Program 53:Scripture First!

Producers: Note changes on pages 20-21.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Welcome to World’s Last Chance Radio. I’m your host, Miles Robey.

Dave Wright: And I’m Dave Wright. Thank you for making us a part of your day.

Miles: If you’ve joined us before, you know we always start with an explanation for what may be unusual terms to any first-time listeners. At WLC, we take seriously Scripture’s injunction to “call upon the name of the Lord” but in the original, it doesn’t have the title “lord.” Instead, it gives His actual name: Yahuwah. So, we’re to call upon the name of Yahuwah, or Yah.

The terms “god” and “lord” are just titles that can be applied to false, even demonic, entities. So, on our broadcasts, as well as our website, you’ll hear us referring to the Father by His personal name.

Dave: “Jesus” comes from the Greek attempt to transliterate the name of the Son, which is Yahushua. “Christ” isn’t a name or even really a title. It simply means the “anointed one.”

Miles: John Calvin was a French theologian and one of the leading men in the Protestant Reformation. Although, looking back from a more modern understanding, we can acknowledge that he made a lot of mistakes—sometimes very bad ones—and had serious failings—

Dave: Like we all do!

Miles, agreeing: As we all do. Everyone deserves the right to be wrong and to grow from their mistakes.

Still, Calvin said something once that I’ve always found very good. He was drawing a comparison between Catholics (whom he called “papists”) and Protestants and I thought it was very insightful. He said, quote:

“The difference between us and the papists is that they do not think that the church can be 'the pillar of the truth' unless she presides over the word of God. We, on the other hand, assert that it is because she reverently subjects herself to the word of God that the truth is preserved by her and passed on to others by her hands.”

Dave: Interesting distinction. You can see it. Catholics believe that they are the ultimate authority precisely because they think their tradition preempts Scripture.

Protestants, on the other hand, put Scripture first, because it is truth alone that sets apart any body of believers. It’s only as we’re in subjection to the word of Yah that anyone can be considered “great” in the eyes of Yah.

Miles: That’s what I’m wanting to talk about today. Scripture: its uses and, perhaps most importantly, how to use it properly. Or, how not to use it.

Dave: All right. Let’s start by taking a look at 2 Timothy, chapter three, verses 16 to 17. I’d like you to read that for us.

Miles, flipping pages: Sure.

Dave: I think most of us know this passage, but it’s a good foundation to start on, to remind ourselves of the many purposes of Scripture. Paul, here, is writing to Timothy, acknowledging that Timothy had known the Scriptures from childhood, adding that they are able to make a person “wise unto salvation through faith” in Yahushua. Go ahead and read now, what he says next.

Miles: “All scripture is given by inspiration of Yahuwah, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of Yah may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Dave: This is why Yahuwah has given us His word. There is no situation you can encounter in life for which the Bible doesn’t have an answer.

You have a problem at work and don’t know what to do? Scripture has the answer.

You’re in a dangerous situation and need divine assistance? Scripture has a promise.

Your marriage is struggling or even crumbling? Scripture has the solution.

Scripture gives us knowledge of the hidden heart of Yah that nothing else can provide.

Miles: As Christians, we accept that the Bible has value. I love that it has a promise to meet every emergency.

But now I’d like to branch off into an area you don’t hear about too often, and that is: what not to do with Scripture.

Dave: We may not hear about this much, but you’re right. That’s actually a good point to be aware of.

You may have heard the story of the guy that decided he needed some guidance from the Bible. So, he gets his Bible, lets it flop open, closes his eyes, and randomly puts his finger down on the page.

He opens his eyes, looks down and reads: “Judas went out and hanged himself.”

He thinks, “That can’t be Yah’s will for me,” so he tries again.

This time, he reads: “Go thou and do likewise.” [Miles laughs.]

He knows there’s got to be a mistake, so he tries one more time.

Miles laughs: Third time’s the charm, right?

Dave: Well, he apparently thinks so. He goes through it all again:

• He lets the Bible flop open.
• He closes his eyes.
• He points to a Bible verse.

