Search — Theology Explorer

Galatians 2 Paul Peter Galatians 2

Paul rebuked Peter publicly in Galatians 2 because his behavior impacted the whole community

Mike shows a biblical precedent for public confrontation of a leader

Mark 16:9-20 textual criticism biblical inerrancy longer ending of Mark

Mark 16:9-20 (the longer ending) is likely not original to the gospel

Responding to a question from Max Bolser about Mark 16:17-18 and signs following believers

Acts Mark 16:17-18 signs and wonders speaking in tongues Acts

If Mark 16:17-18 is original, signs accompanying believers does not mean every believer at all times

Mike gives a conditional interpretation of Mark 16:17-18 assuming its authenticity

Acts 28 Paul signs and wonders Acts 28

Paul's snakebite in Acts is a fulfillment of divine protection -- validating the gospel message, not a prescription

Mike gives a concrete Acts example for the serpent-handling promise

James John Matthew 16:28 Peter James John

Matthew 16:28 "some standing here will not taste death" is fulfilled by the Transfiguration, not the Second Coming

Responding to a question from Lucas Callahan about Matthew 16:28 and the failed apocalyptic prophet charge

2 Corinthians 6:14 marriage false gospel Catholicism

Can a Christian marry a Catholic? — Gospel distinction and the unequally yoked principle

A viewer asks whether a Christian can marry a Catholic.

John MacArthur John MacArthur Calvinism gifts of the Spirit

John MacArthur — appreciation as a gospel champion; cautious about Strange Fire conference

A viewer asks Mike's opinion of John MacArthur.

salvation gospel Catholicism

Catholic Church has the right Jesus but a distorted gospel — Mike recommends his Catholicism series

A viewer asks for discernment on the Catholic Church and how to know Jesus through it.

1 Timothy Mark Luke 1 Timothy textual criticism Mark

Dating the Gospels — pre-70 AD arguments deserve more weight than commonly given

A viewer asks whether most NT historians date all four Gospels to around 70 AD or later.

Matthew 5:13-16 salt and light gospel proclamation religious persecution

Standing up for faith before it is taken away — Christians always stand; democracy creates gospel opportunity

A viewer asks at what point Christians should stand up for their faith before it is taken away.

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

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

Question about whether the two phrases refer to different things.

Matthew biblical theology Matthew kingdom of God

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Romans 8:28 is the biblical basis for saying "good things are coming" in hard times; the phrase is fine if stripped of materialistic or time-specific implications.

Is "good things are coming when you face struggles" biblical or prosperity gospel?

Romans 8:28 suffering providence prosperity gospel

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Mike's Hebrew Roots Movement playlist covers Acts, Romans, and Jesus's own teaching on how the law applies to Gentiles - recommended for deeper study.

Resource recommendation on Jewish law and Gentile Christians

Mike Winger Hebrew Roots Movement Gentiles

Romans 9-11 Shmuley Boteach Anti-Semitism and the New Testament Romans 9-11

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's claim that the NT contains anti-Semitic propaganda and forged passages is theologically foolish — it substitutes his personal agenda for textual criticism and makes him the effective authority over Scripture.

Q: What do you think of Shmuley Boteach's claim that the NT has anti-Semitic propaganda Christians should reject as forgeries?

Acts of the Apostles Romans 9-11 Romans 1:16 — Jew First Acts of the Apostles Romans 9-11 Jewish Salvation / Two-Covenant Theology

The NT is pro-Jewish rather than anti-Semitic: Romans 9-11 teaches the future salvation of all Israel, the gospel goes to the Jew first, and Jesus and all the original apostles are Jewish.

Counter-argument to the anti-Semitism charge against the NT.

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?

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.

Justin Martyr Polycarp Church Fathers

Church fathers have historical value — especially the earliest second-century writers — but should not be granted extra theological authority; they are windows into early church history, not infallible teachers.

Q: How much utility should we find in the church fathers? Should we view them with extra credibility?

Philippians 4:8 Brian Simmons prosperity gospel Philippians 4:8

Q10: Dangers of treating positivity/negativity as moral categories — New Age/New Thought origins

Response to question about "happy church" culture where positivity = moral good

exclusivity of Christ New Age positive thinking

Blanket positivity thinking leads to rejection of God's judgment and Jesus' exclusivity

Continuing Q10 on positivity as moral category

John 3:3-8 Peter Williams Bart Ehrman Nicodemus

Q16: Bart Ehrman's claim that John 3 "born again" wordplay couldn't have occurred in Aramaic — Jesus spoke Greek

Response to viewer citing Bart Ehrman's argument about John 3 and language

Acts 6:1 Peter Williams Acts 6:1 Jesus' languages

Evidence Jesus spoke Greek: Nazareth as Roman construction site, Greek inscription found there, multilingual Galilee

Continuing Q16 on Jesus speaking Greek

John 3:1-2 Bart Ehrman Nicodemus anothen

Nicodemus likely spoke Greek to Jesus for secrecy — eliminating the Ehrman problem

