Search — Theology Explorer

Matthew 27:52-53 Lazarus crucifixion Matthew 27:52-53

Saints rising from tombs after the crucifixion (Matthew 27) — who were they?

James and Lindsey ask about the people coming out of tombs after Jesus's resurrection in Matthew 27 — did they continue living or ascend?

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.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Proverbs 16:5 repentance pride grace

Covert narcissism and Proverbs 16:5 — misunderstanding grace; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Giant Mushroom Tree is being diagnosed with covert narcissistic personality disorder and fears Proverbs 16:5 means they are unsavable.

1 Corinthians 10:13 Psalm 34:18 Psalm 51:17 repentance sanctification 1 Corinthians 10:13

Hardened heart and repentance — how to break callousness and return to closeness with God

Final question: someone says their heart has become hard through continued rebellion, they no longer feel sorry, and they miss living close to Christ.

Christian living discipleship biblical thinking

Introduction: learning to think biblically transforms every area of life

Opening of Friday live stream Q&A session

Luke 16:1-13 parable interpretation Luke 16:1-13 Parable of the Dishonest Manager

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager: Jesus uses a bad actor to illustrate one positive quality — shrewd urgency about the future

Reading and explaining Luke 16:1-13

Luke 16:9 parable interpretation gospel proclamation stewardship

Luke 16:9 — "make friends by means of unrighteous wealth" may refer parabolically to using all earthly resources for gospel proclamation

Interpreting the command to "make friends by means of unrighteous wealth" so they receive you into eternal dwellings

eschatology rapture abomination of desolation

Anxiety about eschatology (pre/mid/post-trib) is unnecessary — Christians are called to live ready for a full lifetime of service

Responding to a question about hoping Jesus does not return until after the questioner has died, due to eschatological anxiety

hermeneutics covenant claiming biblical promises

Claiming all biblical promises because "God is no respecter of persons" is invalid reasoning

Responding to the claim that Christians can claim all biblical promises because God is no respecter of persons or because they are grafted into Israel

Romans 11 hermeneutics Abrahamic covenant Romans 11

Being grafted into Israel does not give Christians the right to claim every promise made to Israel, especially negative or law-based promises

The second half of the question about claiming Israel's promises via grafting-in

straw man argument apologetics atheism

Confirmation bias accusations are themselves prone to confirmation bias; fear of confirmation bias is not sufficient reason to disbelieve something

Responding to a young Christian worried that his theism might be confirmation bias given that most atheistic arguments seem like straw men and ad hominem

confirmation bias knowledge epistemology

Changing one's mind is not required for intellectual validity; core epistemic beliefs are foundational and need no further justification

Continuing the apologetics discussion about confirmation bias

apologetics biblical inspiration fulfilled prophecy

Christianity has a mountain of evidential support — fulfilled prophecy, unity of Scripture, historical verification

Closing the apologetics discussion by pointing to positive evidence for Christianity

obedience sexual purity Christian relationships

A new believer should lovingly but firmly set sexual boundaries with a girlfriend, even at the risk of losing the relationship

Responding to a 3-month-old believer whose girlfriend is hesitant to abstain from sex

justice divine judgment holiness of God

God's glory is displayed in just judgment of sin, like a good judge rightly sentencing the guilty

Responding to the question of how God's glory comes from judging unbelievers

Hebrews 11 Hebrews 12:1 Hebrews 11 inspiration Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:1 — the cloud of witnesses is the inspiring example of their lives, not people watching from heaven; secular inspiring figures are fine but cannot be primary mentors

Responding to whether it is sinful to be inspired by historical people outside the Bible

Galatians 6:2 Proverbs 14:10 pastoral care Galatians 6:2 mental health

Helping a believer in mental anguish: bear burdens without requiring performance; listen and meet needs without trying to fix them

Responding to how to help and encourage a believer going through a season of mental anguish

Mark 6 Mark 8 Gentiles Feeding of the 4000 Mark 6

Mark 8 feeding of 4000: disciples may not have expected another miracle because Jesus did not multiply food at every meal; also, Jewish messianic expectation may not have extended to feeding Gentiles

Responding to why the disciples in Mark 8 seem unaware that Jesus had already fed 5000 in Mark 6

