Search — Theology Explorer

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Q3: Is it wrong for a Christian to enjoy New Age music? Genre itself is not inherently sinful; lyrics and spiritual content matter

Viewer Linda Caswell asks whether listening to relaxing New Age piano music is wrong for a conservative Christian.

testing prophecy charismatic movement false prophecy

Q5: How to view false Trump prophecies — identified as wrong, traced to pride, competitive prophetic culture, and spiritual dysfunction

Viewer Crystal Peck asks about Christians who falsely prophesied Trump's 2020 electoral victory.

sola scriptura repentance false prophecy

Christians must stop following those who prophesied falsely about 2020; those prophets should repent and abandon their prophetic status

Mike gives practical counsel on what to do in response to the false prophecies.

Psalm 139 Moses omniscience omnipresence

Q8: Is God present in hell? Yes in omniscience but not in felt/manifest presence — Psalm 139 explored

Viewer Angela Juarez asks whether an omnipresent God is also present in hell.

Paul the Apostle church authority baptism

Q11: Who can perform baptism? Scripture gives no explicit rule but establishes community precedent; a parent can baptize a child

Viewer 'Skirt Bobcat' asks who is authorized to perform baptism and whether a parent can baptize their children.

1 Corinthians 12 Luke 10 Pentecost spiritual gifts charismatic movement

Q14: Is the authority Jesus gave the 12 and 70 disciples different from spiritual gifts? Mike distinguishes pre-Pentecost authority from post-Pentecost Spirit-enabled gifts

Viewer Silas Bourner asks whether the authority Jesus granted the Twelve and Seventy to heal and cast out demons is different from spiritual gifts.

Romans 8 Exodus 34 Moses Romans 8 Holy Spirit

Q18: Can Christians feel God's presence, or is it just emotion responding to truth? Both are possible — Spirit-generated emotion and ordinary human emotion are both real

Viewer Amelia asks whether feeling God's presence is genuine or just the mind responding emotionally to biblical truth.

Galatians 5 Holy Spirit sanctification fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5 fruit of the Spirit — desires to love, worship, and serve are Spirit-generated; Christians are slow to credit the Spirit working in them for good

Mike appends an observation about the Spirit while wrapping up the presence question.

obedience sanctification spiritual apathy

Q19: Advice for spiritual apathy — do not be apathetic about your apathy; obey whether or not you feel it

Viewer Hugh Seeger asks for advice on struggling with spiritual apathy.

1 Samuel 16 1 Samuel 16 demonic activity King Saul

1 Samuel 16 — King Saul tormented by a harmful spirit

Best OT example of possible demonic activity/possession: the harmful spirit that tormented Saul after the Spirit of the Lord departed.

1 Samuel 16 ESV NASB NKJV

Translation debate: harmful vs. evil vs. distressing spirit in 1 Samuel 16

Different English translations render the Hebrew term differently, reflecting genuine exegetical ambiguity.

Psalm 91 1 Samuel 16:23 David exorcism Psalm 91

David's music drives away Saul's harmful spirit — a type of exorcism

David is summoned to play the lyre and the harmful spirit departs from Saul, suggesting an early OT proto-exorcism.

Gerasene demoniac Satan spiritual warfare

Demonic activity in first century as messianic confirmation and spiritual battleground

Jesus's authority over demons served as a sign to the Jews confirming his messianic identity; the concentration of demonic opposition is explained by Satan's forces mobilizing against the Son of God.

Gerasene demoniac spiritual warfare salvation history

First century as the ultimate spiritual battleground for all creation

Summary conclusion on demonic activity question: the first century was uniquely intense because it was the decisive battleground of salvation history.

Acts 2:24 resurrection hypostatic union death of Christ

Christ's human nature died; his divine nature explains the resurrection

The two-natures framework resolves the death/deity tension: humanity accounts for his death, deity makes his resurrection inevitable.

spiritual gifts planning and providence vocation

Plan according to your God-given gifts, not just desires or vague calling

Practical guidance for Christian life planning: identifying gifts rather than merely desires or claimed callings.

Ecclesiastes 3:21 Ecclesiastes 12:7 death Ecclesiastes 3:21 Ecclesiastes 12:7

Ecclesiastes passage differentiating the spirit of animals (returns to dust) from the spirit of humans (returns to God)

The only biblical text Mike can identify that directly addresses the distinction between animal and human souls at death.

Ephesians 6:10-18 spiritual warfare Ephesians 6:10-18 armor of God

Question: Run through the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Viewer Spazzy Jazzy asks for an explanation of the full armor of God from Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6:14 imputed righteousness sanctification armor of God

Breastplate of Righteousness — holy living as protection from spiritual attack

Second piece of armor. Mike argues this is about the believer's conduct rather than imputed righteousness.

Ephesians 6:15 evangelism witness armor of God

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace — evangelism as spiritual protection

Third piece of armor: footwear as readiness to go with the gospel.

1 Peter Ephesians 6:16 1 Peter Ephesians 6:16 armor of God

Shield of Faith — confident trust that quenches fiery darts

Fourth piece of armor: faith as shield against fiery trials and spiritual attacks.

Ephesians 6:17 identity in Christ assurance of salvation armor of God

Helmet of Salvation — remembering your identity in Christ as foundational protection

Fifth piece of armor. Helmet protects the head; salvation protects the believer's identity and eternal standing.

Ephesians 6:17-18 prayer armor of God Ephesians 6:17-18

Sword of the Spirit (Word of God) — the only offensive weapon; prayer as the capstone

Sixth and final piece of armor: the one offensive weapon in the full armor. Paul adds prayer outside the armor list.

