Hello dear reader,
My name is David and I am an evangelist for the Columbus Street church of Christ in Bedford Ohio. I and my wonderful wife Sharon have 3 children, all members of the church, 5 grandchildren, three of whom are also members of the church and I love them all deeply. I enjoy golf, photography, cabinet making and fishing. If you ask me what I love most, I will answer, Jesus. Ask me what I love doing most, I will answer taking to others about Jesus and of His kingdom.
I love to tell the story of Jesus and His love, telling it through the amazing gospel, the word of God, which is not at all like any word written by any man. These Great words of God are breathed out by God to man (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and are the power to salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). They are timeless and instruct all people concerning His will for mankind. “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2Pet. 1:3). In His word, God provides us with instruction in righteousness that all may become complete and free from the bondage of sin.
The most important thing I could say is “Have Faith in the Truth found only in God’s word and not in man!” (John 17:17; Rom. 3:4). Paul wrote, “9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:9-12). There truly is a majority who, sincerely express a faith in the name Jesus, but also just as true the majority of that majority do not accept His word as the final and complete authority in religion. Thus I define “Saving Faith”, as, “Hearing the truth by the word of God, believing what you hear and putting it into practice; for without faith, it is impossible to please God”, (Rom. 10:17; John 17:17; Rom. 1:5; James 1:22; Heb. 11:6).
You my friend are the most important and precious thing in all of creation. This is evident in the immutable fact that our Father sent His Son down from the glory of heaven to save you and me from condemnation which results because of our sin, and for certain we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). As an evangelist who loves the word of the Lord, I want nothing more than to share with you the powerful words that can save your soul, and mark my words, most people, even sincere people who love the Lord as much as I do, likely have never heard the genuine gospel. How can that be you ask? Tragically it is true because so many today who do believe, have been taught what they should believe, about salvation by methods that are not found in scripture. They have been taught by friends, family, churches and preachers who learned in error and then passed it on.
So is my claim really so fantastic? Not really. You see the only difference between the Lord’s church and the thousands of others, is that His people, I call “the people of the book”, simply accept the Bible as the authoritative word of God. When reading the New Testament His church does not use phrases like, “you can’t believe that”, or “that’s not what we believe”, or “that can’t be what that means” and the pièce de résistance, “we live in modern times so that’s not for us today”. Has God changed? No!
4 Things that won’t ever change; (1) God: Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not...” (2) Jesus: Heb. 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (3) The Word of God: 1 Peter 1:25 “…the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” HIS WORD WILL STAND forever: Matt. 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (4) God’s word on Salvation: Ephesians 1:11 “…an inheritance, being predestined, according to the purpose of Him…” His plan has never change nor will it ever.
What did, and continues to evolve and innovate is man! “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Men and their ways are ever perverting the one true gospel message of God to serve themselves, and not the Creator (Galatians 1:6-8; Romans 1:25).
If you are searching for truth (John 17:17) you’ll only find it in the word of truth, your Bible.
If you know, like so many, that something is wrong with modern religion and want answers, I would count it a great blessing to study with you and with an open Bible, giving God’s answers, not mine, straight from His word.
Please consider studying the greatest story ever told with me. You’ll never regret it!
Sincerely,
David Scarpino, evangelist