Search — Theology Explorer

Acts 2 Psalm 51:11 John 14:17 David Acts 2 Abraham

Old Testament believers were saved but lacked the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Question about whether Old Testament believers were born again and could be called children of God.

Romans 11 Abrahamic covenant Jewish people Romans 11

Modern Israel and biblical Israel are continuous, but God's promises do not make every Israeli action righteous

Question about how modern political Israel correlates to biblical promises for Israel.

Matthew biblical theology Matthew kingdom of God

Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are synonyms in the Gospels

Question about whether the two phrases refer to different things.

Romans 10:1-4 John 5:46 Moses soteriology Messiah

Dual covenant theology is unbiblical; Jewish people need Jesus — Romans 10:1-4 and John 5:46

Final question about whether Jews can be saved without believing in Jesus through a special covenant.

epistemology aliens and Christianity biblical silence

The Bible neither affirms nor denies the existence of aliens; Christians can follow the evidence without a presuppositional commitment either way.

Does the Bible say anything about aliens?

atonement works righteousness holiness of God

If aliens are sinful and redeemable by their own works, that contradicts the nature of the cross; God's holiness is the same across the universe.

Theological decision tree: sinful aliens who can self-redeem

Romans 6:9 Romans 6:10 atonement incarnation aliens and Christianity

Jesus is the only potential savior even hypothetically; a second incarnation-death-resurrection on another planet is ruled out by Romans 6:9-10.

Theological decision tree: how would aliens be saved?

Romans 8 atonement Romans 8 new creation

Christ's death and resurrection is a cosmic, universe-wide victory - not limited to earth; Romans 8 ties all creation's redemption to Adam's sin and Christ's work.

The scope of Christ's atonement

spiritual warfare apologetics UFOs

Some people abandon faith over UFO sightings because they do not consider alternative explanations like demonic activity; alien existence is not a defeater for Christianity.

Spiritual danger of UFO-driven deconversion

1 Corinthians 7:12-14 apostolic authority marriage 1 Corinthians 7:12-14

1 Corinthians 7:12-14 - Paul says "not the Lord" meaning he gives apostolic instruction without a direct quote from Jesus; believers married to unbelievers should not divorce.

Question about 1 Corinthians 7:14 and sanctification of unbelieving spouse

Many Christian doubts about heaven and death are psychological rather than intellectual; manufactured skepticism exploits unthought-through questions to create irrational doubt.

Question: can someone know for sure that heaven is real?

faith apologetics doubt

Abraham faith fulfilled prophecy

Biblical faith is not groundless belief but trust based on revelation and evidence; the response to psychological doubt is to exercise trust grounded in good reasons.

How to respond to psychological doubt

Hebrews 13:2 Genesis 18 Genesis 19 Abraham angelos angelology

Hebrews 13:2 - entertaining angels unawares; the word angelos means messenger but probably refers to spiritual beings here, based on OT cross-references (Genesis 18-19).

Question on Hebrews 13:2 - hospitality and angels

Hebrews 13:2 hermeneutics angelology Hebrews 13:2

Entertaining angels unawares is a super-rare event in Scripture; the main application of Hebrews 13:2 is the importance of showing kindness to strangers, not predicting frequency of angelic visits.

Application of Hebrews 13:2

James White Isaiah 9:6 Trinity James White Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus "Everlasting Father" - Mike cannot recall his full answer but recommends James White's The Forgotten Trinity and Got Questions for responses to Oneness Pentecostal use of the verse.

Question about Isaiah 9:6 and Oneness Pentecostalism

Romans 14 Romans 14 conscience sanctification

An over-sensitive conscience may result from equating every guilty feeling with sin; Romans 14 and Mike's dedicated video on conscience address calibrating the conscience rightly.

Question about having an overly sensitive conscience

Ephesians 1-3 Hebrews 4 Ephesians 1:4 conscience grace forgiveness

Ephesians 1-3 as the foundation for resting in total forgiveness; believers are holy and without blame before God in love (Ephesians 1:4) and have bold access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4).

Pastoral counsel on conscience and assurance of forgiveness

Judges 11 Jephthah vows Judges 11

Jephthah's vow was sinful rebellion: the law expressly forbids human sacrifice; God repeatedly states he never wanted it and judges Israel for practicing it.

Why Jephthah's fulfillment of the vow was wrong

Judges hermeneutics Judges typology

The book of Judges follows a downward trajectory of increasingly flawed deliverers (Gideon → Jephthah → Samson) to show Israel's depravity and create expectation for the true Deliverer - Jesus.

