Search — Theology Explorer

1 Corinthians 13:10 James 1:23-25 cessationism canon of Scripture to teleion

Cessationist Interpretation 1: "the perfect" (to teleion) = the completed Bible, supported by a mirror/perfect-law parallel in James 1:23-25.

First of two cessationist readings. Proponents cite the shared vocabulary of "mirror" and "perfect" (teleios) between 1 Cor 13 and James 1 to argue the perfect thing is Scripture.

John MacArthur 1 Corinthians 13 John MacArthur cessationism 1 Corinthians 13

Many cessationists themselves discourage using 1 Cor 13 as a proof-text for cessationism because it does not yield the argument verse-by-verse.

Transitional observation before presenting the second, more sophisticated cessationist argument from the Masters Seminary.

Acts 21:9 Acts 11 Acts 21:9 cessationism prophecy

Rebuttal: the inscripturation claim for prophecy and knowledge is unsubstantiated; New Testament prophets generally did not produce Scripture.

First major exegetical objection to the Masters Seminary argument. Winger demonstrates that NT prophets were not primarily Scripture-writers.

1 Corinthians 13:8 spiritual gifts prophecy word of knowledge

Verse-by-verse: v. 8 — love never ends; three gifts (prophecy, knowledge, tongues) will pass away; the context is clearly the spiritual gifts of 1 Cor 12-14.

Winger begins his own positive verse-by-verse treatment of 1 Cor 13:8-13.

1 Corinthians 15 cessationism 1 Corinthians 15 eschatology

1 Corinthians 15 confirms: "the perfect" is the resurrection state — imperishable bodies, the last trumpet, being changed — not the completion of the Bible.

Winger appeals to 1 Cor 15 (same letter, shortly after ch. 13) as the definitive referent for "when the perfect comes."

1 Corinthians 13:13 spiritual gifts love 1 Corinthians 13:13

Main point of 1 Cor 13: love, not gifts, is the permanent priority; pursuit of love must exceed pursuit of spiritual gifts.

Winger concludes the exegesis by restating Paul's actual primary argument.

apostolic office cessationism continuationism

Winger's own position: open but not normative — he agrees with cessationists on apostleship and a likely reduction of healing gifts, but rejects full cessationism.

Having refuted the cessationist use of 1 Cor 13, Winger clarifies his own nuanced view to avoid being read as a rampant charismatic.

Bethel Church false prophecy discernment

Teresa Dedmon / Bethel: selling art as a vehicle for "spiritual impartation" and prophetic clothing that enhances God's presence is false teaching and commercial exploitation.

Second specific example from Bethel: the creative arts director's website claims her paintings and clothing impart heaven's presence.

1 Corinthians 12-14 1 Corinthians 12-14 cessationism continuationism

The cure for hyper-charismatic abuse is not cessationism but the biblical regulative norms already given in 1 Cor 12-14 for how gifts function in the church.

Winger resists the reactionary move of becoming cessationist in response to charismatic excess.

continuationism spiritual gifts prophecy

Personal testimony: Winger reports a small number of personal experiences he believes were genuine prophetic insights that subsequently proved true.

Winger offers experiential (not dogmatic) support for remaining open to the gifts.

1 Corinthians 14 Romans 8 1 Corinthians 13:1 1 Corinthians 14 Romans 8 spiritual gifts

Q&A: Tongues in 1 Cor 14 are actual languages; tongues always requires genuine linguistic communication; "groaning" in Romans 8 is distinct from the gift of tongues.

Response to viewer question about whether 1 Cor 14 tongues are languages or ecstatic utterances.

biblical authority apologetics discernment

Warning against seeking comfort in progressive or unorthodox theology as a false catharsis; such teachers typically demonize biblical Christianity to wedge in their reinterpretations.

Q&A response about walking with a friend questioning traditional beliefs, specifically mentioning Greg Boyd.

