Search — Theology Explorer

marriage lust pornography

Lust toward others outside marriage diminishes desire for your spouse — exclusivity of sexual attention is essential

Second issue addressed in the marriage/intimacy question — possible causes of diminished desire

Jude canon Jude Book of Enoch

Enoch is actually multiple composite works; early Jewish tradition rejected its canonical status

Continued discussion of the Book of Enoch in relation to Jude

1 Peter 3:1 submission Sarah Abraham

1 Peter 3:1 says a wife's godly conduct MAY win her husband — not that it WILL — preserving his moral agency

Careful reading of 1 Peter 3:1 regarding wives with unbelieving or disobedient husbands

Hebrews 4:15 Hebrews 2:17 Jesus temptation incarnation

Hebrews 2:17 — "made like his brothers in every respect" does not imply Jesus had a sinful nature or that humans are born innocent

Question from Troy Mulberry about Hebrews 2:17 and human nature at birth

original sin infant salvation sin nature

Mike's view of sin nature: we are not guilty at birth, but our nature is bent toward temptation — distinct from Augustine's inherited guilt

Brief clarification on sin nature theology within the Hebrews 2:17 discussion

Matthew 25:14-30 Luke 16:10 Matthew 25:14-30 Faithfulness in ministry Parable of the Talents

Ministry faithfulness in obscurity is intrinsically valuable regardless of audience size

Mike introduces himself and describes his Sunday night service in Bellflower, CA — typically 12-15 attendees despite massive YouTube reach — as an encouragement to small-ministry workers.

Bethel Church Christian unity Hillsong

Hillsong is not a progressive church — progressives target traditional Christianity, Hillsong seeks an inclusive umbrella

Answering whether Hillsong qualifies as theologically progressive.

Acts 2 Romans 1:16 Acts 2 Romans 1:16 Pentecost as missionary event

Pentecost was a divine missionary strategy — God gathered diaspora Jews to Jerusalem so the gospel could radiate back to every nation

Continued Acts 2 discussion on why the miracle happened when and where it did.

Leviticus 25:44-46 Anachronism in biblical interpretation Leviticus 25:44-46 Slavery in the Old Testament

Leviticus 25:44-46 must be read within a full survey of Old Testament slave laws — anachronism of projecting chattel slavery onto the text is the core hermeneutical error

Question from James W. about Leviticus 25:44-46 and whether the Bible endorses slavery.

Acts 1:9-11 Philippians 3:21 Glorified body of Christ Ascension of Christ Right hand of God

Jesus currently has a glorified human body in heaven — the localized presence of God is where Christ is embodied, worshipped by angels

Question from Agnes Magnusson about what form Jesus has in heaven.

Jeremiah Peter Williams Jeremiah Old Testament canon

The shorter Septuagint Jeremiah vs. the longer Hebrew Masoretic Jeremiah — reasons to trust the longer canonical form

Question from Leor about which version of Jeremiah is correct.

Matthew 25:14-30 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Matthew 25:14-30 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Parable of Talents

Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of Talents) and 1 Corinthians 3:12 are distinct analogies and should not be conflated

Question from Eelo Minish about whether the "bags of silver" in Matthew 25 are the same as the gold/silver/wood in 1 Corinthians 3:12.

James 5:14 Spiritual warfare Anointing with oil James 5:14

Anointing a home with oil is not taught in the NT but is permissible as an extra-biblical tradition if not turned into a formula or power-grab

Question from Kate about anointing a home with oil for spiritual warfare.

Bible translation taxonomy: word-for-word and thought-for-thought are both valuable; paraphrases (Amplified, The Message) are tools, not translations, and are misused when read as straight Bible

Bonus question from Constant (Australia) about the New Century Version, Amplified Bible, and Contemporary English Version.

ESV NASB NIV

Revelation 2-3 evangelism Revelation 2-3 Crusades

Evangelism strategy for someone hurt by Christian abuse: separate Jesus from his misrepresenters

Question from Kenneth Kelly about reaching a Native American friend whose aunt was beaten to death by a Catholic nun.

Matthew 19 Roman law marriage divorce

Jesus and Paul do not permit divorce for infertility, demonstrating marriage has value beyond procreation

Extension of the Matthew 19:12 discussion, connecting to Jesus's divorce teaching.