He opens his eyes to read: “What thou doest do quickly!”

Miles laughs: You’ve proved my point: misusing Scripture can be dangerous! In fact, Paul told Timothy, in 2 Timothy, chapter 2, to warn the members of his flock not to get into arguments over Scripture. He said, quote: “Remind them of these things, charging them before Yahuwah not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.” [2 Timothy 2:14]

So, what should we not do when studying the Bible?

Dave: Probably the most important thing is to be careful that you do not go to Scripture to support what you already believe. Instead, use Scripture as the ultimate authority. Let the Bible define your beliefs.

Miles: That’s a good point. Speaking just for myself, I can say that it’s very easy to slide into the kind of Bible study that just supports what I already believe, rather than digging for new light.

When you dig for new light, new truth, inevitably at some point you’re going to discover you’ve been wrong about something. And that’s not a very pleasant experience when it has to do with anything as personal as your spiritual beliefs.

Dave agrees: That can be very upsetting. And yet, if you truly want to know the truth, if you truly want to follow Yah and do His will regardless of the cost, it’s going to take going to Scripture, and studying with an open mind.

Miles: So how would you define that? “Studying with an open mind.”

Dave: I would define it as being willing to obey if the Holy Spirit convicts you. You don’t study out a new concept just to prove it wrong. You don’t study just to prove what you already know. You study to learn, whether it contradicts your previous beliefs or not.

We have to be open to the spirit’s guidance. Because, if you truly want to make Scripture your rule of life you won’t stay stagnant. Just like a tree: you either have to actively grow, or you’ll wither and die.

Miles: It’s a walk. You can’t stay stationary in the Christian walk.

Dave: Exactly.

Miles: This corresponds with something I read the other day. I brought it today to share. This religious writer was talking about what attitude to take to Bible study.

Okay, here it is. It says:

In your study of the Word, lay at the door of investigation your preconceived opinions and your hereditary and cultivated ideas. You will never reach the truth if you study the Scriptures to vindicate your own theories. Leave these at the door, and with contrite heart go in to hear what [Yahuwah] has to say to you. …

Do not read the Word in the light of former opinions. Do not try to make everything agree with your creed. With a mind free from prejudice, search the Word carefully. If, as you read, conviction comes, and you see that your cherished opinions are not in harmony with the Word, do not try to make the Word fit these opinions. Do not allow what you have believed or practiced in the past to control your understanding. Open the eyes of your mind to behold wondrous things out of the Word.

Dave: That’s essential. If all we’re doing is studying to confirm what we already believe, we can’t expect to grow and gain the knowledge of more truth.

Miles: What about reading the works of religious writers? In recent years I’ve heard people insist: “Quit reading books about the Bible, and go to the Bible itself.” Do you agree with that?

Dave: Yes and no. On the one hand, Bible study should be our number one priority. On the other hand, there is so much truth being poured out now! No one person can expect to do all the research to uncover it all.

Yahuwah is raising up people, humble people He is teaching, and they’re sharing what they’ve learned. The Internet has made it so much easier to do research as well as learn from others. It would be counterproductive to stand by and say, “No! I’m not going to listen to what someone else has to say!”

But, yes. Studying Scripture for yourself must come first.

Miles: It has to! If we don’t know for ourselves what the Bible says, how are we going to know if what someone is teaching is correct?

Dave: And that brings me to my next point: be aware that just because someone quotes the Bible doesn’t mean that what he or she is saying is true. In fact, that passage in 2 Timothy you read warns against this very thing. 2 Timothy 2:16 says we are to, quote: “Shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.”

Regarding this verse, Steven Cole points out: “The words, ‘it will lead to further ungodliness,’ are literally, ‘they will make further progress in ungodliness.’ The false teachers claimed that their teaching would help you move ahead in your spiritual life. Paul sarcastically says, ‘Yes, you will make progress all right—progress in ungodliness!’”

Miles: You’re right about that. Recently, some friends shared with my wife and me a book they said was really good. They said it contained some really beautiful, new understandings of truth and assured us that it was all backed up by Scripture.