Theological purpose of the book of Judges

Hebrew Roots Movement Gentiles covenant theology

Jewish feasts were commanded for Jews in Israel, not universally for all people; Gentiles were never given the Mosaic law and are not obligated to keep the feasts.

Question: why don't Christians celebrate Jewish holidays?

Romans 14 Romans 14 eschatology Hebrew Roots Movement

A future millennial observance of feasts does not obligate Christians now; present-tense New Testament teaching (Romans 14) is the relevant authority for current practice.

Millennial feast observance and current Christian obligation

hermeneutics discernment commentaries

For new Christians evaluating commentaries: trust your Bible more than commentators; blueletterbible.org is recommended as a generally reliable free resource.

Question from a new Christian about evaluating Bible teachers and commentaries

cessationism Holy Spirit tongues

Mike identifies as charismatic (gifts active today, cessationism rejected) but not hyper-charismatic; he opposes fabricating gifts and "Acts 2.0" theology.

Question clarifying what Mike means by calling himself charismatic

Genesis flood Genesis 6-9 hermeneutics Genesis flood Genesis 6-9

The flood narrative: "destroy all flesh" is a sweeping statement not meant to be woodenly literal - fish dying would be an example of over-literalism.

Question about fish surviving the flood if God said he would destroy all flesh

Romans 1:24-27 marriage natural law sexual ethics

Applying the "natural function" standard: anal intercourse is physically harmful even between a married man and woman and is therefore unnatural and prohibited.

Applying Romans 1 framework to acts within marriage

Revelation Song of Solomon Brian Simmons textual criticism Revelation

Update on the Passion Translation review project: four interviews done with scholars, more coming; Brian Simmons took unusual liberties especially in Revelation and Song of Solomon.

Passion project update - Passion Translation review series

Genesis 1:28 Genesis 1:28 Be Fruitful and Multiply Marriage and Childbearing

Introduction: The command to 'be fruitful and multiply' from Genesis 1 is the first question — should it apply to married couples today, including whether intentionally choosing to have no children is acceptable.

Opening of Friday Q&A, last livestream of 2020. Mike introduces the prepared question about Genesis 1:28.

Genesis 1:28 Genesis 1:28 Be Fruitful and Multiply Dominion Mandate

Genesis 1:28 examined: The command covers having children, filling the earth, subduing it, and having dominion — a multi-part mandate given to Adam and Eve that Mike says applies broadly to all mankind.

Exegesis of Genesis 1:28 at the start of the session.

Genesis 1:28 Genesis 1:28 Hermeneutics Be Fruitful and Multiply

The command in Genesis 1 is a collective mandate for mankind as a whole, not a personal obligation on every individual — applying it to each person individually leads to absurd conclusions (e.g., condemning infertile people).

Interpretive principle applied to Genesis 1:28.

Genesis 9:1 Genesis 9:7 Noah Be Fruitful and Multiply Genesis 9:1

Genesis 9:1,7 re-issues the fruitful-and-multiply command to Noah and his sons after the flood, emphasizing the command operates in the context of a very low world population.

Canonical survey — the command is repeated in Genesis 9 after the flood.

Matthew 19 — Eunuchs for the Kingdom 1 Corinthians 7:32-38 Paul Jesus Marriage and Childbearing

Jesus commends voluntary singleness (making oneself a eunuch for the kingdom) — therefore a blanket command for every person to have children cannot be right.

New Testament witness on the fruitful-and-multiply question.

Marriage and Childbearing Human Value / Imago Dei Selfishness

Much modern refusal to have children is simply selfishness — the 'life isn't worth living' excuse reflects a deficiently low view of human life, not genuine realism about hardship.

Pastoral diagnosis of childlessness by choice.

1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols 1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols Christian Liberty / Conscience Worship Music and Discernment

Worship leaders bear collective responsibility to their congregations: presenting music in corporate worship is like preparing a meal for everyone — songs known to cause stumbling should be avoided.

Application of the meat-in-marketplace analogy to congregational worship leading.

Calvary Chapel Jehovah's Witnesses Church Selection

Advice to a former JW: Do not transfer the JW 'true church' mentality to a new denomination — move from following an institutional governing body to following Christ, and seek genuine (not perfect) Christians.

Q: Former JW, not properly baptized — how to choose a church and who should baptize me? Afraid of being misled.