Romans 8:34 1 John 2:1-2 salvation eternal security propitiation

Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1-2 -- Christ's intercession is not ongoing pleading but his perpetual existence as our propitiation

Question from Sephora Ba about why Jesus still intercedes for the elect if they are already saved (Romans 8:34).

discipleship spiritual leadership mentoring

Discipleship readiness: everyone can encourage immediately; formal leadership is about raising others up, not establishing authority

Second part of Bree Herb's question: how do you know when you are ready to disciple others?

discernment charismatic movement false prophecy

How to test a prophecy before it is fulfilled: track record matters more than individual accuracy; errors are disqualifying

Question from Omar Barr about testing prophecy before it is fulfilled, including the 2020 Trump prophecies.

Genesis 1 Genesis 1 Adam and Eve creation

Mike discusses Old Earth Creationism and whether it is biblical, arguing that the age of the earth is not clearly specified in Scripture and that he holds a flexible position, though he finds an ancient Adam and Eve much harder to reconcile biblically.

Response to viewer question about Old Earth Creationism

Jesus Rahab Jewish identity

Mike answers a question about the race of Jesus, concluding that Jesus was Jewish by lineage but that racial categorization is not meaningful since he holds there is only one human race; he notes Jesus likely had a medium skin tone.

Response to viewer question about the race of Jesus

Jesus race cultural depictions of Jesus

Mike reflects on how different cultures depict Jesus visually in their own ethnic likeness, arguing this is natural and not racist, since pre-modern people rarely saw people from other cultures.

Continuation of discussion on the race/appearance of Jesus

1 Peter Romans 13 1 Peter just war Romans 13

Mike wrestles with whether the American Revolution violated Romans 13 (submission to government), concluding he cannot make a confident judgment but personally sympathizes with the revolutionaries and affirms his current submission to the established American government.

Response to viewer question about the American Revolution and Romans 13

apologetics resurrection of Jesus hell

Mike argues that the best approach to the question of hell is not direct empirical evidence but rather a two-step argument: establish the trustworthiness of Jesus through the resurrection and fulfilled prophecy, then accept his teaching on hell as credible.

Response to viewer demanding evidence for hell

judgment divine justice hell

Mike objects to using the word "torture" for hell because it implies morally wrong treatment; he argues hell is perfectly just measured punishment that varies according to each person’s sins and revelatory opportunities, citing Jesus’ own statements about different degrees of judgment.

Continuation of discussion on hell and how to explain it

Colossians 1:13 Luke 17:21 John 18 eschatology second coming premillennialism

Mike reconciles Colossians 1:13's statement that Christians have been transferred into Christ's kingdom with premillennial teaching by distinguishing between the kingdom as an internal present reality (God reigning in the heart) and the future global, political kingdom established at the second coming.

Response to viewer question about how premillennialism handles Colossians 1:13

Mike dismisses the claim that Jesus was a socialist, arguing that caring for the poor is universal and the political question is how to do so, not whether to; he says Jesus' kingdom is a theocracy that no human government can imitate.

Response to viewer question about whether Jesus was a socialist

theocracy poverty Jesus

1 Corinthians 11 Galatians 3:28 Ephesians 5 headship head coverings Trinity

Mike gives an extended reading and defense of 1 Corinthians 11 on head coverings, arguing the text is about role differentiation within a framework of equal personal value, not about female inferiority, and that charging God with sexism reflects moral overreach toward the Creator.

Response to viewer asking about 1 Corinthians 11 and the charge that the Bible is sexist

Hebrews Paul Apollos Barnabas

Mike addresses the canonicity of Hebrews despite unknown authorship, arguing that inspiration does not require apostolic pen but apostolic teaching, and that the New Testament canon formed organically as first-century texts with apostolic content were recognized by the early church.

Response to viewer question about how Hebrews can be inspired if we do not know who wrote it

Ezekiel 29 Elijah Holy Spirit empowerment Holy Spirit indwelling

Holy Spirit in the Old vs. New Testament: Old Testament experiences were primarily empowerment for service; New Testament introduces indwelling.

Question from Elizabeth about the distinction between the Holy Spirit coming "upon" versus being "in" a person.

Romans 8 Ephesians 1:13 Abba Father Romans 8 Pentecost

Ephesians 1:13 — the sealing of the Spirit as the New Testament's distinctive: permanent relational indwelling as guarantee of inheritance.

Scriptural basis for the New Testament indwelling distinction.

Isaiah 14 Free will Isaiah 14 Satan's rebellion

Satan's rebellion and God's will: God wills that creatures have genuine free will, which entails the possibility of rebellion.

Question from Casey Mills about whether Satan's rebellion was God's will if God's will is always done in heaven.

