November 14, 2025
What is the fate of this present world? One day, this world and all of its works will pass away. As Peter writes, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10 NASB95). God is going to bring the present order of things to an end. Just as He destroyed the earth in the days of Noah by water, so also one day He will destroy the heavens and the earth with fire.
While we weep at the certain fate of those who have rejected Christ on that day, you and I who are in Christ can also look forward with anticipation to that day. Why? Because God has promised that He will create new heavens and a new earth. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
What will the new heavens and earth be like? Revelation chapters 21 and 22 give us some insights into this:
- It will be a place where God Himself will live among us (21:3)
- There will be no death there (21:4)
- There will be no mourning, crying, or pain (21:4)
- There will be no need of the sun or the moon there because God will illumine it, and Jesus will be its lamp (21:23)
- There will be no night there (21:25)
- There will be no sin there (21:27)
- The river of the water of life will be there (22:1)
- The tree of life will be there (22:2)
- We will see God’s face there (22:4)
- We will reign forever with God there (22:5)
In short, the new heavens and new earth will be a place of great beauty. It will be like Eden once again, where man walked and talked with God in unbroken fellowship.
Don’t you want to go to that land? How can we dwell there forever? We must have our names written in Jesus’ book of life (Revelation 21:27). Have you come to Jesus, in faith, in the way He has commanded, so that your name will be written there? And if you have come to Him, let us continue in Him. As Peter wrote, “Therefore, beloved since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…” (2 Peter 3:14). Are you being diligent in your walk with Him? May God help us to continue in faith so that we can see that land He has promised to His children.
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
November 11, 2025
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28 NASB95)
Jesus’ sheep hear His voice. This plain statement of Jesus has caused me to reflect on my own preaching and teaching, and I hope it will stir reflection in all among us who proclaim the word of God. What can we learn from Jesus’ words?
First, we should not be surprised or disappointed if some do not respond when we faithfully proclaim the words of Jesus. This very thing happened to Jesus Himself. He said to the Jews who would not accept Him, “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep” (John 10:26). There will always be people in the world who simply do not care to hear or learn from God (John 6:45). They are not Jesus’ sheep; therefore, they do not respond to His voice.
Second, we should never modify or water down the words of Jesus in any way in order to bring more people in. There are many in the religious world who do just that. Many will try to make the words of Jesus more exciting, more entertaining, and more in line with modern-day thinking. The message may be softened in order to get more people in the pews. This is a very serious error that injures both the saved and the lost. It injures the saved, who are already a part of Jesus’ flock, because they want to hear the voice of Jesus in every sermon and in every class. They long to hear His voice! They will follow His voice! If we don’t let the flock hear the clear and powerful voice of the Great Shepherd, we are doing enormous harm to the church. But modifying the message does great harm to the lost, as well. There are people in the world who are searching for God, who want to hear the truth, and will respond very positively to the voice of Jesus (the blind man of John 9 is a perfect example of this). But if we do not give these people the clear, unadulterated words of Jesus, how will they become a part of his flock? We might think that we’re doing a good thing by softening the message and making it more “entertaining,” but in the end, what have we done? We’ve kept the seekers from hearing the voice of Jesus (to which they would have responded) and offered a watered-down gospel to those who will reject Jesus anyway. But if we preach Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), if Christ’s word resonates from our pulpit and our classrooms, then we can really help both the saved and the lost.
Jesus’ sheep hear His voice. May it always be said of this church body that the word of Jesus is boldly and clearly proclaimed!
—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
Leave a Comment » | following Jesus Christ, Jesus called God, John 5:17-18, John 5:24, Sabbath | Tagged: Bible, Breaking the Sabbath, Christianity, faith, God, Jesus, Jesus' claims to be God, John 5, Sabbath, The Deity of Jesus, The Divinity of Jesus, Was Jesus God? | Permalink
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
May 9, 2025
Everyone wants to live “the good life,” but what does that mean? Many think the good life is being wealthy, living in comfort, or retiring early. Some think the good life is one of partying and fun. Some may think it is found in a very successful career. How would you define the good life? And how can you obtain it?