Dave: And was it?

Miles: Well, I’ll admit that it was full of Scripture, but I wouldn’t say it necessarily “backed up” what it was teaching with Scripture.

The book started out really good and we were interested. The further we got into it, though, we began encountering ideas that contradicted what we believed. But, you know, that happens when you’re learning something new, so we kept reading it because maybe we were wrong. There were a lot of Bible texts throughout. But I started looking up the Bible texts and reading them in context.

Dave: Let me guess: the texts had been taken out of context and twisted to mean something completely different.

Miles: Not only that, but some of the texts had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the point under discussion! It was as though the author had searched for verses that simply sounded like what he was trying to say, so he just stuck them in. It was awful.

Dave: That’s a good point. Remember, folks: just because someone quotes Scripture doesn’t mean that the way they’re using Scripture is correct.

Miles: Don’t take their word for it just because they’ve tacked on a couple of Bible verses.

[Start to bring up music …]

Dave: It’s so important that each of us know the Bible for ourselves. Certainly, you can read what others have said. Knowledge is exploding right now. That’s a good thing. But in order to know if it’s consistent with Scripture, you have to first know Scripture. And the only way you’re going to do that is if you spend time in Yah’s word, studying it for yourself.

* * *

* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: We’ve talked about the proper use of Scripture and how not to use it. What can you share with us now about the proper way that we are to use Scripture?

Dave: I once read an interesting comment about John Bunyan. You know, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress?

Miles: Right. He spent, what was it, 12 years? in the Bedford county jail for refusing to stop preaching. I read somewhere that Pilgrim’s Progress has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible.

Dave: I’ve heard that, too. Anyway, the comment I read about him was that if you cut him, he bled Scripture.

Miles: What a … colorful illustration! But it’s beautiful, too. It shows how much he immersed himself in Scripture. To absorb so much Scripture that it just permeates your thinking, and attitudes, and beliefs—that’s beautiful.

Dave: That’s what we’re to do, too.

When you go to Scripture and study it for yourself, Yahuwah will be your teacher. See, if you always take someone else’s word for your beliefs, still another person can come along and convince you to believe something else. If your beliefs are based on what someone else has told you, they aren’t stable. If all it takes to convince you is a clever use of words, or the energy with which someone insists their viewpoint is the right one, you’re not going to be firmly grounded upon the word of Yah.

It’s only when you allow Yahuwah alone to be your teacher, that His spirit can ground you in the truth so you won’t be shaken.

Miles: Which is why, even when we learn new ideas from some outside source, we still need to take it to Scripture and study it out for ourselves.

Dave: Right. Turn over to Colossians now, please. In his letter to the believers in Colossae, Paul wanted them to understand this point.

Miles: Which chapter?

Dave: Chapter 2, verses 6 to 8.

Miles: “As ye have therefore received Christ Yahushua the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Dave: The truth of Scripture is what will establish us, ground us in the faith. The only way you’re going to know if someone is sharing truth or error with you is if you take it to Scripture and study it out for yourself. I know I keep repeating that, but I can’t emphasize this enough.

Miles: I was trying to share this concept with someone once, insisting that you can’t just dash off to your pastor and take his word for it. He’s financially motivated to maintain the status quo. So if you come to him and ask him about a doctrine, he’s likely going to say it’s wrong if it contradicts what is taught by his employer, the denomination that pays him. It may be very clearly proven in Scripture, but if it goes against what his organization believes, you’re not going to get the truth from him.

Anyway, this woman replied, “Well, I don’t see the difference. When you write an article, or talk on the radio, aren’t you wanting people to believe what you say? You’re asking them to take your word for it!”

Dave: Ouch!

Miles: I honestly felt like going and banging my head against the wall. I do not want anyone to take my word for anything. I don’t want any of our listeners to take your word for anything. These programs are simply a point of reference about various topics. Then, everyone can study into it for themselves.

