Search — Theology Explorer

Jude Jude Book of Enoch canon

The Book of Enoch is historically interesting but not canonical and was never part of the Jewish or Christian canon

Response to Spider-G asking about the Book of Enoch.

discernment church selection Bible translation

The Passion Translation is irresponsible and problematic; a pastor using it is a warning sign but not automatically disqualifying

Response to Chantal asking whether to reconsider joining a church whose pastor quotes the Passion Translation more and more.

discernment prosperity gospel false teaching

Strategy for confronting prosperity gospel error in friends and family: affirm first, then use bridge-building resources they cannot interrupt

Response to Robert Butcher asking how to lovingly reveal errors of the prosperity gospel to friends and family.

Jeremiah 29:13 prayer faith seeking God

Seeking God guarantees finding him, though not always in the expected way or with the expected results

Quick response to Cameron Powers asking if truly seeking God means he will show up.

Christian ethics labor exploitation consumerism

Christians and labor exploitation: genuine question requiring more information before forming a clear position

Response to Spazzy Jazzy asking whether Christians should boycott products made with exploited labor (chocolate, phones, etc.).

evangelism Islam Christian liberty

Christians may read and study the Quran for education and evangelistic purposes; avoid it only if it causes personal spiritual instability

Response to Sarah Nordberg (Denmark) who feels convicted reading the Quran for a required university religion class.

Genesis 2-3 wisdom Genesis 2-3 Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not about wisdom or knowledge in general but about moral autonomy through sinful rebellion

Response to Adriano asking why the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was bad if wisdom is generally a good thing in the Bible.

Isaiah 53:5 hermeneutics healing Word of Faith

Isaiah 53:5 interpretation — "by his stripes we are healed" in context

Question from Cindy Johanneson about Word of Faith use of Isaiah 53:5 to support divine health and the claim believers should never be sick.

Isaiah 53:5 1 Peter 2:24 healing sin atonement

1 Peter 2:24 quotes Isaiah 53:5 in a spiritual/relational healing context, not physical

Continuing the Isaiah 53:5 / healing-in-the-atonement discussion.

Matthew 8:16-17 Isaiah 53:4 healing atonement messianic prophecy

Matthew 8:16-17 applies Isaiah 53 to Jesus's physical healings — physical healing is in the atonement

Continuing Isaiah 53 / healing discussion; a complicating text for those who deny physical healing in the atonement.

healing eschatology Holy Spirit

Timing argument: blessings purchased at the cross are not all present realities — healing is partially now, fully later

Disagreement with hyper-charismatic "claim healing now" theology, despite agreeing healing is in the atonement.

Mark 9:49-50 Old Testament typology discipleship

Old Testament sacrifices seasoned with salt — salt as covenant symbol and godly character

Question from Molly Thompson about the spiritual/messianic meaning of salting OT sacrifices.

Luke 17:5-6 faith discipleship mustard seed

Faith as small as a mustard seed — the call is to use existing faith, not to manufacture more

Question from Lavell Martinez about the tension between being told to have great faith and Jesus saying mustard-seed faith moves mountains.

Psalm 15:4 marriage covenant contracts

Are marriage contracts biblical? — Yes, with wisdom; keeping one's word is a biblical principle

Question from Mahit (likely from India) about whether signing a pre-marriage contract is biblical.

Hebrews 4:16 Ephesians 1 sanctification hypocrisy abortion

Having had an abortion: is it hypocritical to oppose it, have children afterward, or feel unworthy?

Question from "Faded Princess" about abortion, hypocrisy, and guilt.

marriage singleness biblical ethics

What does the Bible teach on masturbation? — No direct address; biblical principles of lust, self-gratification, and marital fidelity apply

Question from Arvin Marlow.

Acts 3:6 prayer spiritual gifts healing

Should we command healing (like Peter in Acts 3:6) or pray to God for healing? — Pray with faith; commanding is not a universal prescription

Question from Lasik's 97 about whether Christians should speak authoritatively over the sick rather than asking God.

James 1 prayer healing Holy Spirit

Confidence in prayer for healing vs. fabricating certainty — suffering can be within God's will

Continuation of healing/prayer question; preview of upcoming Kenneth Copeland study.

denominations ecclesiology heresy

Denominations — legitimate variety within Christianity vs. counterfeit groups

Question from Leonardo Borges about whether denominations are divisive and whether multiple Christian factions can be legitimate.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 apologetics miracles Catholicism

Apparitions of Mary at Fatima — three interpretive options; not sufficient to validate Catholic Marian dogmas

Question from Cody Skinner about Catholic apparitions at Fatima and messages to the shepherd children.

church fathers apologetics Catholicism

Catholicism as doctrinal development — novel doctrines added over centuries, not apostolic teaching

Continuation of Fatima discussion; Mike's broader critique of Catholicism.

Romans 8:16 Romans 8:15 Holy Spirit Romans 8:16 assurance of salvation

The witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16) — an internal truth-awareness of being God's child, not an emotion

Question from John Butterfield about what the witness of the Spirit is and how to obtain it.

Romans Acts Hebrews Romans Acts Hebrews

How to start reading the Bible — begin with the Gospels, Acts, Romans, Hebrews; not Genesis-to-Revelation in order

Question from Dallin Byrd about the best starting point for Bible reading.

