Search — Theology Explorer

fulfilled prophecy Q&A format Rethink Conference

Introduction to subscriber Q&A hangout format

Mike opens his first Q&A livestream, explaining the format and ground rules for how questions will be taken from the chat.

word of wisdom word of knowledge prophecy

Cessationism vs. continuationism — Mike holds continuationism but respects cessationists

A viewer asks what Mike thinks about cessationists.

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.

1 Corinthians 7 Luke 14:26 1 Corinthians 7 discipleship Luke 14:26

Luke 14:26 — Forsaking family for Christ: hyperbole and ultimate priority, not literal abandonment

A viewer asks what Jesus meant by forsaking family and hating father and mother.

Ephesians 2:2 Satan spiritual warfare kingdom of darkness

Conspiracy theories — Satan as the real unseen puppet master (Ephesians 2:2)

A viewer asks if Mike believes any conspiracy theories.

Bill Johnson charismatic movement Mike Bickle

Mike Bickle and IHOP — cautious non-answer; requires 60+ hours of research before opining

A viewer asks Mike's opinion of Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer.

Calvinism Molinism middle knowledge

Molinism — middle knowledge reconciles divine sovereignty and human free will

A viewer asks about Molinism as a worldview for reconciling sovereignty and free will.

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 elder qualifications youth ministry

Can a high school student give a sermon? — Giving a message vs. holding the office of elder

A viewer asks whether biblical leadership qualifications prevent a high school student from giving a message at a school Bible study.

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.

Christian ethics cultural engagement gender identity

Preferred pronouns — Mike cannot use false pronouns because it constitutes dishonest support of a delusion

A viewer asks whether Christians should use preferred pronouns as this becomes a larger cultural issue.

Matthew 24:15 Acts 1:7 Matthew 24:15 eschatology Martin Luther

Are we the last generation? — Acts 1:7 epistemic humility; abomination of desolation as one signpost

A viewer asks if Mike believes we are the last generation before Christ's return.

Romans 10:13 election Calvinism soteriology

Does God choose who is saved? — Both election and free will are simultaneously true

A viewer asks how to understand salvation as a gift if God chooses who receives it.

Calvary Chapel sola scriptura theological method

Denominational influence on belief — Mike vets positions through Scripture before teaching them publicly

A viewer asks whether Mike's beliefs come from his denomination.

calling worship leading apologetics

Gaps in vocational ministry — expository preaching, apologetics, archaeology, worship leading

A viewer asks what the church is most lacking in vocational ministry.

James White Romans 1 James White Calvinism Romans 1

James White's upcoming Calvinism response — Mike's posture of learning; concern about misrepresentation of Romans 1 argument

Mike closes by addressing James White's upcoming video response to his Calvinism video.

epistemology humility biblical scholarship

Epistemic humility in teaching: share conclusions only to the degree of confidence you actually possess

Question about how Mike knows when he has read enough secondary literature to teach a topic publicly.

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

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.

personal testimony divine calling ministry

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

Mike illustrates genuine individual divine communication with personal experience.

2 Peter 2:5-6 Sodom and Gomorrah hell annihilationism

2 Peter 2:5-6 does not settle the annihilationism debate

Question about whether 2 Peter 2:6 implies annihilation on final judgment day.

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

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.

Many Christian doubts about heaven and death are psychological rather than intellectual; manufactured skepticism exploits unthought-through questions to create irrational doubt.

Question: can someone know for sure that heaven is real?

faith apologetics doubt

Judges 11 hermeneutics Jephthah vows

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?

Romans 14 Romans 14 eschatology Hebrew Roots Movement

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

cessationism Holy Spirit tongues

Mike identifies as charismatic (gifts active today, cessationism rejected) but not hyper-charismatic; he opposes fabricating gifts and "Acts 2.0" theology.

Question clarifying what Mike means by calling himself charismatic

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?

Marriage and Childbearing Human Value / Imago Dei Selfishness

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.

1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols 1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols Christian Liberty / Conscience Worship Music and Discernment

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.

Darrell Bock Textual Criticism Pauline Epistles — Authorship

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?

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?

Eschatology Amillennialism Premillennialism

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?

Conscience and OCD Legal Confession / Turning Yourself In Pastoral Counsel

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.

Romans 16 — Simon's Sons Simon of Cyrene Crucifixion of Jesus Romans 16 — Simon's Sons

Why Jesus allowed Simon of Cyrene to carry his cross: possibly to display the depth of his physical suffering, and Simon and his sons apparently came to faith — suggesting the encounter introduced him more fully to Jesus.

Q: Why did Jesus allow Simon of Cyrene to help him carry his cross?

Ecclesiastes 9:5 afterlife Ecclesiastes 9:5 state of the dead

Q2: Can the dead be aware of what happens on earth? Ecclesiastes 9:5 examined

Response to viewer question citing Ecclesiastes 9:5 ("the dead know nothing")

Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes 9:5 hermeneutics atheism biblical interpretation

Ecclesiastes as internal critique of atheist/godless worldview, not normative theology

Explaining why Ecclesiastes 9:5 ("the dead know nothing") does not define the dead's actual state

Genesis 4 Hebrews 11:4 typology works-righteousness Genesis 4

Typological reading of Cain/Abel: works vs. faith — valid typology but not the cause of rejection

Analysis of Cain's offering rejection

Galatians 6:1 sin habitual sin humility

Galatians 6: distinction between living in sin vs. occasional sin

Continuing Q5 on Christian sin frequency

Proverbs 3:5 Trinity epistemology faith and reason

Q14: "Don't lean on your own understanding" (Prov 3:5) — using understanding vs. leaning on it

Response to question about how to know truth when you can't trust your own understanding or tradition

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

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

Holy Spirit discernment false prophecy

A rearview mirror test for Spirit-led claims: look back at past "God told me" moments and evaluate their accuracy

Practical tool for evaluating claims of Spirit guidance

Romans 14 Romans 14 Christian liberty conscience

Church attendance decisions during COVID are a matter of conscience — Christians should not cause division over this

Question from Israel Garcia about whether Christians are obligated to attend church during the pandemic

Mark 8:24 Jesus Mark 8:24 healing

The blind man in Mark who saw "men like trees walking" knew what trees were despite being blind — blind people have extensive non-visual knowledge

Question from Angela about how a man born blind could know what trees look like (Mark 8:24)