Dave: Yahuwah will take the individual where he or she is and lead him or her, but His prescribed method is to have all new ideas and concepts submitted first to Scripture. The Holy Bible is the standard by which all new beliefs must be compared.

Listen, folks. You don’t have to have a degree from a seminary in order to study the Bible. The Bible was written for the common person. Therefore, the most obvious meaning is typically the meaning intended.

If you don’t know something, the Father will teach you!

Miles: I’m glad you said that. My wife has a friend who’s a really sweet woman. Just one of the kindest, sweetest Christians you could ever wish to meet. The other day she was over, and as I was walking through the room, I heard my wife’s friend say something along the lines of, “You’re so quick to grasp spiritual truths. I’m just not like that. I’m just not smart.”

I turned around and told her: “Listen! When it comes to Bible study, IQ isn’t involved. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned and we all get that the same way: we have to ask for it.”

Dave: Good! Did it encourage her?

Miles: I think so. This is just a really important point. Yahuwah is the very best teacher you could ever have! He’s your Creator! He knows how your individual brain works: how you think, how you reason. If you ask Him to teach you, He will do so in a way that you, individually, can understand.

Dave: I think we’ve all heard Psalm 119, verse 105, that says: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” This, in itself, is a pledge from Yah that what is dark to your understanding, He will enlighten. You may not know every fine point of every doctrine, but that’s all right. He’ll make sure you understand what you need to know.

Miles: I’ve got a question for you. When you’re researching a topic, how can you know for sure that you’re interpreting the Bible correctly? Bible scholars are known for disagreeing!

Dave: True. Well, I like to call it the “weight of evidence rule.” You gather together every bit of evidence you can find. Look up every verse in Scripture that relates to the topic. If you don’t have a concordance, there are concordances on line that will let you look up a word.

Then, after looking at all of it, ask yourself: where does the weight of evidence lie?

Miles: All right, but what if, say, your spouse or someone close to you doesn’t agree with you? How do you know when a doctrine is worth fighting for and when you are merely wrangling about words?

Dave: Is it a salvational issue? Or is it merely variances in interpretation?

Do the differing interpretations impact how you live your life and render obedience? See, our hearts can be very deceptive. They’re very good at coming up with arguments to explain away the necessity of obeying Yah’s will.

Do the differing interpretations change how Yah is viewed? Some people just like to argue. Admittedly, there are some points in Scripture that we just won’t know or understand until it’s explained to us (Text Deleted).

But at the core, the two things that reveal whether it’s worth fighting for or just agreeing to disagree are: Number one – what it says about the character of Yah. And, number two: does it impact how we live our lives and obey His stated will?

The answers to those questions reveal whether it’s a salvational issue or not.

Miles: This may be getting a little bit off-topic but I think it’s an important point. And that is, how can we guard against spiritual pride—that we have the “right” view of the truth? You know that’s the sin of the Laodiceans. They say they are “rich, and increased with goods, and in need of nothing,” when, in reality, Yahushua declares that they are miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and in need of everything.

Does being humble and teachable mean that we can never know that we’re right?

Dave: That’s a good question. To be honest, I spent the greater part of my life convinced that I knew the truth and the church of which I was then a member, was the remnant church.

Miles chuckles: The one church exempt from Revelation 18’s command to leave.

Dave: Right! Back then I had this big box I mentally labeled Truth. Right next to it was an even bigger box labeled Error. Everything fit very nicely into one of these two boxes.

Miles: And now?

Dave: Well, I’ve got the “truth” box—it’s considerably smaller. So is the “error” box. And they’re both sitting on this really large, I Don’t Know shelf.

To grow in the truth, you have to also be willing to see where you’ve been wrong. The attitude I now have is simply one of patience and trust. If I can’t find a hard and fast answer, I will trust Yahuwah to reveal to me the truth when He knows I’m ready.

Maybe, before I can be shown that truth, I have to have some other belief I’ve been clinging to, revealed as error. I may even have to have other foundational truths taught to me before I can understand and accept the more advanced truth.

The main thing to bear in mind throughout all of this is that truth is ever advancing. And the closer we get to the end, the more willing we are to seek to know Yah’s will, the more He will reveal to us.