Listen to these inspired words of David:
“Do you want to really live? Would you love to live a long, happy life?
Then make sure you don’t speak evil words or use deceptive speech.
Turn away from evil and do what is right. Strive for peace and promote it.” (Psalm 34:12-14 NET)
So, how can we really live? First, we must control our speech. We need to choose to not speak evil. Evil words include things like gossip and slander. It would include words that are spoken in a fit of anger that wound another person. Things like these can make our lives miserable (by our own doing) and rob us of the good life. We must also choose to not speak words that are deceitful. Lying or misleading people with our words brings much trouble and sorrow. On the other hand, using words that are filled with love, with truth, and encouragement will not only bless those around us, but will bring God’s blessings into our lives.
Second, to really live, we must turn away from evil. We live in a world that is full of evil. You and I must choose not to participate in deeds of darkness, and we must strive to not let it influence us or our families. But it is not enough to turn away from evil. We need to also do what is right. We face the choice to do right or wrong on a daily basis. If you want to really live, choose what is right! Then the rich blessings of God will flow into your life.
Finally, to really live, we need to strive for peace and promote it. How does one promote peace? By being humble toward others, by speaking with gentleness and grace, by being patient with others, and by forgiving those who have wronged us—just as the Lord forgave us. We promote peace by refusing to keep a record of wrongs and by choosing to not harbor resentment and bitterness toward others. When we fail to pursue peace, we will bring a lot of sorrow into our own lives. But if we will follow the way of peace, we will be richly blessed. Those who sow peace will reap its beautiful fruit.
How might we summarize these instructions? Live like Christ. Reflect His love. Those who do will find true life!
—Scott Colvin
Leave a Comment » | evil, good, peace, Psalm 34:12-14, the tongue | Tagged: Advice for a good life, Bible, Christianity, faith, God, How to have a good life, Jesus, Living the good life, Psalm 34 | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin
April 22, 2025
People sometimes wonder, “If we are New Testament Christians, what is the purpose of studying the Old Testament?” Many of you are currently reading the Old Testament as part of your regular Bible reading, and you may be wondering the same thing. The truth is, there are many wonderful reasons to study the Old Testament today. We will be blessed by it because it is the word of God and contains timeless truth that we need to know and remember. As Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4 NASB95) Paul also wrote to Timothy about the value of all Scripture. “… from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:15-16 NASB95) The sacred writings that Paul refers to, that Timothy would have known since he was a boy, are the Old Testament Scriptures.
And so, we see that the Old Testament was written for our instruction. It was written to give us perseverance and encouragement. It was written to give us wisdom, to teach us, reprove us, correct us, and train us in righteousness. As we read the Old Testament, we learn valuable lessons to help us in our daily lives—lessons about obedience to God, trust in God, and how to treat our fellow man.
When we read the Old Testament, we get a clear picture of the holiness of God. We see His hatred of sin. We can come away with a reverent fear of our God who is “a consuming fire.” We need to know these things about God!
When we read the Old Testament, we also get a clear picture of God’s patience, His grace, and His love for mankind. We see God’s desire to bless His people and do good to them. We see His patience as His people turn away from Him again and again with stiff necks and hard hearts. And yet, God is patient. God is kind. He gives people opportunities to come back to Him, and even when He punishes His people, He gives them hope of a restored relationship with Him in the future.
The Old Testament leads us to Jesus. It shows us the depth of our sinfulness and our need for God to rescue us. It clearly shows us our inability to live up to God’s standard of holiness and righteousness. Throughout the pages of the Old Testament, we see God working in the affairs of this world to bring about a Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament contains ancient words, ever true, that came from the mouth of God. We will be blessed if we study it!