Mark's Gospel Matthew 27:62-66 Richard Bauckham resurrection apologetics

The empty tomb was verifiable: women as witnesses (embarrassing to early church = authentic), the women are named (eyewitness identification per Bauckham), Roman guards monitored it

Responding to how anyone could be sure the right tomb was checked if Jesus was beaten unrecognizably

Genesis 2-3 Genesis 2-3 sin nature Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: gave experiential knowledge of rebellion, not the initial ability to distinguish right from wrong

Responding to how Adam and Eve could be held responsible for disobeying before eating the fruit that gave knowledge of good and evil

Romans 14 Romans 14 Christian liberty Christian living

Secular music: evaluate by message, not genre; wickedness set to music is still wicked, but neutral or positive messages are fine

Responding to whether it is sinful to listen to secular music and where to draw the line

John 1:12 John 1:9-11 salvation free will universalism

Universal atonement does not guarantee universal salvation; receiving Christ requires a personal decision.

Response to anonymous question: since Jesus died for all, will all be saved like gravity works on all?

hermeneutics logical fallacy argument from analogy

Analogies explain truth but cannot establish or create theological truth.

Critique of the gravity-salvation analogy used to argue for universalism.

2 Corinthians 5:21 atonement imputed righteousness justification

2 Corinthians 5:21 — Jesus became sin through imputation, not by sinning; understood through a Protestant doctrine of justification.

Question from "Stranger in Moscow": how can Jesus become sin if he knew no sin?

Ephesians 5:32 Reformation Jerome Latin Vulgate

Jerome's Latin Vulgate mistranslated "mystery" (mysterion) as "sacrament" in Ephesians 5:32, contributing to the Roman Catholic doctrine of marriage as a sacrament.

Mark H asks about doctrinal changes Jerome introduced in the Vulgate around 400 AD.

Ephesians 5:25-32 John 19:34 Christ and the Church typology Adam and Eve

Ephesians 5:25-32 — the mystery of marriage as a typological picture of Christ and the church, rooted in the Adam-Eve narrative.

Discussing the "mystery" Paul refers to in Ephesians 5:32 while addressing the Vulgate question.

Matthew 6:33 Chuck Smith Matthew 6:33 pastoral counseling

Waiting on the Lord is an active, not passive, posture — characterized by seeking first the kingdom in whatever capacity is available now.

Derek Beeler asks for advice on a season of waiting to discern God's calling.

Romans 13:4 Romans 13:1 Romans 12:17 Romans 13:4 Romans 13:1 Romans 12:17

Christians can and should serve in government; Romans 13 and Romans 12:17 are not contradictory — private morality and governmental justice operate on different principles.

The Brunette Family asks whether a Christian can be a governing authority given Romans 13:1 alongside Romans 12:17 ("repay no one evil for evil").

Ephesians 5:5 Colossians 3:5 Roman Catholicism prayer idolatry

Idolatry ancient and modern: literal idol worship still exists; covetousness is idolatry; some Catholic practices parallel ancient idolatry; smartphone use threatens prayer life.

Al Naps asks about modern-day idolatry and whether excessive Christian YouTube consumption is problematic; also asks if Winger worries about being idolized.

Acts 15 Leviticus 11 Mark 7:14-19 Acts 15 Pharisees Leviticus 11

Mark 7:14-19 — Jesus declares all foods clean by distinguishing ceremonial uncleanness from moral defilement; the Levitical purity laws were pedagogical, not moral.

Tabitha Littman asks why Jesus seems appalled that Jews believed touching/eating certain things made them unclean given God instituted those laws in Leviticus.

Matthew 18:15 Galatians 6:1 Matthew 18:15 church discipline reconciliation

Matthew 18:15 and Galatians 6:1 both emphasize going to restore a brother — the onus for reconciliation rests on the one who was sinned against or who observes the sin.

David Dufty asks why Christian culture focuses on reasons not to confront sin rather than on the biblical imperative to do so.

Genesis 4 2 Samuel 13 (Amnon and Tamar) repentance pastoral counseling guilt

Self-hatred often functions as a mismanagement of guilt — projecting sin onto an "other self" to adopt victim mentality instead of genuine repentance.

Gabriel Martinez says he hates himself sometimes and asks how to love himself biblically.

Psalm 139 Genesis 38 (Onan) hermeneutics abortifacient Psalm 139

Birth control and vasectomy: contraception that prevents conception is morally permissible for Christians; abortifacient contraception is morally equivalent to killing a human life.

