerogative to continue His work on the Sabbath, Jesus, too has that divine prerogative! Thus, He made Himself equal to God!
What is the takeaway for us? If Jesus is God (and He is!) we had better listen very carefully to His word! Because Jesus is God, He also has the right and the ability to judge, to raise the dead and to give eternal life to whomever He wishes (see John 5:19-29). Jesus said to the Jews of that day, and His words remain true today, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24 NASB95). Are you listening to the words of Jesus and believing in Him? Jesus is God the Son! Let us listen to His almighty voice!
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
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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Posted by Scott Colvin
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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Posted by Scott Colvin
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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Posted by Scott Colvin
June 10, 2025
In this dry and weary land in which we live, in this world of noise and stress, we often need renewal in our inner being. Where do you turn when your soul needs to be refreshed? I like how the old hymn we sing puts it: “But when my soul needs manna from above, where could I go but to the Lord?”1 There is a great truth here. Only the Lord can renew and restore our souls. There is no other true source of inner renewal.
David knew this truth. Listen to his words in Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3 NASB95) The word “restore” here can mean that God brings our soul back when we stray from Him, as a shepherd brings back a wandering sheep. It can also mean that God brings back liveliness and vitality to our inner being2. Biblically speaking, both senses are true and certainly needed.
Listen to the words of David in Psalm 63: “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 NASB95) David found himself in a dry and weary land, both literally and figuratively speaking. I’m sure we have felt the same at times. The world we live in can be harsh and dry and can sap the vitality right out of us. But we, like David, can find refreshment from God. As David ponders the power, the glory, and the love of God in this Psalm, and as he turns to worship God, he exclaims, “My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.” (Psalm 63:5 NASB95) David found deep, inner satisfaction from contemplating God and His goodness.
In Psalm 19:7, David writes, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul…” (Psalm 19:7 NASB95) The word of God can restore our soul. It can bring us back to the right path when we stray. It can reach into our hearts and give us an inner liveliness again.
Where do you turn when your soul needs renewal? Where could we go but to the Lord? As we worship God today and hear His word, may He grant renewal for our souls!
—Scott Colvin
- “Where Could I Go?” Lyrics by J.B. Coats
- Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT)
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Posted by Scott Colvin
May 20, 2025
In Psalm 25, David makes a plea to God, asking Him to be his teacher. “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4–5 NASB95) Have you ever asked God to be your teacher? I’m convinced that God will be pleased to hear this prayer from us and to answer it. But who is it that the Lord will teach?
God will teach those who wait for Him. To wait on God is to rely on Him. It is to set your hope on Him and expect that He will answer you. God is looking at us to see if we trust Him and Him alone. He is pleased to help those who wait on Him.
Who will God teach? It is the one who is humble. “He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.” (Psalm 25:9, NASB95) In order to be taught, we must be teachable. This is the essence of humility—being teachable. The humble person does not think too highly of themselves or their own knowledge, and therefore they are ready and willing to receive wisdom from God. If we begin to believe that we have arrived or that we already know everything, we should not expect to receive any additional insight from God. But God is pleased to teach the humble in His way.
Who will God teach? It is the one who fears Him. “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” (Psalm 25:12 NASB95) The person who fears the Lord stands in awe of who He is. They recognize His power, His wisdom, and His holiness. The one who fears the Lord will be diligent to stay away from the path of sin because they have a healthy dread of displeasing Him. The one who fears the Lord opens the word of God and trembles at what he reads. It is this person that God will instruct in the way he should choose.
Have you asked God to be your teacher? Think of the wonderful blessings that will be ours if God Himself teaches us His paths and makes us to know His ways. Let us ask God to teach us and let us also prepare our hearts to receive His teaching.
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
May 20, 2025
Timothy became a traveling companion and assistant on Paul’s second missionary journey. Timothy had a good reputation with the church, and he proved to be a valuable worker. Timothy is mentioned with Paul as a sender in 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon. He worked in Berea, Macedonia, Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus. He accompanied Paul on his final trip to Jerusalem, and Hebrews mentions his release from prison (Hebrews 13:23). But we gain a personal insight into Timothy’s life, when Paul wrote: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Timothy 1:5, ESV). Timothy owed a spiritual debt to his mother and grandmother.
Eunice and Lois were not a perfect mother and grandmother. Why did Eunice marry a Gentile? Was that a good spiritual decision given the instructions of the Law? Were they grieved when Timothy’s eighth day of life passed without a circumcision as the Law commanded (Acts 16:3)? Yet, maybe that can be reassuring to us. We can have a positive spiritual impact having made some bad decisions in our life. Few of us would volunteer ourselves as models of perfect parenthood. The past is past. We must live for God today, and that is what Eunice and Lois did.
Eunice and Lois had a sincere faith. Faith is more than having your name on a church membership role or occupying a pew on Sunday morning. Faith must be lived in daily life. Our devotional life must overflow from the assembly into family and private devotions. Our moral life must be demonstrated on how we treat real people and not what lessons have we heard. If we have strong faith, it is more likely that our children will have strong faith. If we have moderate faith, our children may see the inconsistencies and have weaker faith. If we have weak faith, our children may have no faith. We can’t pass along what we don’t have. The greatest gift we can give our children is being people of sincere faith.
Eunice and Lois nurtured faith in Timothy. Paul reminded Timothy of his past: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15, ESV ). We can imagine Timothy taught Bible stories from his earliest years. We can imagine spiritual insights shared in daily life at those teachable moments.
Timothy owed a spiritual debt to his mother and grandmother. Lois and Eunice had a spiritual legacy because of their sincere faith and faithful instruction.
Mothers are important to us in many ways, but a spiritual legacy is the greatest gift of all. Happy Mother’s Day!
—Russ Holden
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Posted by Scott Colvin
while today 