(Text Deleted)

We’ll spend eternity learning new depths to the plan of salvation and other heavenly truths.

Again, keep in mind that truth is always advancing. Yes, you can have the assurance that the truths Yah teaches you are correct. But never forget that there is so much more you have yet to learn. That realization alone will protect you from the close-mindedness that is the danger of spiritual pride.

Miles: Earlier, we talked about how not to use the Bible. Are there any specific rules for Bible study you have found that we should keep in mind when studying the Bible?

Dave: Definitely. First, never read the Bible without prayer. As we’ve said, spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Take a moment to ask for the Holy Spirit to come teach you.

Miles: That’s the spirit’s main purpose! Yahushua told His disciples that when the Comforter came, it would lead them into all truth. So, yeah. That’s a promise we can claim.

I think a lot of people are afraid to study for themselves. They’re certainly afraid to study something new, fearing that if they do, Satan will lead them onto “enchanted ground” and deceive them against their will.

Dave: That fear is inspired by Satan himself. The devil knows that truth is logical. He knows that the humble believer, taught by Yah Himself, can learn more and study deeper than the guy with a doctorate of divinity degree.

He’s not worried about the Laodicean who’s complacent and satisfied that he knows everything. He’s worried about the humble believer who truly wants to learn more truth.

He gets people afraid to study, but that simply shows a lack of faith in Yah. Yahuwah will protect your mind as you study. You don’t have to worry about being deceived against your will.

Miles: Good point. Any other things to keep in mind as you study?

Dave: Just be rational. If a passage can be interpreted literally, it should be. If it is clearly symbolic, or doesn’t make sense interpreted literally, then understand it to be symbolic and look for a deeper meaning.

[Start to bring up music.]

Miles: James 1:5 contains a promise that’s one of my favorites. It’s applicable in so many different situations. It applies to Bible study, too. It says: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Yah, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Dave: The Bible is Yah’s personal letter to each one of us and He’ll help us learn what we need to know.

* * *

Mid-point call letters: (Sharon)

You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

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* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: I really enjoy the questions people send in to us. Often, it’s questions I’ve wondered about, too, but just as often it’s something I’ve never thought of, but as soon as it’s asked, I think: “Yeah! That’s a great question.”

Dave: We do get some great questions. I enjoy it, too. Because we’re on shortwave, we’re broadcasting around the world, so our listeners are people from all different religious faiths. Hearing from differing backgrounds is a wonderful way to learn new perspectives, because they’ll have different questions based on their understanding, their own particular worldview.

Miles: Speaking of being on shortwave radio, we’re currently broadcasting in, what are we up to now? Eight languages?

Dave: Yes, I think that’s what it is, with more planned.

Miles: Besides English, we also broadcast in Arabic, French, German, Indonesian, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish! So, if you have a friend or a family member that is more fluent in one of these other languages, let them know they can enjoy our broadcasts in a language they feel more comfortable in.

Dave: And, if you’re fluent in another language and would like to help us get truth to the world, we’re always looking for more translators.

Miles scoffs: Yeah, automatic, computer translations just don’t work that well.

Dave, dryly: Yes, we’ve learned that human translators do a better job.

Miles laughs: All right! Our first question today is from Marlena Sanchez in Los Angeles, California. She writes: “Yesterday, I was visiting with a close friend. We’ve talked about spiritual matters before, so I felt comfortable sharing with her an area I’ve been struggling with. I asked her to pray for me and made the comment that I really didn’t want to keep backsliding.

“My friend said my problem was a lack of faith because a ‘true’ Christian can’t backslide. I was a bit offended because she pretty much accused me of never having been a true Christian since if I had been, I wouldn’t have backslidden. I tried to share with her that a person can be a true Christian and still struggle but she just started spouting all these texts about having ‘assurance in Christ Jesus.’ Is my understanding wrong? Is it impossible for a true Christian to backslide?”