John Piper John Piper cessationism continuationism

Cessationism is more common in Reformed theology but not universal; John Piper and Paul Washer are examples of Reformed non-cessationists.

Q&A response on whether cessationism is tied to Reformed or dispensationalist theology.

biblical authority cessationism continuationism

Views on gifts are often driven more by experience than Scripture; the exegetical case against cessationism from 1 Cor 13 is strong but trajectory arguments for cessationism are weak.

Q&A — viewer asks whether people's positions on sign gifts are experience-based more than Scripture-based.

Craig Keener spiritual gifts healing

Resource recommendation for documented modern miracles: Craig Keener's two-volume work "Miracles" provides medical/testimonial evidence catalogued by a respected scholar.

Q&A — viewer asks for visible evidence that gifts of healing are active today.

cessationism continuationism church history

Historical question: sign gifts did not begin at Azusa Street; early church fathers (Justin Martyr, later Augustine) attest to prophecy and miracles continuing post-apostolically.

Q&A — viewer claims modern tongues/gifts stem from the 1906 Azusa Street revival. Winger corrects the historical record.

Isaiah 45:7 Jeremiah 39:12 Amos 6:3 Isaiah 45:7 ra calamity vs moral evil

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament: ra in Isaiah 45:7 denotes calamity, not moral evil

Additional lexical support from TWOT

Isaiah 45:7 contextual interpretation Isaiah 45:7 ra

Contextual argument: peace (shalom) vs. calamity is the correct contrast, not peace vs. moral evil

Mike moves from lexical analysis to contextual/structural analysis of the verse

Isaiah 45 divine sovereignty Isaiah 45 Cyrus the Great

Historical context: Isaiah 45 is addressed to Cyrus, a pagan king — God asserting universal sovereignty

Mike examines the literary and historical setting of Isaiah 45

Isaiah 41:23 Lamentations 3:38-39 divine judgment ra calamity vs moral evil

Isaiah 41:23 and Lamentations 3:38-39 corroborate that God bringing evil/bad = calamity, not moral evil

Supporting passages examined to reinforce the interpretation of Isaiah 45:7

Job John 9:1-3 spiritual warfare Job problem of evil

Three biblical causes of natural evil: divine judgment, spiritual warfare, and the greater good

Mike surveys biblical reasons for calamitous suffering

theodicy free will evil as privation

Summary conclusion: God is source of goodness; evil is real by contrast but need not be created; God allows and will solve evil

Mike wraps up the theological teaching before Q&A

1 John 5:16-17 repentance apostasy 1 John 5:16-17

Q&A: Sin unto death in 1 John 5 — physical death (unrepentant sin) or spiritual death (apostasy)

Audience question about 1 John 5:16-17

Q&A: If God gave us a wicked heart, can we blame him? — Shaking fist at God is foolish

Audience question on whether God bears responsibility for human sinfulness

salvation sin free will

Proverbs Job Proverbs 16:33 Proverbs free will Job

Q&A: Proverbs 16:33 and divine sovereignty — layered sovereignty model, not hard determinism

Audience question about whether God meticulously controls all things

hermeneutics Strong's Concordance Blue Letter Bible

Q&A: How to responsibly use Hebrew and Greek resources without knowing the languages

Practical advice for laypeople on lexical Bible study

Psalms Proverbs biblical hermeneutics Psalms Proverbs

Q&A: How to determine what is literal vs. metaphorical in the Bible — genre and context

Audience question about biblical hermeneutics

BibleThinker atheist objections to Christianity YouTube ministry

Starting YouTube: Identifying a vacuum of quality Christian online content

Winger began experimenting with YouTube after feeling called to reach beyond his local church, motivated by the dominance of scoffing and misrepresentation of Christianity online.