1 Corinthians 5:11 1 Corinthians 5:11 Church Discipline Fellowship vs. Outreach Mode

1 Corinthians 5:11 — not associating with a so-called 'brother' guilty of ongoing sin — targets life-pattern behavioral sins, not theological disagreement; the context is likely the communion/love-feast meal.

Q: How should 1 Corinthians 5:11 affect relationships with liberal Christian friends with unbiblical beliefs and practices?

1 Corinthians 5:11 Evangelism 1 Corinthians 5:11 Church Discipline

When someone professing faith lives as an unbeliever, the individual Christian's posture should shift from fellowship mode to outreach mode — still loving and gracious but with different relational goals.

Application of 1 Corinthians 5:11 to personal relationships with professing but lifestyle-unbelieving friends.

Evangelism Discipleship Church Mission / Ecclesiology

The role of the church's Sunday service is primarily discipleship with contextual outreach emphasis — the degree depends on the season and makeup of the congregation; discipleship always happens, outreach emphasis is more variable.

Q: Should the church be focused on reaching unbelievers or teaching believers who then go out and evangelize?

Evangelism Church Mission / Ecclesiology Personal Witness

Personal evangelism by individual believers throughout the week is more effective than Sunday-service-only outreach — placing the entire evangelism burden on the pastor is both ineffective and inappropriate.

Continued discussion of church role and outreach strategy.

Darrell Bock Textual Criticism Pauline Epistles — Authorship

Mike has authorship of the contested Pauline epistles on his list but far down in priority; he recommends Darrell Bock as an existing resource for those who need it now.

Q: Do you ever plan to do a deep dive into the authorship of the contested Pauline epistles?

Seventh-day Adventism Cults and False Religions

Mike leans toward classifying the Seventh-day Adventist church as a cult and plans a full dedicated video on the SDA topic in the coming year.

Q: Do you think the SDA is a cult?

Romans 10:1-4 Galatians — Law as Condemner Paul Romans 10:1-4 Jewish Salvation / Two-Covenant Theology

Romans 10:1-4 refutes the idea that Jews can be saved apart from Jesus: Paul's heart's desire is that his Jewish kinsmen be saved — meaning they currently are not — despite their genuine zeal for God.

Q: How do I respond to family who believe Jews will go to heaven even if not saved by Jesus?

Romans 1:16 — Jew First Galatians — Law as Condemner Jewish Salvation / Two-Covenant Theology Romans 1:16 — Jew First Galatians — Law as Condemner

Everything possible is theologically wrong with two-covenant theology (Jews saved by law, gentiles by Christ) — it is unloving to Jewish people because it withholds their own Savior from them.

Summary judgment on two-covenant soteriology.

Eschatology Amillennialism Premillennialism

Mike is pre-millennial and futurist: he believes in a literal seven-year tribulation and a thousand-year reign of Christ; he does not believe amillennialism is biblical but has not done deep recent study on eschatology.

Q: Do you believe amillennialism is biblical, and what arguments do you have for and against it?

1 Corinthians 15:53 — Incorruption Eschatology Eternal Security in Heaven Fallen Angels / Satan

Angels could fall but redeemed humans in eternity will not — Scripture promises 'with him forever'; the mechanisms likely include: prior choice already made, maximum Holy Spirit indwelling, perfected environment, and crucially the removal of the sin nature.

Q: If angels were not 100% safe in heaven because they could be seduced by Satan, how can we be certain we will be safe in eternity with God?

Romans 16 — Simon's Sons Simon of Cyrene Crucifixion of Jesus Romans 16 — Simon's Sons

Why Jesus allowed Simon of Cyrene to carry his cross: possibly to display the depth of his physical suffering, and Simon and his sons apparently came to faith — suggesting the encounter introduced him more fully to Jesus.

Q: Why did Jesus allow Simon of Cyrene to help him carry his cross?

Proof-texting Hermeneutics Church Fathers

Practical guidance on reading church fathers: read whole works from start to finish rather than isolated quotes — this prevents the proof-texting problem the same way it prevents biblical proof-texting.

How to read the church fathers responsibly.

thinking biblically BibleThinker ministry

Introduction and ministry update for 2021

Opening of first livestream of 2021 (New Year's Day)

discipleship biblical thinking

Goal: teach people to think biblically, not just memorize answers

Ministry philosophy discussion

Ecclesiastes 9:5 afterlife Ecclesiastes 9:5 state of the dead

Q2: Can the dead be aware of what happens on earth? Ecclesiastes 9:5 examined

Response to viewer question citing Ecclesiastes 9:5 ("the dead know nothing")