Dave: First, let’s take a moment to define what we mean by the term, ‘backsliding.’ The term refers to what happens when a Christian who is devoted to Yah, begins to drift, taking his or her relationship for granted. There can be any number of reasons why this happens, but a common one is a less committed prayer life. When we don’t spend sufficient time with Yah in prayer, other areas of our life very quickly start to show that lack.

Miles: There’s definitely an inverse correlation. I’ve noticed in my own life that the less time I spend with Yah, the less I want to spend with Him, and the more attractive the world becomes.

Dave: Same here. I think this holds true for all of us. To answer Marlena’s question, the answer is yes. A true Christian certainly can backslide. Her friend’s understanding is based on the assumption that once you make a decision to accept the gift of salvation, you are, from that point on, saved and can never be lost.

Miles: Basically, “once saved, always saved.”

Dave: Yes. They frequently refer to it as the “assurance of salvation.” But there is absolutely nothing in Scripture that says, once you accept the gift of salvation, your free will is taken away. You can still exercise your free will and choose to turn your back on Yah, or, as is more often the case, just wander away by default and lack of devotion.

Miles: Yeah, I’ve noticed that it’s easy to be lost by default, but in order to be saved, we have to actively choose.

Dave: Well, our fallen human nature predisposes us to prefer the things of the flesh and the world. Yahushua died to restore to us the opportunity to choose. He’s not going to take that right to choose away from us when we accept salvation.

But let’s get back to Marlena’s question: Is it possible for a true Christian to backslide? Let’s see what Scripture has to say. Turn over to Hebrews 3 and read verses 12 and 13.

Miles: “Take heed brethren, lest at any time there be in any of you an evil heart, and unfaithful, to depart away from the living Theos [or Eloah]. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Dave: You cannot “depart away from” Yah, if you weren’t first close to Him and one of His to begin with.

Miles: Huh! That’s a good point.

Dave: Jeremiah makes it even more clear. Turn to Jeremiah, chapter 3. In this chapter, Yahuwah is talking about “backsliding Israel” but the principles remain the same whether we’re talking about a nation or an individual.

Do you have it?

Miles: Yep. Which verses?

Dave: Read verses 12 to 14.

Miles: “Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith Yahuwah; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith Yahuwah, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Yahuwah thy Eloah, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Yahuwah. Turn, O backsliding children, saith Yahuwah.”

Hmm. This is interesting … but, well, it really doesn’t address the point raised by Marlena’s friend that if Israel had truly been devoted to Yah, if they were truly “saved” than they wouldn’t have backslid in the first place!

Dave: All right. Read verse 22 now. This is Yah still speaking.

Miles: “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.“

Dave: Okay, you’re our logophile, Miles. You love words! Tell us: just what does it mean to return?

Miles: To, well, to revert. To come back to an earlier place or condition.

Dave: That’s what Yah is telling the Israelites—and by extension, us—to do. We’re being told to return. The word here translated into English/etc. as “return” comes from the Hebrew word shuwb. [shoob] The New Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words says of shuwb, quote: “The basic meaning of the verb is movement back to the point of departure.” Unquote.

You wouldn’t use the word “return” if the person had never been there before!

Miles, thoughtfully: That’s true. You wouldn’t, would you? Instead, you’d issue an invitation, like, “Come. Leave your sins and come to Me.”

Dave: But that’s not what He’s saying. Yah is saying, “Come back to the point where you used to be, allied with Me. And when you do this, I will heal all your backslidings.”

Miles: That’s really beautiful. I think, if we’re all being honest with ourselves, we have all backslidden at one point or another.

Dave: We have. But if you buy into the idea of “once saved, always saved” and then you backslide, you’re going to question whether you ever really gave yourself to Yah or not! The guilt of sin will be compounded by doubt right at the very time you need to be exercising faith in Yahuwah’s love for sinners!

Miles: That’s true. But what incredible assurance here! Yah is saying, “I will heal you!” We don’t have to stay in a backslidden state.

