Filter results by source database — Scripture Commentary, Theology, Mike Winger, or Pulpit. Click a tab to narrow to one database.

...more
All (9098) Scripture Commentary (4737) Theology (229) Mike Winger (4093) Pulpit (39)
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

"Sanctified" in 1 Corinthians 7:14 does not mean saved; it describes the practical, behavioral influence a believing spouse has on an unbelieving one and on the children.

Meaning of "sanctification" in 1 Corinthians 7:14

1 Corinthians 7:14 semantic range marriage sanctification
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

The Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP theory) has largely died out in scholarship; the old version attacked in apologetics works like Evidence That Demands a Verdict is mostly obsolete.

Question about the Documentary Hypothesis

Genesis Genesis Elohim Evidence That Demands a Verdict
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Entertaining angels unawares is a super-rare event in Scripture; the main application of Hebrews 13:2 is the importance of showing kindness to strangers, not predicting frequency of angelic visits.

Application of Hebrews 13:2

Hebrews 13:2 hermeneutics angelology Hebrews 13:2
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus "Everlasting Father" - Mike cannot recall his full answer but recommends James White's The Forgotten Trinity and Got Questions for responses to Oneness Pentecostal use of the verse.

Question about Isaiah 9:6 and Oneness Pentecostalism

James White Isaiah 9:6 Trinity James White Isaiah 9:6
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Ephesians 1-3 as the foundation for resting in total forgiveness; believers are holy and without blame before God in love (Ephesians 1:4) and have bold access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4).

Pastoral counsel on conscience and assurance of forgiveness

Ephesians 1-3 Hebrews 4 Ephesians 1:4 conscience grace forgiveness
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Women speaking in Bible study (reading, praying, giving commentary but not teaching) - Mike's short answer is that none of those things are prohibited; the restriction relates to formal teaching authority.

Question about women speaking during Bible study

women in ministry egalitarianism gender roles
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Judges 11: Jephthah's vow - the Spirit being "upon" Jephthah means military enablement, not moral/ethical guidance; the Spirit did not sanction his vow or its fulfillment.

Question about Jephthah's vow and the Spirit being upon him

Judges 11 Holy Spirit Jephthah vows
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Jephthah's daughter: the text is ambiguous - she may have been killed as a burnt offering or dedicated as a lifelong virgin servant at the temple; Mike slightly leans toward the literal sacrifice reading.

What happened to Jephthah's daughter?

Judges 11 hermeneutics Jephthah vows
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Jephthah's vow was sinful rebellion: the law expressly forbids human sacrifice; God repeatedly states he never wanted it and judges Israel for practicing it.

Why Jephthah's fulfillment of the vow was wrong

Judges 11 Jephthah vows Judges 11
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

The book of Judges follows a downward trajectory of increasingly flawed deliverers (Gideon → Jephthah → Samson) to show Israel's depravity and create expectation for the true Deliverer - Jesus.

Theological purpose of the book of Judges

Judges hermeneutics Judges typology
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Jewish feasts were commanded for Jews in Israel, not universally for all people; Gentiles were never given the Mosaic law and are not obligated to keep the feasts.

Question: why don't Christians celebrate Jewish holidays?

Hebrew Roots Movement Gentiles covenant theology
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

A future millennial observance of feasts does not obligate Christians now; present-tense New Testament teaching (Romans 14) is the relevant authority for current practice.

Millennial feast observance and current Christian obligation

Romans 14 Romans 14 eschatology Hebrew Roots Movement
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
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Discipling a believing-but-disengaged parent: focus on the will problem; build bridges through his interests rather than direct confrontation.

Question about discipling an unengaged believing father

Lee Strobel evangelism J. Warner Wallace
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

For new Christians evaluating commentaries: trust your Bible more than commentators; blueletterbible.org is recommended as a generally reliable free resource.

Question from a new Christian about evaluating Bible teachers and commentaries

hermeneutics discernment commentaries
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Assurance about a loved one's salvation: if they professed faith and their life evidenced it, trust they are in heaven; if they clearly rejected Christ, honest uncertainty is appropriate.

Question: how can you know a loved one went to heaven?

salvation assurance death and afterlife
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

The flood narrative: "destroy all flesh" is a sweeping statement not meant to be woodenly literal - fish dying would be an example of over-literalism.

Question about fish surviving the flood if God said he would destroy all flesh

Genesis flood Genesis 6-9 hermeneutics Genesis flood Genesis 6-9
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Exception case for deception: Alzheimer's patients at an advanced stage cannot process truth; pacifying untrue statements may be the compassionate and functionally honest option since understanding is absent.