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
January 9, 2025
I would like to encourage each of us to be Bible readers in 2025. In a world where there are always things eagerly competing for our attention (many of them good things), it is important to commit ourselves to hearing the voice of God clearly and often. There is nothing more important that we could do.
The word of God is eternal. “Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:7-8 NAS95) When we pick up the word of God, we hold the eternal in our hands. When we read the word of God and reflect on it, we fill our minds and hearts with everlasting truth.
The word of God is transformative. If we will give ourselves to hearing and heeding the word, it will change us (as God allows). Sometimes it causes in us a radical, immediate change, and other times it molds and shapes us steadily over time as the words take root in our hearts.
Don’t you want this in your life? Is something holding you back from regular Bible reading?
Setting a reading schedule is a great idea, but don’t get overly focused on the schedule. What I mean is, if you have determined to read every day, don’t get discouraged and quit if you miss a day (or a few of them). Just start back up again. Reading at a pace slower than we intended is infinitely better than not reading at all. And don’t get discouraged if you come upon sections of scripture that you don’t understand right away. You are reading the words of God—some things are going to be hard to understand. Also, don’t be deterred from reading because you feel overwhelmed at the thought of reading the entire Bible. If you struggle with this, why not determine to read the New Testament? Or the Psalms? Or one chapter of Proverbs each day for a month? Or perhaps you could choose a book of the Bible and get into it very deeply by slowly meditating on every word.
And in all of our reading, allow me to encourage you to not see it as a checklist to accomplish each day. It is much more than that. It is an encounter with the Living God. It is time spent in the heart of God. It is building a relationship with Him. Let me also encourage you, as you read, to ask the Lord to be your teacher. Let us pray as David did, “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 NAS95) May God lead each of us in His truth and teach us His ways.
—Scott Colvin
Leave a Comment » | Bible reading, daily Bible reading, Isaiah 40:7-8, Psalm 25:4-5, regular Bible reading | Tagged: Bible, Bible in a year, Christianity, daily Bible reading, New year's resolutions, spiritual disciplines, Spiritual transformation | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin
November 12, 2024
This article is a call for our younger men to begin preparing themselves to serve as elders in the church. Elders (also referred to as shepherds, pastors, bishops, or overseers) have a very critical role to play in the life and health of the church. And since becoming an elder takes years of spiritual preparation, the church should always be looking ahead and thinking about how to prepare faithful men for this role.
We can read about the qualifications of elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Let’s take a look at some of the qualifications and consider how a man might prepare himself to fulfill them. First, it is important to note that aspiring to be an elder is a good thing. Paul wrote, “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” (1 Timothy 3:1 NASB95) The work of an overseer is often difficult and comes with very weighty responsibilities. In light of this, it is important that there is a desire to take on this work. Elders need to serve willingly and eagerly, not under compulsion. (1 Peter 5:2)
Second, an elder must be able to teach (1 Timothy 3:2). He must hold fast to the faithful word and be able to encourage sound teaching and refute false teaching (Titus 1:9). An elder, then, must be a man who is deeply rooted in the truth. An aspiring elder must prepare himself through serious, ongoing study of the word of God. People’s souls will depend on you faithfully holding fast to the teaching.
An elder must be one who “manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?) (1 Timothy 3:4-5 NASB95) The training ground for an elder is the family. The one who aspires to be an elder must aspire to lead his family in the ways of God.
Finally, an elder must be a man who is himself walking with God. Looking through the lists of qualities in 1 Timothy and Titus we see many descriptors of the kind of man he should be: temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, gentle, peaceable, a lover of what is good, free from the love of money, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully (pugnacious). In short, he must be a man who is being led by the Spirit of God. He should be a man who has been walking with the Lord for many years; a man whose character has been transformed by the Lord.
It is a good thing for our men to aspire to this work. If you feel the desire to serve as an elder one day, I encourage you to begin preparing now. And if you do not desire this work, I still encourage you to strive for these qualities, for they are wonderful qualities for each of us to pursue. May God raise up godly men among us to serve our congregation in this way.