Psalm 22 Luke 22:44 Trinity Christology Psalm 22

Gethsemane — Jesus was not separated from the Father; "forsaken" means handed over to a terrible fate, not ontological separation of the Trinity

Question from Blake about whether Jesus was forsaken/separated from the Father in Gethsemane.

Mark 16:17-18 Acts 28 textual criticism healing prosperity gospel

Mark 16:17-18 — the signs follow believers as a community/historically, not as individual mandates for every Christian

Question from Chretienis about Mark 16:17-18 and helping people escape the prosperity gospel.

election Calvinism soteriology

Calvinism, Arminianism, Molinism — Mike identifies as a Molinist

Lightning-round question from Kyle about Mike's soteriological position.

1 John Matthew 6:14-15 1 John salvation Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:14-15 — is forgiving others necessary for salvation, or evidence of it?

Question from David Ellington about whether failing to forgive others means losing salvation.

false teaching heresy discernment

Avoiding heresy-tracking burnout — know your realm of responsibility in the body of Christ

Question from Judah Matthews about discernment without anxiety over every false teaching.

Matthew 18 church leadership Matthew 18 ecclesiology

Addressing a church drifting from Scripture — approach thoughtfully, privately first, then through proper channels

Question from Nala about a church where the Bible is not preached and the lead pastor bulldozes people.

Exodus 22:16-17 Deuteronomy 22 marriage repentance fornication

Should two Christians who fornicated marry? — Consider it, but do not treat marriage as a required patch on the sin

Question from Spazzy Jazzy about rectifying fornication through marriage.

1 Peter 3:19 eschatology descent into hell intermediate state

Where was Jesus's spirit during the two days between death and resurrection?

Brief lightning-round answer (no questioner name given).

Matthew 5:44 Luke 6:28 prayer sanctification forgiveness

How to overcome long-held bitterness — pray for the person consistently; blessing them changes your own heart

Final question from Lillian McDonald about stopping bitterness held for years.

gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation spiritual abuse

Personal testimony: as a teenager Mike was told he was not saved because he had not spoken in tongues

Opening introduction before answering the first question about tongues and salvation

pastoral care tongues and salvation spiritual abuse

Declaring tongues required for salvation is spiritually abusive and demands repentance

Mike's moral and pastoral assessment before turning to the biblical argument

Acts hermeneutics Acts tongues and salvation

The case for tongues-required-for-salvation rests on a few Acts passages used without context

Beginning the biblical refutation of the tongues-salvation link

Acts 2 Acts 2 new covenant gifts of the Spirit

Acts 2 — the inauguration of the Holy Spirit: all present spoke in tongues

First of three Acts passages cited by tongues-required proponents

Acts 10 Acts 10 Jewish-Gentile distinction tongues and salvation

Acts 10 — Cornelius and the Gentiles speak in tongues

Second Acts passage cited by tongues-required proponents

Acts 19 Acts 19 gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation

Acts 19 — group that had not heard of the Holy Spirit is baptized and speaks in tongues

Third Acts passage cited by tongues-required proponents

hermeneutics tongues and salvation descriptive vs prescriptive

The absence of a universal prescriptive statement is the key problem with the tongues-salvation argument

Mike's core logical point about what Scripture would need to say to support the tongues-salvation requirement

Acts 10 Acts 2 Acts 10 Acts 2 new covenant

Acts 2 purpose: inauguration of the new covenant Spirit; Acts 10 purpose: extending that work to Gentiles

Mike's theological interpretation of the Acts tongues episodes

1 Corinthians 14:5 hermeneutics gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation

1 Corinthians 14:5 — Paul wishes all spoke in tongues, implying not everyone does

First Corinthians passage introduced as evidence against the tongues-salvation requirement

1 Corinthians 12:30 1 Corinthians 12:27-29 gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation 1 Corinthians 12:30

1 Corinthians 12:30 — rhetorical questions imply not all speak in tongues

Second and final Corinthians passage used to refute tongues-salvation requirement

1 Corinthians 12 Bethel Church Brian Simmons Bill Johnson

Critique of Bethel/Bill Johnson teaching that everyone works miracles and is a prophet

Application of the 1 Corinthians 12 argument against charismatic excess

Acts 10 Acts 2 Acts 19 Acts 10 Acts 2 Acts 19

Summary: the three Acts tongues episodes demonstrate the Spirit's work in different stages, not universal salvation proof

Summation of the main argument against tongues-required-for-salvation

James 1 John James 1 John sanctification

Assurance of salvation comes from 1 John and James, not from speaking in tongues

Positive alternative answer to what Scripture says proves salvation

reductio ad absurdum Jesus tongues and salvation

Jesus never spoke in tongues — reductio ad absurdum against the tongues-salvation requirement

Final closing argument in the tongues-salvation section

hermeneutics tradition vs Scripture intellectual humility

Traditions can masquerade as pure biblical faith; willingness to change one's mind is essential

Closing reflection on how unbiblical traditions take hold in communities

Lord's Supper Passover eucharist

Question: Does Scripture authorize only one physical cup during the Lord's Supper?

Q&A question from Andrej about eucharistic practice

Lord's Supper blood of Christ eucharist

The one cup of communion is conceptual, not physical — referring to the blood of Christ

Resolution of the one-cup communion question