Dave: As long as probationary time lasts, as long as people are still making decisions for Yah, or against Him, we can turn to Him for forgiveness and healing. And if you don’t have the strength to return to Him, don’t worry about it. He’ll reach you where you are. He’ll pull you out of the muck and mire and embrace you.

He doesn’t expect you to do for yourself what you can’t. All He asks is that you choose: choose to obey, choose to align your will with His, and He’ll take it from there. And as we’ve said before, if your heart is resistant to the convictions of the Holy Spirit, you can always ask Him to make you willing to fully surrender.

Miles: Or, to make us willing, to be made willing, to fully surrender on every point.

Dave: Right. Whatever we need, He has pledged to provide.

Miles: Okay! Next question. Hamza Solak from Izmir, Turkey—cool! I think this is our first question from Turkey. Anyway, he asks, “Should Christians have non-Christian friends?”

Dave: Well, we know that Yah doesn’t want believers to date or marry outside the faith. That’s why, in 2 Corinthians, chapter six, Paul said: “Be not unequally yoked with the infidels: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” To marry an unbeliever would be agreeing to be unequally yoked.

Miles: I think that’s pretty clear. Most believers don’t set out to marry unbelievers. What you quoted, though, was verse 14. Clearly, believers are to marry only other believers.

But what about verse 15? Hamza isn’t asking specifically about marriage partners. He’s only asking about friendship. The next verse, 2 Corinthians 6, verse 15 says, quote: “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath the believer with the infidel?”

Are we to take this literally? You know, some Christians really do go through the motions of “shaking the dust off their feet” and won’t have anything to do with someone who isn’t a member of their particular faith community.

Dave: The answer to that is found in the life of Christ. Yahushua was our example in all things. I’d like you to read Luke 15, verses one through seven. That will give us our answer.

Miles: All right:

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

I think I see where you’re going with this, but that very last sentence is talking about someone who has repented. What about those that haven’t repented? Are we to befriend them?

Dave: Two things. First, the story begins with Yahushua accepting and socializing with sinners. That was the Pharisees’ big complaint; “This man receives sinners! He’s not shunning them like we do!”

If Yahushua hadn’t shown a kindly, benevolent interest in everyone, if He hadn’t been open and non-judgmental to all, do you really think they would have been drawn to the Saviour?

Miles: No. You know they would have avoided Him same as they avoided the Pharisees.

Dave: We’re living in a sinful world. While we are not to be “of” the world, we are still “in” the world.

Now, obviously, your closest friends will be those with whom you have your spiritual beliefs in common and that’s the way it should be. If you have a worldly friend, there will be some things you won’t be able to join them in doing. There will be places you won’t be able to go, movies and music you won’t want to watch or listen to.

That said, yes, believers are to befriend unbelievers. Genuinely befriend them. That’s how Yahushua witnessed to them, and that’s how we are, too. In closing, would you read Matthew 5, verses 14 to 16 for us?

Miles: Sure. Uhhh … “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Well, there you go. In the words of the Saviour.

If you have any questions, drop us a line. Just go to WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We’ll do our best to get it answered.

[Translators: Instead of telling them to click on “Contact Us,” tell them to click on the Radio WLC icon.]

* * *Daily Promise: (Laura Lee)

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with your Daily Promise from Yah’s Word.

Dale Galloway, in his book, You Can Win With Love, tells a story about John D. Rockefeller, the millionaire who built the large Standard Oil Empire. One day, one of Rockefeller’s executives made a mistake that cost the company two million dollars. That’s a lot of money today, but around the turn of the last century, it was an astronomical amount.

Word of the enormous error quickly spread. Finally, one of the other executives decided to go to Rockefeller and talk about what could be done. Upon arriving at the boss’s office, the executive saw that Rockefeller was busy writing on a piece of paper.

Looking up, the millionaire said abruptly, “I guess you have heard about the two million dollar mistake our friend made.”

The executive nodded.

“Well,” Rockefeller went on, “I have been sitting here listing all of his good qualities and I’ve discovered that in the past he has earned for us many times the amount he lost today. His good points far outweigh this one human error. So I think we ought to forgive him, don’t you?”