Concluding Q16 on John 3 and Greek

Psalm 37:4 hermeneutics prosperity gospel covetousness

Psalm 37:4 is misused in Word of Faith teaching as a blank-check promise to receive material desires

Question from Lungil Zandi about how to read Psalm 37:4 without falling into a Word of Faith trap

Psalm 37 contextual interpretation eschatology prosperity gospel

Psalm 37 in context is an encouragement to the righteous who are NOT experiencing abundance, not a promise of material wealth

Contextual reading of Psalm 37 to correct the Word of Faith misuse

Psalm 37:16 Psalm 37:21 prosperity gospel Word of Faith contentment

Prosperity preaching flips Psalm 37 upside down — the psalm encourages those with little, not those seeking more

Conclusion of the Psalm 37 discussion

Abraham salvation universalism

Those who lived before Christ or never heard the gospel can still be saved — through faith in the true God, ultimately through Christ

Question from Telly Kaler about how people who lived before Jesus will be judged

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Hillsong's explosive growth is driven by an extra layer of intense positivity — the "Happy Meal" model of Christianity

Continued analysis of Hillsong's ministry model.

Hillsong Prosperity gospel / positivity gospel Ministry success metrics

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Pentecost was a divine missionary strategy — God gathered diaspora Jews to Jerusalem so the gospel could radiate back to every nation

Continued Acts 2 discussion on why the miracle happened when and where it did.

Acts 2 Romans 1:16 Acts 2 Romans 1:16 Pentecost as missionary event

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Paul's conversion is credible because it was Apostolically ratified and his gospel was identical to the Twelve's — Joseph Smith fails both tests

Question from Summer Monsoon about apologetics for Paul's conversion vs. Joseph Smith's claimed vision.

Galatians 2 2 Peter 3:16 Galatians 2 Mormonism Joseph Smith

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Galatians 3:23-25 -- The Law as paidagogos (guardian/tutor) leading to Christ; distinct from kinsman-redeemer language

Mike evaluates whether Galatians 3:23-25 connects to the Ruth kinsman-redeemer passage.

Galatians 3:23-25 typology justification by faith paidagogos

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Why care about false doctrine (prosperity gospel, word of faith)? Because doctrinal error has real-world spiritual consequences

Question from Tony about why false doctrine matters if it does not compromise salvation.

discernment prosperity gospel apostasy

James White Mormonism theodicy James White

Mike comments on Jeff Durbin of Apologia Radio, praising him for having a solid gospel and effective outreach to cults but disagreeing with his strong Calvinism; he also notes controversy around a debate Durbin and James White did against a Mormon.

Response to viewer question about Jeff Durbin

evangelism Jehovah's Witnesses gospel witness

Mike advises Christians to witness to Jehovah's Witnesses as they would to anyone, noting the advantage that JWs already want to talk about God, and encourages boldness in gospel witness with all people.

Response to viewer question about engaging Jehovah's Witnesses

1 Corinthians Galatians 1 Galatians 1:6-10 biblical authority Paul 1 Corinthians

Mike articulates a Sola Scriptura position by arguing from Galatians 1 that the Apostles themselves placed their written gospel above any future authority — including apostles or angels — making all church fathers mere commentators with no binding theological authority.

Response to viewer question about the authority of early church fathers

2 John 1:11 salvation false gospel works-based salvation

Mike examines 2 John 1:11 in context, explaining it refers to hosting traveling teachers and not to general social contact with heretics, then defends William Lane Craig's nuanced view on Catholics — acknowledging a false Catholic gospel while allowing that some Catholics may be genuinely saved.

Response to viewer question about whether to separate from William Lane Craig over his statements about Catholics

Hebrews youth ministry evangelism spiritual maturity

Mike advises a youth pastor that discipleship of willing students produces more fruit than constant outreach programming, drawing on his own early ministry failure when he focused on students who did not care.

Response to youth pastor viewer about ministry focus

Eastern Orthodoxy gospel Sola Scriptura

Mike declines to comment on Coptic/Oriental Orthodox theology due to insufficient knowledge, but raises concerns about Eastern Orthodox extra-biblical tradition and recounts a personal experience of a woman who left his church for an Eastern Orthodox group and could no longer articulate the gospel.

Response to viewer question about Coptic/Oriental Orthodox theology

Mark 14:51-52 Mark the Evangelist Peter Mark 14:51-52 Gospel of Mark

Mike identifies the naked young man fleeing in Mark 14:51-52 as likely the author Mark himself, explaining this was a common ancient biographical convention of embedding the author’s presence discreetly in the narrative.

Response to viewer question about the identity of the young man in Mark 14:51-52

Holy Spirit apologetics gospel

Mike shares his personal testimony: he came to faith at age 12 through the 10 Commandments convicting him of sin, then heard the gospel at a youth group he attended to get out of the house, believed immediately, and later pursued apologetics to verify his faith.

Response to viewer asking about Mike’s testimony