—Scott Colvin
Leave a Comment » | 1 Timothy 3:1-7, elders, Titus 1:5-9 | Tagged: Bible, Christianity, church, elders, Jesus, overseers, pastors, preparing elders, qualifications of elders, qualities of elders | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin
November 12, 2024
In his sermon in Acts chapter 17, Paul reveals some magnificent things about the true God of heaven to a group of Athenian philosophers who did not know God. Paul tells them that God made the world and all things in it. He tells them that God does not need to be served by humans as if He needed anything. No, God is the one who serves mankind by giving us everything we need—life and breath and all things. He tells them that it is God who made all mankind and determined where they would live.
But why has God been so kind and generous to all people in these ways? This brings Paul to his central point. He said it was so “that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us…” (Acts 17:27 NASB95) God has poured out His blessings on all so that we would seek Him! What a profound truth it is that God wants all to search for Him, and He wants all to find Him!
And what a profound truth it is that God does require that we search, that we grope for Him, feeling our way toward Him to discover who He is. God does not reveal the wonders of Himself to just anyone. He only reveals Himself to those who will seek Him. God has been very clear about this throughout scripture. Take this verse, for example: “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.” (Psalm 119:2 NASB95) Or take the words of Jesus as another example: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7 NASB95) Or consider this verse, where Paul explains that in Jesus “… are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3 NASB95) You see, the treasures of God’s wisdom and knowledge are not available to just anyone. They are hidden in Christ. God desires that we do some digging before He will allow access to these blessings.
But the beautiful thing is that God will allow us to find Him. He wants to be found. He wants a relationship with you and me. The question for us is, are we still searching for Him? Even if we have already found Him, there is still more to be found. We must continue to dig deeper to explore even more of the beauty and the delight that is found in God and in His beloved Son. May God lead us ever deeper into Himself!
—Scott Colvin
Leave a Comment » | Acts 17:27, Colossians 2:3, Matthew 7:7 | Tagged: Bible, Christianity, faith, Finding God, God, Groping for the Lord, Jesus, Paul in Athens, Seeking God | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin
October 15, 2024
“I would rather see a sermon than hear one.”
I have heard this statement many times in various forms. I can agree with the sentiment expressed. It is very important that we live out the gospel—not just saying the right things but living in a right way. A life lived for God shows the beauty of Jesus to those around us.
But we must remember that being a “living sermon” is not the entirety of the church’s responsibility. The word must also be spoken. As the angel said to Cornelius in Acts chapter 11, “Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.” (Acts 11:13b-14 NASB95) Peter was going to speak words that would save Cornelius and his household. If anyone is going to be saved, they must hear the words of the gospel of Christ. They must hear who Jesus is. They must hear the words about Jesus dying and being raised for us. They must hear what to do to accept His gracious offer of forgiveness of sin.
I do encourage you to continue to be a living sermon. I encourage you to continue living a life that adorns the doctrine of God (Titus 2:10). I encourage you to continue walking in wisdom toward outsiders, letting your speech around them be with grace (Colossians 4:5-6), and while you do these things, be looking for open doors to also speak the word of God.
It’s very interesting to me that God, if He wanted, could announce the saving message to the lost through angels or through personal visions or dreams, but He has not seen fit to do so. We see over and over again in the scriptures that God sends people (like you and me) to speak the words that lead to salvation.
Are there people in your life that need to hear the message? Perhaps they have seen your way of life and felt your love and concern for them. And perhaps because of that, their heart is ready to hear. May God prepare you and direct you to those who need to hear the words by which they can be saved.
—Scott Colvin
Leave a Comment » | Acts 11:13-14, Cornelius, evangelism, gospel, sharing the gospel | Tagged: a living sermon, Bible, Christianity, faith, God, Jesus, Reaching the lost, sharing the gospel | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin
while today 