Search — Theology Explorer

salvation ethics pastoral care

Suicide does not automatically mean loss of salvation; Christians can and do commit terrible sins — but suicide harms others profoundly

Question from Miguel about whether a true believer who commits suicide in a moment of weakness can still be saved.

election soteriology free will

The elect are not a closed group from which some are necessarily excluded; election involves foreknowledge and preserves both God's and humanity's free choice

Question from Threads of Hope about whether the doctrine of election means some people simply cannot be saved.

Roman Catholicism church history marriage

Catholic claim that marriage outside the Church is invalid is wrong — it is not sacramental but is still a real marriage; the Catholic doctrine of 7 sacraments is historically late

Question from Lindsey whose husband's Catholic family claims they are not really married because they were not married by the Catholic Church.

marriage sanctification forgiveness

Unbiblical divorce followed by the ex-spouse's remarriage: the innocent party is free to remarry, but must do heart work first

Question from Carmen about whether someone who initiated an unbiblical divorce is free to remarry after the ex-spouse has already remarried (making reconciliation impossible).

1 Timothy 2:12-15 women in ministry hermeneutics complementarianism

1 Timothy 2:12-15 restricts women from the pastoral/authority role in the church, but does not prohibit co-ed Bible study or women's ministry generally

Question from Seanya about whether 1 Timothy 2:12-15 makes co-ed Bible studies unbiblical and how it affects women's ministry.

submission church leadership pastoral care

A church with a single pastor and no elders should seek plurality of leadership; address the concern privately and graciously with the pastor

Question from Michael Francisco about a church with one pastor who teaches everything and no elders — how to raise the concern.

Galatians hermeneutics Galatians Sabbath

Christians are not under the Mosaic Law including the Sabbath; they are under the law of Christ and walk by the Spirit

Question from Cetl P about why Christians do not keep the Sabbath even though it is in the moral law and written by God's finger on stone.

Colossians Romans 14 Colossians Romans 14 Christian liberty

Romans 14 shows that observing the Sabbath is a matter of conscience, not universal Christian obligation; liberty must be exercised in love

Continuing the Sabbath question with a detailed reading of Romans 14.

1 Samuel 28 1 Thessalonians 4 Mary Roman Catholicism Samuel

Praying to the dead is forbidden — the 1 Samuel 28 (Saul/Samuel) incident is a divine rebuke, not a model; this applies to Catholic prayers to saints

Question from Elizabeth about 1 Samuel 28 (Saul consulting the medium to contact Samuel) and Catholic prayers to Mary and saints.

1 Peter 3:3-4 1 Timothy 2:9 1 Peter 3:3-4 1 Timothy 2:9 jewelry

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 godliness 1 Timothy 2:9 jewelry

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.

1 Timothy 2:9 cultural context 1 Timothy 2:9 IVP Bible Background Commentary

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.

1 Timothy 2:9 cultural critique women's ministry 1 Timothy 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 1 Timothy 2:9 Sarah Abraham gentle and quiet spirit

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.

Mark Luke Matthew 21:1-8 Gospel harmonization Mark Luke

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.

1 Corinthians 5 John 3:3 1 Corinthians 5 salvation sin

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.

John 3:3 salvation kingdom of God Nicodemus

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.

repentance sanctification pastoral care

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.

Proverbs 1 Corinthians 12 word of wisdom wisdom prayer

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?

John MacArthur Romans 13 1 Peter 2:13 church unity John MacArthur religious freedom

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.

marriage sin divorce

1 John 5:16-17 atonement repentance mortal sin

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 eternal security apostasy Hebrews 6:4

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.

Ephesians 4:26 social media righteous anger Ephesians 4:26

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.

John 6 Council of Trent doctrinal development communion

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.

Matthew 24:36 typology no one knows the day or hour eschatology

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.

discernment emotions conviction

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.

Genesis 2 Numbers 30 Genesis 2 honoring parents parental authority

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.

1 Samuel 28 Deuteronomy 32 Psalm 82 Michael Heiser monotheism 1 Samuel 28

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.