Psalm 121 Song of Ascents hermeneutics Israel divine protection

Question: Does Psalm 121:6 protect against sunburn? Analysis of the psalm as an Israel protection psalm

Viewer Brunette Family asks in a lighthearted way whether Psalm 121:6 permits skipping sunscreen.

spiritual disciplines confirmation bias listening prayer

Question: Is it okay to sit quietly and write down what you hear from God (journaling/listening prayer)?

Viewer Mackenzie McEwan asks about the practice of trying to hear God and writing down what comes.

1 Kings 19 spiritual disciplines still small voice listening prayer

The still small voice (1 Kings 19) is not a model for seeking God through hints and whispers

Common proof-text for listening prayer misapplied.

Prayer life Christian service Spiritual disciplines

Organizing prayer life: mindset matters more than rigid structure; serving God during quarantine requires ambitious creativity.

Question from Ian Becker about organizing prayer life and serving God during COVID quarantine.

Bethel Church Holy Spirit Listening prayer

Listening prayer is not condemned in Scripture but formulizing the Holy Spirit's work is dangerous and can produce fabrications.

Question from Susan Krieg about whether the Bible endorses listening prayer.

Assurance of salvation New Age spirituality Conversion and faith

How to find God: Christianity's goal is not emotional comfort but truth and relationship; reading and praying without trusting Christ is insufficient.

Question from an anonymous person (username 'it's me') who found comfort in the New Age but confusion in Christianity after 5 months of reading and prayer.

Evidence for God Christopher Hitchens Spiritual disciplines

Tips for an atheist starting to believe: gather intellectual reasons for God, practice spiritual disciplines, and make choices that shape belief.

Question from Emil Codrin about how to start believing after a lifetime of atheism.

1 Corinthians 12 Cessationism Baptism of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12

Baptism of the Holy Spirit as a post-salvation experience with mandatory tongues is not supported by Scripture; authentic gifts are preferred over formulaic fake ones.

Question from Lauren Breon about whether the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a separate experience with prayer language is scriptural.

1 Timothy 3 Galatians 3:28 Matthew 23:8-12 servant leadership overseer episkopos

Ministry titles and the clergy-laity distinction: what Jesus really forbade in Matthew 23

Chris Horn asked whether Matthew 23:8-12 prohibits using ministry titles like pastor or elder.

evangelism Greg Koukl apologetics

Sharing the gospel with resistant loved ones: grace, strategy, and the book Tactics

Hannah/Henry Belvall asked for advice on humbly sharing Jesus with struggling loved ones who become defensive.

Luke 11:24-26 atonement false teaching spiritual warfare

Generational curses: pastoral concern and theological rejection

Studio asked whether believers can be cursed by ancestral actions or ethnic heritage (specifically Native American bloodline).

Holy Spirit discernment prophecy

Testing whether a vision or impression is from the Holy Spirit

UK Dove Girl asked how to know whether a lucid open-eyed vision comes from the Spirit rather than the subconscious.

Hebrews 7:7 spiritual authority Levitical priesthood Abraham

Pronouncing a blessing on others: Hebrews 7:7 and mutual blessing in the body of Christ

Andrej asked whether saying "I bless you" to someone implies a hierarchical superiority that is inappropriate between equals.

Isaiah 9:6 John 14:16 Trinity Christology incarnation

Isaiah 9:6 — "Everlasting Father" as a title for Jesus: representational fullness of God

Leslie Johnson asked why Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus "Everlasting Father" if he is not the Father within Trinitarian theology.

discernment false teaching church discipline

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: channeled content, demonic origin, pastoral danger

Rachel joined a church prayer group using the devotional Jesus Calling and found concerning content.

1 Samuel 28 Leviticus 19:31 Deuteronomy 18:11 Samuel Catholicism afterlife

Ghosts, the witch of Endor, and demonic impersonation of the dead

Lindsay Kelso asked whether the Bible supports ghosts, and whether those who claim to see them are actually encountering demons.

Proverbs 8 1 Corinthians 1 typology Holy Spirit Christology

Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8 — typological connection to Christ, not the Holy Spirit

Steven Rivers asks whether Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8 could be the Holy Spirit and whether Hebrew/Greek pronouns clarify the gender.

Mormonism biblical inerrancy Trinity

Non-negotiable Christian doctrines — essentials vs. secondary issues

DJ Diner asks what doctrines Christians should plant their flag on and never back down from.

Luke 23:43 1 Peter 3:19 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 intermediate state Luke 23:43 Hades

Paradise in Paul's vision, the thief on the cross, and Lazarus — same place?

David's Kinion Memoirs asks whether paradise in Paul's third-heaven vision, Jesus's promise to the thief, and the Lazarus/Abraham account are the same place.

marriage encouragement discipleship

Wife more spiritually mature than husband — encouragement over competition

Lil Mik Nick asks for advice when a wife is more spiritually mature than her husband who has admitted it.

Galatians 2:20 Ephesians 1 in Christ Galatians 2:20 Ephesians 1

Unconfessed sin at death — positional vs. conditional righteousness; in Christ theology

Popham asks if a born-again Christian who dies suddenly with an unconfessed momentary sin (not a lifestyle) goes to hell.

repentance pride spiritual warfare

Getting close to God and overcoming demonic oppression — prerequisites and warnings

Professor of Everything asks for advice on getting close to God and overcoming demons and oppression.

Matthew 10 calling missions Matthew 10

Knowing God's will for major decisions — acting without certainty

Simply Put asks how to know if God is guiding him and his wife to move to remote Alaska for missions.