Search — Theology Explorer

Jeremiah Jeremiah 28:9 Jeremiah prophecy miracles as evidence

Jeremiah 28:9: the test of a true prophet is whether his words come to pass — an evidential approach to prophetic verification

Third OT narrative example of knowing vs. showing, this time about prophetic credentials

Romans 1 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Romans 1 sin witness of the Holy Spirit

Christians who struggle to sense the Spirit's witness still have access to evidence as a support, and doubt often traces to sin

Pastoral application for doubting Christians

John the Baptist John the Baptist faith miracles as evidence

John the Baptist's doubt from prison: Jesus responded with fresh evidence rather than rebuke

NT case study: how Jesus handled the doubt of a believer who already had abundant witness

apologetics spiritual maturity witness of the Holy Spirit

Mature Christians who feel no need for apologetics are spiritually healthy, not deficient

Reframing common apologetics-community frustration with Christians who seem uninterested in evidence

epistemology conversion fideism

This view is not fideism; the Spirit's internal witness is genuine evidence, and the Spirit converts — not arguments

Responding to the charge that elevating the Spirit's witness over external evidence is mere fideism

evangelism apologetics knowing vs. showing

Closing exhortation: trust the Spirit's witness for your own confidence; use evidence to invite others to seek the Lord

Summary and call to application, including a direct appeal to non-believing viewers

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

Scriptural language about things not being "remembered" in heaven means no bitter grief, not literal loss of memory

Side note during the heaven/marriage question, addressing a teaching that people will have no memories in heaven based on Isaiah.

Revelation Isaiah biblical hermeneutics Revelation Isaiah

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord, who is the pre-incarnate Christ (second person of the Trinity)

Question from Guppy Life about Jacob wrestling "God" when the text says "angel" — is God the Angel of the Lord?

Genesis 32 Genesis 48:15-16 Trinity Jacob Angel of the Lord

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

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.

Exodus biblical inerrancy Exodus archaeology

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

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?

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

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

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 10:9 confession Romans 10:9 lordship

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

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.

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

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

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

Exodus historicity apologetics archaeology Exodus historicity

Dr. Titus Kennedy's archaeological research supports the historicity of the Exodus

Recommended resource for the Exodus historicity discussion

Exodus historicity Exodus dating archaeology historical reliability of Scripture Exodus historicity

Scholarly assumption of a late Exodus date (~1100 BC) obscures available evidence; biblical date (~1400 BC) has stronger support

Explaining why Exodus evidence has been underappreciated

Psalms Psalms anthropology psuche

The soul may relate to the emotional/intellectual center — Davidic Psalms and soul language

Further speculation on the distinction between soul and spirit

personal testimony speaking in tongues gifts of the Spirit

Mike's personal experience of what he believes was genuine speaking in tongues during times of hardship

Anecdotal response to a question about scientific evidence for tongues

Exodus 7 Exodus 7 Pharaoh's magicians demonic power

Pharaoh's magicians' inferior reproductions reveal lesser power than Moses — turning fresh water to blood instead of reversing the Nile

Evidence that the magicians operated with limited power

church history apologetics Jesus

Response to the charge that the church is a bloody, evil institution: distinguish Christ from institutional church history

Q&A from Connor Robinson about the church's violent history as an apologetic challenge

Revelation 2-3 church history Revelation 2-3 seven churches of Revelation

Jesus's letters to the seven churches in Revelation show the visible church often fails to represent Christ

Biblical support for why church failures do not disprove Christianity

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Jesus mentions tithing twice but always speaking to Jews under the law; this cannot be extended to Gentile Christians

Surveying New Testament evidence for tithing

tithing New Testament ethics Mosaic Law applicability

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Paul's instructions on tongues and prophecy require self-control, proving the Spirit does not override the person's will

Continuing the argument against slain in the Spirit using 1 Corinthians 14 as evidence

1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14:32 1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14:32 prophecy

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Vague YouTube prophecy channels are the perfect environment for false prophets; real prophecy requires verifiable fulfillment

Question from Crystal about many people prophesying and whether the Spirit is being poured out

Acts 2 Acts 2 prophecy discernment

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Jesus's birth was celebrated — the Nativity as the premier birthday celebration

Positive biblical evidence for birthday celebrations

Jesus Christmas birthdays

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

The Chosen's depiction of Nicodemus — creative but without historical evidence

Specific example from The Chosen Episode 1

biblical accuracy Nicodemus The Chosen

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

The Chosen's historical concerns — gender relations and sabbath fishing

Specific historical-accuracy concerns with The Chosen

historical context Peter Sabbath

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Question about how to evangelize a friend who denies objective truth (relativism/anti-realism)

Question from Colby Hill about a friend with relativistic epistemological views who says Christianity is true for you but not for me.

evangelism epistemology relativism

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

All believers are indwelt by the Spirit at salvation, but degrees of Spirit-filling differ among believers

Responding to a question from Sarah P about whether salvation and Spirit baptism are the same event

Acts 6 Acts 2 John 20 Acts 6 Acts 2 Holy Spirit

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

Acts 16:31 does not teach household salvation -- the household's rejoicing proves they individually believed

Responding to Sarah P's report that her Bible teacher taught household salvation from Acts 16:31

Acts 16:31-34 hermeneutics salvation Acts 16:31-34

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

Habitual sin and salvation: honest uncertainty, but the answer is always to press toward Christ rather than despair

Responding to Adriano's question about whether living in habitual sin from addiction while truly wanting to stop means he is unsaved

1 John 1 John 2:1 Peter 1 John perseverance

Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

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.

1 Timothy Mark Luke 1 Timothy textual criticism Mark

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Hebrews 1:1-2 does not prohibit God from speaking to individuals today

Question about whether God still speaks through a still small voice today, referencing Hebrews 1:2.

Hebrews 1:1-2 1 Timothy 1:18 Revelation of John Hagar charismatic movement prophecy

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Mike's personal testimony: a burden from God that led to his YouTube ministry

Mike illustrates genuine individual divine communication with personal experience.

personal testimony divine calling ministry

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Dual covenant theology is unbiblical; Jewish people need Jesus — Romans 10:1-4 and John 5:46

Final question about whether Jews can be saved without believing in Jesus through a special covenant.

Romans 10:1-4 John 5:46 Moses soteriology Messiah

Trinity justification by faith apologetics

Aliens would not disprove any core Christian doctrine: God's existence, the Trinity, Christ's death and resurrection, justification by grace through faith, or the future resurrection.

Working through whether alien discovery threatens Christian beliefs

epistemology aliens and Christianity biblical silence

The Bible neither affirms nor denies the existence of aliens; Christians can follow the evidence without a presuppositional commitment either way.

Does the Bible say anything about aliens?

Genesis Genesis Elohim Evidence That Demands a Verdict

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

Abraham faith fulfilled prophecy

Biblical faith is not groundless belief but trust based on revelation and evidence; the response to psychological doubt is to exercise trust grounded in good reasons.

How to respond to psychological doubt

salvation assurance death and afterlife

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?

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

1 Samuel 28 Samuel 1 Samuel 28 state of the dead

Samuel called up by Saul: evidence that the dead may not be actively aware of earth until summoned

Discussion of dead awareness; 1 Samuel 28

Revelation 6:10 afterlife state of the dead Revelation 6:10

Revelation: saints in heaven concerned for earthly events, asking "how long, Lord?"

Continuing discussion on dead's awareness of earth

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