White lies and Alzheimer's care

ethics pastoral care lying
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Applying the "natural function" standard: anal intercourse is physically harmful even between a married man and woman and is therefore unnatural and prohibited.

Applying Romans 1 framework to acts within marriage

Romans 1:24-27 marriage natural law sexual ethics
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

The command in Genesis 1 is a collective mandate for mankind as a whole, not a personal obligation on every individual — applying it to each person individually leads to absurd conclusions (e.g., condemning infertile people).

Interpretive principle applied to Genesis 1:28.

Genesis 1:28 Genesis 1:28 Hermeneutics Be Fruitful and Multiply
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Jesus commends voluntary singleness (making oneself a eunuch for the kingdom) — therefore a blanket command for every person to have children cannot be right.

New Testament witness on the fruitful-and-multiply question.

Matthew 19 — Eunuchs for the Kingdom 1 Corinthians 7:32-38 Paul Jesus Marriage and Childbearing
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Western culture's refusal to have children is rooted in an unbiblical view that humans are parasites — a secular replacement of God's judgment with 'nature's judgment' for ecological sins.

Cultural diagnosis applied to the childbearing question.

Be Fruitful and Multiply Dominion Mandate Human Value / Imago Dei
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Much modern refusal to have children is simply selfishness — the 'life isn't worth living' excuse reflects a deficiently low view of human life, not genuine realism about hardship.

Pastoral diagnosis of childlessness by choice.

Marriage and Childbearing Human Value / Imago Dei Selfishness
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Brian Simmons (Passion Translation author) has uttered false prophecy on record — Mike found hours of footage while researching for his Passion Translation project and plans to release a video exposing this.

Announcement during Q&A transition.

Brian Simmons Passion Translation False Prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Refusing to sing Bethel/Hillsong/Elevation music is not legalism, but binding that refusal on others crosses into judgmentalism — this is a conscience matter analogous to Paul's 'meat sold in the marketplace' principle.

Q: Is it too legalistic to refuse to sing Bethel/Hillsong/Elevation music due to the doctrines of those churches?

1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols Bethel Music Hillsong Elevation Worship
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Bethel's primary export is false revival — fake gifts, prophecy, healings — mixed with genuine-sounding worship music that ranges from theologically neutral to theologically dangerous.

Mike's own view on Bethel, offered after establishing the meat-in-marketplace frame.

Bill Johnson Discernment / Heresy Worship Music and Discernment
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Worship leaders bear collective responsibility to their congregations: presenting music in corporate worship is like preparing a meal for everyone — songs known to cause stumbling should be avoided.

Application of the meat-in-marketplace analogy to congregational worship leading.

1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols 1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols Christian Liberty / Conscience Worship Music and Discernment
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Netflix cancellation is not a universal Christian obligation — Mike and his wife cancelled over the trend of increasingly immoral programming, but binding that choice on others is divisive infighting over a disputable matter.

Q: Should Christians cancel their Netflix subscription?

Christian Liberty / Conscience Media Discernment Disputable Matters / Romans 14
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

The Holy Spirit's departure from Saul was not about salvation but about losing the anointing to be king — the Spirit empowered Saul for his royal office, and when he repeatedly rebelled it departed.

Q: Why did the Holy Spirit leave Saul and why did an evil spirit from the Lord enter him?

1 Samuel — Spirit on Saul Saul Holy Spirit Departure from Saul 1 Samuel — Spirit on Saul
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

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?

Romans 9-11 Shmuley Boteach Anti-Semitism and the New Testament Romans 9-11
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

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.

Acts of the Apostles Romans 9-11 Romans 1:16 — Jew First Acts of the Apostles Romans 9-11 Jewish Salvation / Two-Covenant Theology
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Advice to a former JW: Do not transfer the JW 'true church' mentality to a new denomination — move from following an institutional governing body to following Christ, and seek genuine (not perfect) Christians.

Q: Former JW, not properly baptized — how to choose a church and who should baptize me? Afraid of being misled.

Calvary Chapel Jehovah's Witnesses Church Selection
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Baptism does not require a perfect or specially credentialed person — find a genuine Christian you respect and be baptized; Jesus saves, not the baptism or the baptizer.

Practical baptism advice for the former JW questioner.

Baptism Sacramentology Salvation — Faith not Ritual
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

1 Corinthians 5:11 — not associating with a so-called 'brother' guilty of ongoing sin — targets life-pattern behavioral sins, not theological disagreement; the context is likely the communion/love-feast meal.

Q: How should 1 Corinthians 5:11 affect relationships with liberal Christian friends with unbiblical beliefs and practices?

