Scripture Matters Podcast

Scripture Matters Podcast - Episode 15 (Chapter 13 "Standing On The Promises")

This is the 15th episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast, with hosts Cliff Thompson & Jonathan Sanford. Currently we are reviewing the book published by Focus Press, and written by Jack Wilkie, "You Are Saved - A Christian's Assurance." Please like, share and make sure you've subscribed to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published alongside the Watters Road Church of Christ. Below is a synopsis of this week's episode: The warning sirens are blaring, the sky goes dark, and you spot a shelter that can save your life, but you pause at the door. That moment captures where many Christians live spiritually: we believe God’s promises exist, yet we struggle to believe those promises are truly for us. Jonathan Sanford and Cliff Thompson wrap up Chapter 13 of Jack Wilkie’s “You Are Saved: A Christian’s Assurance” with one clear aim: stop standing outside the promises of God and start standing on them. We dig into the “accuser” problem and why lingering doubt often sounds spiritual while quietly stealing peace. From Zechariah 3 to Revelation 12:10, we look at how Satan weaponizes old stains and how God answers with cleansing, justification, and clean garments in Christ. The goal is not hype or denial, but a steady assurance of salvation that trusts God’s Word more than shifting feelings. Then we get practical. We talk about Jesus’ easy yoke in Matthew 11:28–30 and how Christians can accidentally turn discipleship into an ever-growing checklist of self-justification. We walk through Romans to clarify the difference between sinful boasting and worshipful confidence, and we explain how assurance changes everyday life: receiving the meat of the word without panic, accepting forgiveness after confession through 1 John 1:9, praying with boldness from Hebrews 4:16, and facing eternity with hope instead of dread. If you’ve ever wondered, “Can I really know I’m saved?” this conversation is for you. Share this episode with a friend who needs peace, and don't forget to "like, share, and subscribe!" Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2600993/support]

Scripture Matters Podcast - Episode 14 (Chapter 12 "I Never Knew You")

This is the 14th episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast, with hosts Cliff Thompson & Jonathan Sanford. Currently we are reviewing the book published by Focus Press, and written by Jack Wilkie, "You Are Saved - A Christian's Assurance." Please like, share and make sure you've subscribed to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published alongside the Watters Road Church of Christ. Below is a synopsis of this week's episode: A counterfeit can shine like treasure until someone who knows the real thing looks closely. We start with that kind of moment and use it to ask a hard spiritual question: what if the confidence we feel about our faith is not the same as biblical assurance? Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:23, “I never knew you,” are not meant to entertain us, they are meant to wake us up and drive us back to Scripture with humility. We walk through several “pitfalls” that can produce counterfeit assurance, including checkbox religion that focuses on visible actions while the heart stays untouched. Using passages like 2 Corinthians 13:5 and Matthew 23, we talk about why self-examination is not the enemy of assurance when it is rooted in God’s word. The Bible is meant to be a mirror, not a microscope we use to inspect everyone else. We also tackle hard-heartedness and “itching ears,” where someone resists correction even when the truth is clear. From there we move into worldliness and the slow drift that happens through tiny compromises and shifting priorities. Sanctification should make us more like Christ over time, but culture can quietly become the standard if we are not careful. Finally, we get very practical about love for the brethren, bitterness, and unresolved division, because how we treat other Christians reveals what is happening in the heart. If you want a clearer, calmer, more biblical view of Christian assurance, press play and let Scripture do its honest work. Like, Share and Subscribe, to help more people find the show! Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2600993/support]

Scripture Matters Podcast - Episode 13 (Chapter 11 "What If I'm Wrong?")