Lucas Eileen asks for a biblical perspective on birth control and vasectomy, mentioning Genesis 38 and Psalm 139.

Genesis 3 Genesis 3 Satan free will

Satan in the Garden: God did not place Satan there; Satan's presence does not negate human free will responsibility for the Fall.

Brian Harper asks why a God who hates evil would place evil incarnate (Satan) in the Garden knowing it would lead to human corruption.

Acts 1 Matthew 19:28 Luke 22:28-30 eschatology Judas Iscariot Acts 1

Matthew 19:28 — the promise of 12 thrones for those who followed Jesus does not necessarily include Judas; Matthias' replacement and the symbolic nature of the number 12 both resolve the tension.

Robo King asks whether Judas still has a throne since Jesus promised 12 thrones to the Twelve in Matthew 19:28.

soul intellectual humility split-brain (corpus callosotomy)

Split-brain surgery (corpus callosotomy) and two consciousnesses: Winger admits this question about souls exceeds his competence.

Audrey Addison asks whether a person with a severed corpus callosum (exhibiting two independent consciousnesses) has two souls.

Philippians 4:8 John 13:2 Ephesians 6 Peter Philippians 4:8 Satan

Intrusive/unwanted thoughts: possible demonic origin and the Philippians 4:8 remedy

Question from Turka Orenzova about horrifying thoughts that pop into her head unbidden.

Ecclesiology Church planting Local church

What is a local church and is planting under an existing church a biblical mandate?

Question from Droopy's Dad about church definition and whether church plants must be authorized by an existing church.

2 Corinthians 4:8 Rest in God Christian peace Suffering / trials

Resting in God does not mean absence of anguish — the "bedrock" model of Christian peace

Question from Faith Marie about resting in God's presence and staying connected throughout the day.

Romans 11 Hebrews 6:4-6 Romans 11 Judas Iscariot Repentance

Hebrews 6:4-6 — apostasy, hardness of heart, and the possible national Israel interpretation

Question from A.D. Chan about whether Hebrews 6:4-6 applies to Judas and what "falling away" means for someone who has experienced the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:22 Matthew 25:46 Romans 5:18 1 Corinthians 15:22 Matthew 25:46 Romans 5:18

Universal salvation vs. conditional salvation: Romans 5:18, 1 Corinthians 15:22, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Matthew 25:46

Question from New Testament Theologist about squaring universalist-sounding texts with texts affirming eternal punishment.

Deuteronomy / Joshua conquest texts Theodicy Children and salvation Canaanite conquest

The Canaanite genocide: why God commanded Israel to kill rather than drive out or convert

Question from Lindsey Kelso about the moral difficulty of God commanding Israel to kill thousands of Canaanites.

John the Baptist Luke 1:18 Luke 1:34 Mary John the Baptist Luke 1:18

Why was Zechariah punished for his question about John's birth, but Mary was not punished for asking the same type of question?

Question from Terry Defilo about Luke 1:18 (Zechariah) vs. Luke 1:34 (Mary) and the apparent inconsistency.

Luke 23:34 Ezekiel 18:23 Luke 23:34 Ezekiel 18:23 God's wrath / anger

Can we anger God to the point where he will never forgive us?

Question from Dominique Cohn about whether God's anger can make him permanently withhold forgiveness.

Gospel of John Apologetics Agnosticism / seeking faith

Practical advice for an agnostic seeking to believe

Question from "It's Flawless," an agnostic trying to believe.

1 Peter 1:3 R.C. Sproul Arminianism Regeneration

1 Peter 1:3 and the rejection of total depravity — God causes regeneration, but faith is not causal

Question from Joshua Stuckey about how Winger reads 1 Peter 1:3 given his rejection of total depravity.

Galatians 5 John 8:36 2 Corinthians 13:5 Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5 Sanctification

Can someone be justified without being sanctified? Can habitual sin coexist with salvation?

Question from Kate Channel about justification, sanctification, and habitual sin.

1 Corinthians 15 Revelation 20 1 Corinthians 15 Revelation 20 Bodily resurrection

Do unbelievers receive resurrected physical bodies at the final judgment?

Question about whether those who reject Christ also receive physical bodies at the resurrection.