1 Corinthians 5:11 1 Corinthians 5:11 Church Discipline Fellowship vs. Outreach Mode
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

When someone professing faith lives as an unbeliever, the individual Christian's posture should shift from fellowship mode to outreach mode — still loving and gracious but with different relational goals.

Application of 1 Corinthians 5:11 to personal relationships with professing but lifestyle-unbelieving friends.

1 Corinthians 5:11 Evangelism 1 Corinthians 5:11 Church Discipline
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Mike has authorship of the contested Pauline epistles on his list but far down in priority; he recommends Darrell Bock as an existing resource for those who need it now.

Q: Do you ever plan to do a deep dive into the authorship of the contested Pauline epistles?

Darrell Bock Textual Criticism Pauline Epistles — Authorship
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Psychological doubts where reason does not help require humility — admitting one is being irrational — rather than demanding emotional confirmation before believing; this applies to faith and to mental illness alike.

Q: What are the steps to take while dealing with psychological doubts where no amount of reason will help you feel better?

Doubt and Faith Mental Health and Christianity Humility
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Mike leans toward classifying the Seventh-day Adventist church as a cult and plans a full dedicated video on the SDA topic in the coming year.

Q: Do you think the SDA is a cult?

Seventh-day Adventism Cults and False Religions
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

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 10:1-4 Galatians — Law as Condemner Paul Romans 10:1-4 Jewish Salvation / Two-Covenant Theology
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

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.

Romans 1:16 — Jew First Galatians — Law as Condemner Jewish Salvation / Two-Covenant Theology Romans 1:16 — Jew First Galatians — Law as Condemner
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Mike is pre-millennial and futurist: he believes in a literal seven-year tribulation and a thousand-year reign of Christ; he does not believe amillennialism is biblical but has not done deep recent study on eschatology.

Q: Do you believe amillennialism is biblical, and what arguments do you have for and against it?

Eschatology Amillennialism Premillennialism
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

A person with Asperger's who fears public speaking should identify what they are actually gifted at and build ministry around those strengths rather than forcing it through their weakness.

Q: I suffer from Asperger's syndrome and have fear of crowds and public speaking — is my fear a valid reason not to spread God's word?

Spiritual Gifts Ministry and Disability Calling and Gifting
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Mike's own primary gift is teaching, not worship leading — he did worship leading for years out of necessity but recognized it was not his strongest gift; leaning into actual gifts maximizes ministry impact.

Personal illustration of the spiritual-gifts-discernment principle.

Spiritual Gifts Calling and Gifting Teaching Gift
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

For the felony question: Mike refuses to give definitive advice without knowing full details and directs the questioner to a local mature pastor or wise Christian leader for personal counsel.

Q: I got away with felonies years ago, no one got hurt, confessed to God and repented — is the godly thing to do to turn myself in? I have OCD and can't tell if it's OCD or conviction.

Conscience and OCD Legal Confession / Turning Yourself In Pastoral Counsel
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Angels could fall but redeemed humans in eternity will not — Scripture promises 'with him forever'; the mechanisms likely include: prior choice already made, maximum Holy Spirit indwelling, perfected environment, and crucially the removal of the sin nature.

Q: If angels were not 100% safe in heaven because they could be seduced by Satan, how can we be certain we will be safe in eternity with God?

1 Corinthians 15:53 — Incorruption Eschatology Eternal Security in Heaven Fallen Angels / Satan
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

When handling online 'heresy hunters' who badger a minister, evaluate whether you are responding from self-defense or from genuine capacity to help — then use time for maximum ministry impact.

Q: How do you handle online heresy hunters that badger you through email about your teaching?

Heresy Hunting / Online Critics Ministry Time Management Self-Defense vs. Service
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Church fathers are routinely quoted out of context to proof-text doctrines — Gustaf Aulén's Christus Victor is a prime example, misrepresenting patristic sources to argue against penal substitutionary atonement.

Warning about the misuse of the church fathers in theological argument.

Proof-texting Church Fathers Patristics
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Practical guidance on reading church fathers: read whole works from start to finish rather than isolated quotes — this prevents the proof-texting problem the same way it prevents biblical proof-texting.

How to read the church fathers responsibly.

Proof-texting Hermeneutics Church Fathers
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Christus Victor is a beautiful and biblical doctrine, but Aulén's treatment is total anachronism that butchers both Christus Victor and penal substitutionary atonement by falsely presenting them as competing alternatives.

Final comment on the Christus Victor / PSA debate, wrapping up question 20.

Church Fathers Christus Victor Gustaf Aulén
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Experimenting with interviews: open candid dialogue over polished preparation

2021 plans announcement

Galatians Craig Blomberg Galatians New Perspective on Paul
← Prev Page 161 of 182 Next →