It has been said that forgiveness is divine, because no one who truly needs forgiveness, ever really deserves it.

C. S. Lewis was a British novelist, academic, and Christian apologist. He once wrote, quote: “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because [Yahuwah] has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” Unquote. And it’s true!

Psalm 103, verse 12, says: “As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

James Edward Oglethorpe was a British soldier and Member of Parliament. In a conversation with the great Protestant theologian, John Wesley, Oglethorpe once remarked: “I never forgive and I never forget.”

To this, Wesley replied rather wryly, “Then, Sir, I hope you never sin.”

The truth is, we’ve all sinned, and we all need forgiveness, even if none of us deserve it. The good news is, Yahuwah is ready and willing to forgive sins. In Hebrews, chapter 8, verse 12, He says: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Now let me ask you: if Yahuwah doesn’t remember something, is it an issue? If something doesn’t even exist in the mind of Yah, does it exist at all?

If you need forgiveness, don’t hesitate to seek forgiveness from Yah. There’s nothing in which He takes more delight than in receiving sinners who come to Him for grace.

We’ve been given great and precious promises. Go, and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Hudson Taylor, the British missionary that spent 51 years taking the gospel message to the Chinese, once wryly observed, quote: “Satan will always find you something to do when you ought to be occupied [with regular, prayerful Bible study], if it is only arranging a window blind.”

Dave: It’s true!

Miles: It is. The strange thing about the Bible is, the more you study, the more you want to study. The deeper you go, the more beauty you see and the more fascinated you become with the truths you uncover.

Dave: The inverse is also true: the less you study, the less you want to study. As you focus more on the world, the less interesting Bible study becomes.

Miles: George Müller, that great man of faith, once said, quote: “The vigour of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.” That’s why I wanted to talk today about the importance of putting Scripture first.

We’re near the end, friends. Every day that goes by draws us closer and closer to the close of probation. At that point, everyone will have made his or her decision whom to follow, and it will be an irrevocable decision.

But it’s not going to be all smooth sailing before then.

Dave: No, it’s not. The world is teetering on the verge of truly catastrophic events. When the trumpets of Revelation start to sound, life on earth will never again be the same.

Miles: That is why it’s of the utmost importance that we make the decision today to make Yah first, and last, and best in everything. The Protestant reformers’ motto was sola scriptura, or “the Bible only.” They rejected the Catholic view of Scripture as subordinate to the Holy See.

The end is coming soon. If we want to be ready, we need to devote ourselves to studying the Bible like never before. We’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again: character—our thoughts and feelings—are the only thing we take (Text Deleted) with us. Not our bodies—we’ll be given new ones. But our minds, our characters. And character isn’t developed in a crisis!

Dave: If you want Yahuwah to write His law on your heart, now is the time to make that surrender to Him and ask Him to do so. Then, spend time in His word. Sure, you can read and learn from others, but always compare what others say with what the Bible teaches. It is the sole and ultimate authority and you can trust what it says because it is Yah’s personal word to you.

Miles: I read a quote recently that I thought was very profound. I don’t know who said it, but it’s good. I printed it off so I could share it today. In speaking of the Bible, it says, quote:

“This Book contains the mind of [Yah], the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

“Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed.

“Christ is its grand object, our good is its design and the glory of [Yah] its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgement, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.” Unquote.

[Narrators: This is a long quote. Take your time. Don’t rush it. Put a lot of expression in so it can be easily understood.]

Dave: That’s beautiful. We’re so privileged to live in these last days.

Miles: Technology has made the world a very small place. But there are benefits to technology as well. If you don’t have a Bible, if you don’t have the Bible study tools, such as a concordance, or Bible dictionary, you can find these on line. Technology may be used for wrong purposes, but it can also be used for learning truth. So let’s take advantage of it! Start studying. I guarantee the more you study, the more you’ll learn, and the more you will want to study.

Join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

[Narrator: don’t rush that last line. Say it gently but with emphasis.]

* * *Pre-recorded Sign off (Sharon)

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.