20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 2)

Introduction: jewelry question from Twitter (1 Tim 2:9; 1 Pet 3:3-4)

Q&A livestream, first question from Twitter user Jake Teeter asking whether Scripture prohibits jewelry like wedding bands and necklaces.

1 Timothy 2:9 is not a strict prohibition on jewelry but a tendency warning against valuing external beauty over godliness

Exposition of 1 Timothy 2:9 in the context of Paul's instruction to women about conduct in the church.

Braided hair in 1 Timothy 2:9 refers to hair braided with gold as a display of wealth, not ordinary styling

Drawing on IVP Bible Background Commentary to explain the cultural meaning of braided hair in 1 Tim 2:9.

Culture's gospel of external beauty is antithetical to the Christian emphasis on inner godly character

Application of the 1 Tim 2:9 principle to contemporary women's ministry and culture.

1 Peter 3:3-4 reinforces 1 Tim 2:9: true adornment is the gentle and quiet spirit, not external appearance

Reading and brief exposition of 1 Peter 3:3-4 as a parallel to 1 Timothy 2:9.

Matthew 21 has two animals at the Triumphal Entry while Mark and Luke have one; the young donkey points to Jesus's sacrificial nature

Q from Flora about why Matthew 21:1-8 mentions both a donkey and a colt while other Gospels only mention one animal.

A Christian can struggle with addiction and still be born again; Christians struggle with sin

Q from Christian Liang about whether an addiction sufferer can be born again and saved.

Being saved, having eternal life, and entering the kingdom of God are all part of the same package (John 3:3)

Part of the same question from Christian Liang asking whether one can be saved and have eternal life but not enter the kingdom.

Pastoral counsel for Christians with habitual sin: radical repentance, not patchwork solutions

Q from Ariane Nisha about how to pray for a believer not walking with God due to habitual sin and lack of intimacy with God.

God gives wisdom primarily through Scripture, secondarily through the word of wisdom gift and through other believers

Q from Will Kozab about how God replies when you ask him for wisdom—does he send thoughts?

Government mandates on indoor gatherings (COVID): default to submission unless clearly convinced it is government oppression of religious freedom

Q about whether a home church holding an indoor wedding in violation of COVID government mandate is in accord with Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2:13.

Polygamy is a real but sin-laden marriage; the moral complexity for a polygamist who converts precludes a simple answer

Q from Susan Morales following up on Mike's earlier video on whether a polygamist who becomes a Christian should divorce one or more wives.

1 John 5:16-17: sin leading to death likely refers to physical death, not Catholic mortal/venial sin distinction

Q from Sarah Nordberg about the meaning of sin leading to death vs. sin not leading to death in 1 John 5:16-17.

Hebrews 6:4 requires thorough study; Mike plans a verse-by-verse Hebrews series after Mark

Q from Jeff Shoemaker asking about Hebrews 6:4 and whether it refers to backsliding or losing salvation.

Righteous anger is anger that is rightly caused and rightly applied; Ephesians 4:26 is the governing principle

Q from Naomi Yurkov about what righteous anger is biblically and when it applies to humans.

Communion/eucharist: real and important but not transubstantiation; early church writings are secondary to Scripture; John 6 is not about communion

Q from Chris Middleton about Mike's views on communion/eucharist and how much weight early church writings should carry.

Rapture at the Feast of Trumpets: possible hint from typological fulfillment of feasts, but undermined by "no one knows the day or hour"

Q from Andrej about whether there is reason to think the Rapture will occur during the Feast of Trumpets.

Feeling vs. conviction: feelings are emotions; convictions are firm stances on issues, though they overlap

Q from Faith Brooks about the difference between a feeling and a conviction.

Parental authority over adult children: diminishes naturally with age; adult children make their own decisions while still honoring parents

Q from Joel Larson about how much authority a father has over adult children, and whether it differs for sons vs. daughters.

Michael Heiser: highly commended as a scholar-communicator; divine council theory (Deut 32, Ps 82) personally rejected but engagement required

Q from David Hinnebog asking for comment on Michael Heiser and his divine council theory.

Parallelomania: ancient Near Eastern parallels (flood, creation) do not prove the Bible borrowed; similarities are explained by common events or themes

Q from Folky about how to respond to claims that the OT is not true because the Bible copied surrounding cultures (flood, Exodus).

Evidence for the Exodus exists and is growing; Inspiring Philosophy preparing a detailed video on the topic

Continued response on OT historical reliability, specifically the Exodus.

College professors often repeat thin secondhand claims about the Bible; a little research can expose the shallowness

Aside to Folky about the professor making claims about the Bible being borrowed from surrounding cultures.

God's "regret" in Genesis 6 and 1 Samuel 15 is addressed in Mike's dedicated video; open theism is a problematic response to this

Q from Floatydoc about how God, who knows all things, can make decisions he later regrets (Gen 6; 1 Sam 15).

Closing: upcoming videos announced; call to rest in grace through faith (Romans 5:1-2)

Closing announcements and benediction.