Jehovah's Witnesses YouTube ministry divine confirmation

Early YouTube confirmation: Jehovah's Witnesses video blows up

After making several videos with minimal traction, Winger prayed for confirmation that YouTube was the right investment, and one video took off.

biblical teaching verse-by-verse teaching ministry strategy

2015 turning point: Sunday evening service and weekly video strategy

In June 2015, Winger's senior pastor offered him the freedom to teach an adult Sunday evening service, which catalyzed a new approach to his YouTube ministry.

discipleship apologetics biblical worldview

Four target audiences for BibleThinker ministry

Winger articulates the specific audiences he aims to reach through his online ministry.

discipleship youth ministry ministry transition

Burnout and shedding responsibilities: Transitioning out of youth ministry

The combination of youth pastoring, online ministry, and other church roles became physically unsustainable.

BibleThinker ministry funding free content

Funding model: Donation-supported free content

Winger explains how the ministry sustains itself financially and his commitment to keeping all content free.

theodicy apologetics divine judgment

Q&A: Canaanite genocide — was it genocide, and does God have the right to kill?

Question from Texas Tech asking how to justify God commanding the killing of Canaanites, which skeptics call genocide.

hermeneutics Bible study interpretation

Q&A: Hermeneutics — advice for a new Bible student afraid of misinterpretation

Question from a student who has taken hermeneutics courses but feels intimidated to start studying.

Psalm 22 Luke 21 eschatology preterism Psalm 22

Q&A: Luke 21 and preterism — is it fulfilled prophecy?

Question from a self-identified preterist asking why Winger does not see Luke 21 as fulfilled prophecy.

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Q&A: Egalitarianism vs. complementarianism — Winger's position

Question from a listener whose Biola-educated cousin introduced egalitarianism, which conflicts with what the listener has been taught.

miracles cessationism continuationism

Q&A: Why did God stop doing big signs and miracles (burning bush, parting the sea)?

Question from a listener puzzled by the apparent cessation of large-scale miracles after the Old Testament.

exegesis Bible study devotional reading

Q&A: Recommendation for exegetical devotional plan

Question from a listener looking for a devotional Bible study plan that is both engaging and exegetically sound.

repentance perseverance faithfulness

Closing exhortation: Be the tortoise, not the hare

Winger closes with a personal reflection and encouragement about long-term faithfulness.

James White James White Calvinism soteriology

Introduction: inside-baseball soteriology debate; response to James White on limited atonement

Mike opens the livestream framing the discussion as Calvinist vs. non-Calvinist soteriology, noting this is a response to James White's critique of Mike's earlier limited-atonement video.

James White James White Christian fellowship Calvinism

Brotherly tone: Calvinism debates should not break Christian fellowship

Mike recounts actually meeting James White for lunch; uses this to model gracious disagreement.

Scripture authority unlimited atonement universal atonement

Mike's overall conviction: Scripture clearly teaches Jesus died for everyone

Before diving into objections, Mike states his position and epistemic posture.

1 John 2:2 John Owen limited atonement 1 John 2:2 Trinitarian harmony in the atonement

Overview of five Calvinist objections to be addressed

Mike previews the full agenda for the video before working through each objection.

Trinity election limited atonement

Objection 1 stated: Trinitarian harmony in the atonement

Mike explains the Calvinist argument that Trinitarian harmony requires limited atonement.

atonement limited atonement failure of the Son

Objection 2 stated: the failure of the Son

If Jesus died for all people and some go to hell, then Jesus failed at his task.

Hebrews 7:25 limited atonement intercession Hebrews 7:25

Objection 3 stated: intercession linked to atonement

Jesus intercedes for those he died for, and all he intercedes for are saved. Therefore he did not die for all.

John Owen universalism limited atonement John Owen

Objection 4 stated: John Owen's trilemma

Classic Calvinist logical argument from John Owen's Death of Death in the Death of Christ.

hell divine justice limited atonement

Objection 5 stated: double jeopardy / double payment

If Christ paid for everyone's sins, it is unjust to punish anyone further.