1 Peter Hebrews 12:3-6 Proverbs on discipline 1 Peter Hebrews 12:3-6 Divine discipline

Divine discipline in Hebrews 12: suffering is God's loving discipline and can be broad — including consequences of sin or trials for character formation.

Question from Jacob Duncan about how God disciplines believers per Hebrews 12.

Genesis Romans 5 Genesis Romans 5 Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve as historical people: consistency as a Christian requires affirming their historicity, but salvation does not depend on this doctrine.

Question from Loretta Taylor about whether Christian faith requires Adam and Eve to be literal historical people.

Romans 5:8 Ephesians 1 Hebrews 4 God's love Romans 5:8 Ephesians 1

How to see God as a loving father: filter feelings about God through Scripture, especially Romans 5:8 — God loved us while we were sinners.

Question from Kaisu (Finland) about feeling that God is indifferent or impatient with her.

Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 Love and Respect (book) Marriage theology

Books on courting and marriage: tentative recommendation of "Love and Respect" based on its grounding in biblical commands to husbands and wives.

Question from Nathaniel about books for those preparing for marriage.

1 Corinthians 5 1 Corinthians 5 Lifestyle sin Church discipline

Church discipline for a professed believer in a gay marriage: the local body should practice separation/excommunication; individual relationship may continue with pastoral intent.

Question from JTro Man about what biblical separation looks like with a professed believer in a gay marriage.

James 1 Genesis 4 James 1 Calvinism free will

Q2: Do we have free will? Mike asserts strong yes — biblically, intuitively, and philosophically supported

Viewer Lace Buck Corny asks about free will, sovereignty, and whether punishment is just if we lack free will.

free will moral responsibility divine judgment

Without free will, punishment is morally problematic but stopping evil agents still makes sense

Mike addresses the hypothetical: if no free will, is punishment just?

1 John 4:18 assurance of salvation God's love fear of judgment

1 John 4:18 — perfect love casts out fear; fear of punishment stems from insufficient awareness of God's love

Mike addresses the secondary fear connected to death — fear of divine judgment and punishment.

1 John 3:20-21 assurance of salvation fear of judgment 1 John 3:20-21

1 John 3:20-21 — God is greater than our condemning heart; confidence before God is the mature Christian posture

Mike continues the fear-of-death answer, noting many Christians are condemned not by actual rebellion but by vague fear.

sola scriptura repentance false prophecy

Christians must stop following those who prophesied falsely about 2020; those prophets should repent and abandon their prophetic status

Mike gives practical counsel on what to do in response to the false prophecies.

Psalm 139 Moses omniscience omnipresence

Q8: Is God present in hell? Yes in omniscience but not in felt/manifest presence — Psalm 139 explored

Viewer Angela Juarez asks whether an omnipresent God is also present in hell.

Paul the Apostle church authority baptism

Q11: Who can perform baptism? Scripture gives no explicit rule but establishes community precedent; a parent can baptize a child

Viewer 'Skirt Bobcat' asks who is authorized to perform baptism and whether a parent can baptize their children.

1 Corinthians 12 Luke 10 Pentecost spiritual gifts charismatic movement

Q14: Is the authority Jesus gave the 12 and 70 disciples different from spiritual gifts? Mike distinguishes pre-Pentecost authority from post-Pentecost Spirit-enabled gifts

Viewer Silas Bourner asks whether the authority Jesus granted the Twelve and Seventy to heal and cast out demons is different from spiritual gifts.

1 Samuel 16 ESV NASB NKJV

Translation debate: harmful vs. evil vs. distressing spirit in 1 Samuel 16

Different English translations render the Hebrew term differently, reflecting genuine exegetical ambiguity.

church leadership pastoral ethics pastoral compensation

Question: Is it wrong for a pastor to live in a huge home with a salary higher than 90% of his congregation?

Viewer JR asks whether high pastoral salaries and luxury homes are appropriate.

church leadership pastoral ethics pastoral compensation

Wise rule: pastor should live roughly at the level of his congregation

Mike's practical guideline for appropriate pastoral compensation.

2 Timothy 2:20-21 sanctification 2 Timothy 2:20-21 vessels honorable dishonorable

2 Timothy 2:20-21 — Vessels of gold/silver vs. wood/clay for honorable/dishonorable use

Viewer asks whether 2 Tim 2:20-21 (self-cleansing to be an honorable vessel) refutes the Calvinist doctrine of total depravity, given it uses the same honorable/dishonorable language as Romans 9.