Genesis 1 Genesis 1 biblical inerrancy Enuma Elish

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).

Exodus biblical inerrancy Exodus archaeology

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.

apologetics Martin Luther Reformation

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.

Genesis 6 1 Samuel 15 Genesis 6 1 Samuel 15 divine repentance

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).

Romans 5:1-2 justification by faith grace Sean McDowell

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

Closing announcements and benediction.

John 2:13-17 divine authority temple clearing violent protest

Jesus flipping tables does not justify violent protest or destruction of private property

Mike addresses a meme circulating after his Monday video on Jesus clearing the temple, which people were using to justify violent protests.

Matthew 5:38-48 Romans 12:14-21 Christian ethics nonviolence retaliation

Christians are called to non-retaliation; violent protest contradicts following Jesus

Continuing the discussion on whether Jesus clearing the temple justifies violent protest.

Christian witness political allegiance Christ above politics

Christians must align with Christ first, not a political party

Broader point about Christian political engagement during social unrest.

2 Corinthians 12:10 spiritual disciplines spiritual warfare doubt

Counsel for Christians experiencing unexplained spiritual doubt and attack

Response to a viewer (Christian Regal) who is experiencing doubt that does not seem to stem from any intellectual problem — it feels like an attack.

Exodus 23:2-3 Leviticus 19:15 abortion social justice biblical justice

Biblical justice requires impartiality; modern social justice errs by elevating group rights over equal standards

Response to viewer Kara Gordon asking whether caring for the marginalized should look different for a Christian than secular socialism or communism.

sin nature government political theology

Christians can serve God faithfully under any form of government; government structure is a secondary issue

Part of the discussion on socialism vs. biblical justice.

church culture sexual sin shame

Women and pornography: the church's silence stems from greater shame; solutions come from women who have found victory speaking out

Response to viewer asking for Christian resources for women struggling with pornography and why the church focuses more on men.

discernment Enneagram mysticism

The Enneagram lacks true ancient origins and was developed by a modern mystic with dangerous theology

Response to Katrina asking about the Enneagram and its origins (desert fathers vs. Catholic origins).

Ephesians 2:8-10 sola fide assurance of salvation sanctification

Saved by faith alone; works are evidence of salvation, not the means of it — applied to homosexual lifestyle

Response to viewer Tegunbai asking: if we are saved by faith alone not works, how can living a homosexual lifestyle indicate one is not saved? Isn't that mixing faith and works?

Romans 10:9 confession Romans 10:9 lordship

Romans 10:9 — confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in the heart involves personal yielding and trust, not merely intellectual assent

Response to Ryan Hasty asking how to know if one believes in the heart versus merely thinking the evidence points toward Christianity being true.

Romans 6:23 physical death Romans 6:23 wages of sin

Romans 6:23 — the death referred to is both physical death and eternal separation from God (the second death)

Response to Jesse Crocus asking what kind of death Romans 6:23 refers to.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 testing prophecy discernment prophecy

Assessing modern prophecy claims: consistency in future fulfillment is the test

Response to Jody Wainwright asking about pastor Dana Coverstone and his prophetic dreams.

Trinity deity of Christ Son of God

Why the Father is typically called simply God in the NT while Jesus is called the Son: guarding against modalism

Response to Deke Liu asking why God the Father is typically just called God in the NT while Jesus is called the Son and the Spirit is called the Spirit.

James 1:13-15 Matthew 5:28 temptation sin sexual sin

Distinction between temptation and lust/sin: sin begins when the will yields to desire, not at first awareness of attraction

Response to Hot Wax 93 asking the difference between simple sexual attraction and lust.

1 Corinthians 13:10 spiritual gifts second coming cessationism

1 Corinthians 13:10 does not teach cessationism — the perfect refers to seeing Christ face to face at the second coming, not the completion of Scripture

Response to Brandy Medved asking about 1 Corinthians 13:10 and whether the perfect means the Bible, therefore ending spiritual gifts.