20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 6)

Christians are not required to tithe (give 10%), but are absolutely required to give generously

Opening question from Facebook: are Christians supposed to tithe?

Malachi 3:8 is the most-cited pro-tithe verse but is addressed to the nation of Israel under the Mosaic law, not to Christians

Examining the primary Old Testament tithing passage used to support Christian tithing

The Malachi tithe rebuke also includes offerings (firstborn animals), which modern tithe-preachers ignore — revealing selective application

Expanding the argument that the Malachi tithe command is being applied inconsistently

In the Old Testament law the tithe went to Levites and priests, not to local pastors — so enforcing a 10% tithe should logically send money to Jewish Levites

Continuing the argument against applying the Malachi tithe to modern churches

Jesus mentions tithing twice but always speaking to Jews under the law; this cannot be extended to Gentile Christians

Surveying New Testament evidence for tithing

New Testament giving priorities: the poor, the persecuted church, local ministers, and generosity as lifestyle — not limited to 10%

Constructive answer on what Christian giving should look like without a tithe mandate

Christians have a biblical duty to protect others — pacifism taken to its logical extreme is evil

Question from Spazzy Jazzy about the extent to which Christians should protect and retaliate against abuse

Old Testament law: killing in self-defense carried no penalty, establishing self-defense as a legitimate moral category

Biblical grounding for self-defense

Jesus commanded disciples to carry swords before his betrayal, indicating readiness for self-defense is a godly posture

New Testament grounding for self-defense, contrasted with earlier sending-out instructions

Balance principle: being armed and ready for self-defense is healthy; preemptive strikes from anger or against God's will for martyrdom are not

Synthesizing the sword/Gethsemane discussion into a practical principle

Paying a discipler is wrong; a paywall on discipleship disqualifies the discipler

Question from Blake about someone offering to disciple him for payment

Hebrews 10:26-27 "sinning willfully" refers specifically to rejecting the gospel after knowing its truth, not to any deliberate sin

Question from Caleb McCurdy about Hebrews 10:26-27 and whether it implies differentiated judgment for those who never heard the gospel

Degrees of judgment in hell: God factors in knowledge when judging — sinning in ignorance vs. sinning with full knowledge results in different severity of judgment

Expanding the Hebrews 10 discussion to address differentiated eschatological judgment

Sinning in dreams: only requires repentance if you yielded your will to it in the dream; involuntary dream content is not sin

Question from Christian Liang about whether to repent for sins committed in dreams

Advice for young ministers: teach verse-by-verse through whole books rather than purely topical studies

Question from Andrej Pollock about practical advice for a young man called to ministry in a small church

Advice for young ministers: root out pride continually — comparing yourself to other ministers is a major red flag

Continued advice for Andrej Pollock on young ministry pitfalls

Hebrews 6:4-6 is the most challenging apostasy passage in the Bible; Mike is not yet ready to give a definitive answer on it

Question from Folky about the warning in Hebrews 6:4-6 regarding those who seem to have experienced salvation but then fall away

Calvinism: regeneration precedes faith — the Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner first, making belief inevitable

Question from Jason Staub about whether faith from a fallen nature is "fruitful" faith, touching on the Calvinist doctrine of regeneration preceding faith

Mike's anti-Calvinist argument: faith is not a work regardless of its source; the Calvinist objection tries to smuggle faith into the "works" category

Mike's response to the Calvinist framing of faith as a "good work" that requires prior regeneration

Non-Calvinist view: God initiates faith through the proclaimed word, but the individual makes the decision to believe

Mike's positive account of how faith works in a non-Calvinist framework

Q (Quelle) is a hypothetical source document proposed in synoptic gospel studies; its existence is unproven and theologically non-threatening

Question from New Creation Coaching about the scholarly concept of "Q" and its reception among concerned Facebook users

Near-death / heaven-visiting accounts: deep skepticism warranted; Paul's 2 Corinthians 12 model shows the right posture is silence, not book tours

Question from S.M. Hart about people selling books on visiting heaven or hell

John 3:5 "born of water and the Spirit": Mike defers to Michael Heiser's podcast work placing this in its Jewish context

Question from Jesse Crocus about whether "born of water" in John 3:5 refers to water baptism, physical birth, or something else

"Slain in the Spirit" is not taught in the Bible and is inconsistent with the Spirit's fruit of self-control

Question from Steph T about whether being slain in the Spirit is biblical and how to distinguish it from demonic possession

Paul's instructions on tongues and prophecy require self-control, proving the Spirit does not override the person's will

Continuing the argument against slain in the Spirit using 1 Corinthians 14 as evidence

Romans 14: do not violate your conscience — if you cannot do something in faith before God, do not do it, even if it may be permissible

Question from Only in Antarctica about whether a Christian can work in the cannabis sector

Vague YouTube prophecy channels are the perfect environment for false prophets; real prophecy requires verifiable fulfillment

Question from Crystal about many people prophesying and whether the Spirit is being poured out

Annihilationism fails because (1) immortality does not mean eternal existence, and (2) Jesus uses the same word "everlasting" for both heaven and hell

Question from Selenora about why annihilationism is unbiblical

Calvinist theodicy: God is not guilty for decreed sin because he is perfect goodness; skeptical theism is the strongest available path for Calvinists

Question from Matt Bach about whether the Calvinist claim "God is not guilty for sin he decrees because his purposes are good" is a form of ends-justify-the-means reasoning

Grace Community Church COVID decision: Mike is on the fence — neither fully endorsing nor opposing their refusal to close

Question from Teonbay about Grace Community Church defying California government COVID gathering restrictions

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 is about sexual immorality in context, not primarily about diet/exercise/tobacco — but the moderation and mastery principles within the passage do apply broadly

Question from Grayson Fuller about whether 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 establishes a biblical basis for maintaining bodily health

Sexual sin is uniquely grave — it is a sin against one's own body in a way other sins are not

Expounding on 1 Corinthians 6:18 within the broader passage study

Gossip is unnecessary information that tears people down without justification — not merely sharing personal information without permission

Final question from Woolpack about the definition of gossip