This is the 13th episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast, with hosts Cliff Thompson & Jonathan Sanford. Currently we are reviewing the book published by Focus Press, and written by Jack Wilkie, "You Are Saved - A Christian's Assurance." Please like, share and make sure you've subscribed to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published alongside the Watters Road Church of Christ. Below is a synopsis of this week's episode: You can walk into faith with real confidence and still be haunted by one question: what if I’m wrong? That fear is not hypothetical. It shows up when you realize how many sincere people believe conflicting things about salvation, worship, and the will of God. We take that tension seriously and go straight to Scripture to find something sturdier than feelings: a God shaped view of Christian assurance. We talk through Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7:21-23 and why sincerity alone cannot be the final test. Then we trace two powerful case studies from Acts 18 and Acts 19: Apollos receives a more accurate explanation, while the disciples in Ephesus need fuller teaching and baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus. Those stories help answer a question many Christians avoid saying out loud: where is the line between misunderstanding and being outside God’s will? From there, we wrestle with the sobering account of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10, and we compare it with Aaron’s situation to see how obedience, motive, and the heart factor into accountability. We also push back on the idea that God is like Zeus, waiting to throw a lightning bolt the moment we slip up. Scripture says God desires all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and is patient toward repentance (2 Peter 3:9), and that changes how we think about grace, spiritual growth, and responsibility. If you want biblical salvation assurance without pretending you never struggle, press play. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs steadier ground, and leave a review that tells us what part of the “what if I’m wrong” question you’re working through right now. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2600993/support]

Scripture Matters Podcast - Episode 12 (Chapter 10 "Can I Fall?")

This is the 12th episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast, with hosts Cliff Thompson & Jonathan Sanford. Currently we are reviewing the book published by Focus Press, and written by Jack Wilkie, "You Are Saved - A Christian's Assurance." Please like, share and make sure you've subscribed to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published alongside the Watters Road Church of Christ. Below is a synopsis of this week's episode: The most unsettling detour in the Christian life isn’t the one where you openly rebel. It’s the one where everything feels familiar, you ignore the warning signs, and only later realize you’ve drifted far off course. That’s the tension we tackle as we keep reviewing Jack Wilkie’s You Are Saved: A Christian’s Assurance and open Scripture around one of the most debated questions in Christianity: can a Christian fall away? We slow down and define what people actually mean when they say “once saved always saved” and how that differs from “perseverance of the saints.” Then we treat the strongest arguments fairly, including passages like John 10:28 and Ephesians 2:8–9, because real assurance has to be built on what the Bible actually says, not what we wish it said. From there, we lean into the warning passages many people try to soften, including Hebrews 12, Hebrews 6:4–6, and 2 Peter 2:20–21, and we ask the honest question: why would God warn believers about something that can’t happen? The turning point is learning to separate falling short from falling away. With 1 John 1:7–8, we talk about assurance that isn’t tied to flawless performance but to a faithful walk and a steady direction toward Christ. We also get practical about how people drift, using Hebrews 2:1 and Hebrews 3:12–13, and why staying in the Word, staying in prayer, and staying connected to other Christians is part of God’s protection. If you’ve ever wondered whether your struggles cancel your salvation, or whether the Bible’s warnings destroy confidence, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more weekly Bible study, share this with a friend who needs clarity, and leave a review to help more people find Scripture Matters. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2600993/support]

Scripture Matters Podcast - Episode 11 (Chapter 9 "Getting Repentance Right")

This is the 11th episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast, with hosts Cliff Thompson & Jonathan Sanford. Currently we are reviewing the book published by Focus Press, and written by Jack Wilkie, "You Are Saved - A Christian's Assurance." Please like, share and make sure you've subscribed to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published alongside the Watters Road Church of Christ. Below is a synopsis of this week's episode: Imagine trying to live the Christian life like you’re racing between spiritual checkpoints. You make it to the next one and you feel fine, but if you fail in between, you panic, “reset,” and hope you’re safe again. That mindset is common, but it’s also exhausting and it quietly erodes Christian assurance. Jonathan Sanford and Cliff Thompson continue their review of Jack Wilkie’s You Are Saved: A Christian’s Assurance by working through Chapter 9, “Getting Repentance Right.” We trace repentance through the message preached by John the Baptist and Jesus, then through the ongoing call in Acts and the letters to the churches. Repentance is not a side topic; it’s woven into the gospel itself, which means we can’t afford to define it in a way Scripture doesn’t. From there, we tackle the big correction: repentance is not a reset button. It’s a change of mind that leads to a change of direction, a life reoriented toward God. Using 1 John 1:7-9, we talk about walking in the light, ongoing confession, and the steady reality of continuous cleansing through Jesus. We also address the fear that repentance equals perfection, showing instead that biblical repentance is about direction, rising again, and continuing forward in a real relationship with a faithful God. If you’ve ever lived the “sin, panic, reset” cycle, we hope this brings you rest and clarity. Subscribe to Scripture Matters, share this with someone who needs steadier assurance, and leave a review so more people can find these Bible studies. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2600993/support]