Search — Theology Explorer

Galatians 3:23-25 typology justification by faith paidagogos

Galatians 3:23-25 -- The Law as paidagogos (guardian/tutor) leading to Christ; distinct from kinsman-redeemer language

Mike evaluates whether Galatians 3:23-25 connects to the Ruth kinsman-redeemer passage.

eschatology preterism premillennialism

Announcement: upcoming survey of eschatological views including premillennial, amillennial, postmillennial, and preterist perspectives

Brief mid-stream announcement about upcoming Monday content.

Ecclesiastes 1 Kings 11 repentance salvation apostasy

Was Solomon saved? Ecclesiastes may imply a late-life repentance and return to God despite idolatrous period

Question from Darcy 777 about whether Solomon died worshiping false gods and whether he was saved.

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.

youth ministry evangelism apologetics

Advice for online youth pastor: engage real youth in person; use apologetics and comparative theology to reach skeptical students

Final question from Dragon Fist 900, a biblical studies major pursuing online youth ministry.

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

2 John 1:11 salvation false gospel works-based salvation

Mike examines 2 John 1:11 in context, explaining it refers to hosting traveling teachers and not to general social contact with heretics, then defends William Lane Craig's nuanced view on Catholics — acknowledging a false Catholic gospel while allowing that some Catholics may be genuinely saved.

Response to viewer question about whether to separate from William Lane Craig over his statements about Catholics

Hebrews youth ministry evangelism spiritual maturity

Mike advises a youth pastor that discipleship of willing students produces more fruit than constant outreach programming, drawing on his own early ministry failure when he focused on students who did not care.

Response to youth pastor viewer about ministry focus

Eastern Orthodoxy gospel Sola Scriptura

Mike declines to comment on Coptic/Oriental Orthodox theology due to insufficient knowledge, but raises concerns about Eastern Orthodox extra-biblical tradition and recounts a personal experience of a woman who left his church for an Eastern Orthodox group and could no longer articulate the gospel.

Response to viewer question about Coptic/Oriental Orthodox theology

Mark 14:51-52 Mark the Evangelist Peter Mark 14:51-52 Gospel of Mark

Mike identifies the naked young man fleeing in Mark 14:51-52 as likely the author Mark himself, explaining this was a common ancient biographical convention of embedding the author’s presence discreetly in the narrative.

Response to viewer question about the identity of the young man in Mark 14:51-52

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

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

apologetics resurrection of Jesus debate

Mike closes the livestream, identifies his debate opponent as Paul from Paulogia on the Non-Sequitur Show, scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m., and asks for prayers.

Final closing remarks

James (brother of Jesus) Brian Simmons Paul the Apostle James (brother of Jesus)

Private vs. public religious experience: Brian Simmons's experiences are private; Jesus's resurrection appearances were witnessed by many simultaneously.

First major distinction between Brian Simmons and the apostles in the credibility comparison.

Acts 12 Paul the Apostle Hallucination theory Peter the Apostle

Psychological profile of apostles: they were not prone to hallucinations or delusion; even Anthony Flew called Paul a first-rate philosopher.

Fourth distinction: the mental/psychological credibility of the witnesses.

Kenneth Copeland Kenneth Hagin Word of Faith movement

Kenneth Hagin and Word of Faith: extra-biblical systematizing of healing and glory produces a "cartoon image" of Christianity.

Question from Jordan Filler about Kenneth Hagin's "The Authority of the Believer."

Psalm 82 Psalm 82 Angels Angelology

Are angels immortal? Tentative view: angels appear to be immortal but the debate involves what state they are in rather than whether they cease to exist.

Question from Ricardo Sierra about whether angels are immortal and whether demons could defeat them.

Prayer for the dead Purgatory God's relationship to time

Praying for the salvation of the deceased: not immoral as described, but lacks biblical authorization and is questionable in effect.

Question from "Nothing Much" about retroactive prayer for someone who has already died.

Galatians 5 Galatians 5 Passion Translation Hyper-charismatic movement

Advice to someone whose church is becoming hyper-charismatic: leave, if you must, without bitterness, motivated only by principle and love.

Question from Jay Parker about whether to leave a church moving toward hyper-charismaticism after elders dismissed critique of the Passion Translation as nitpicking.

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.

Revelation eschatology Revelation futurism

Q6: In a futurist view, which country best represents Babylon? Possibly Rome, a future world government, or Iraq

Viewer Randy Loxley asks Mike's thoughts on a modern-day Babylon in futurist eschatology.

intellectual humility ministry platform theological training

Q7: Advice for a young adult starting a theology ministry platform without formal training

Viewer Nathan Johnson asks how to start a ministry platform similar to Mike's without seminary training.

John Piper John Piper ad hominem Calvinism

Q12: Are big-name Calvinists arrogant and unloving? Mike pushes back on the generalization while acknowledging a real temptation within Calvinism

Viewer Steve Carruthers claims big-name Calvinists in general are arrogant and unloving and asks if this disqualifies them.

Matthew 11:22-24 apologetics divine judgment Sodom and Gomorrah

Q15: Matthew 11:22-24 — If Sodom would have repented at Jesus's miracles, why didn't Jesus go to Sodom? Christians need not have an answer to every question

Viewer Lawrence H asks why Jesus did not perform miracles in Sodom to prevent its destruction, given Jesus's statement in Matthew 11.

divorce and remarriage pastoral counseling covenant theology

Q17: Is a spouse a covenant breaker for agreeing to an unwanted divorce? Mike defers to his detailed divorce/remarriage video and urges fighting for the marriage

Viewer Chantel Robinson's spouse is divorcing him against his will; he wants to know if agreeing makes him a covenant breaker.

2 Corinthians 4 repentance sanctification Paul the Apostle

Q20: Do we need to feel bad for sin when we repent, or is knowing it is wrong enough? Feeling is healthy but not required — emotions are the caboose of the train

Viewer Joel Larson asks whether genuine repentance requires feeling bad about sin, noting his ex-girlfriend does not feel bad about their shared sexual sin.

intellectual honesty Q&A format pastoral teaching

Introduction to Friday Q&A format

Pastor Mike opens the show, noting he will answer up to 20 questions and will admit when he does not know something.

Gerasene demoniac Satan spiritual warfare

Demonic activity in first century as messianic confirmation and spiritual battleground

Jesus's authority over demons served as a sign to the Jews confirming his messianic identity; the concentration of demonic opposition is explained by Satan's forces mobilizing against the Son of God.

Genesis 3 federal headship curse reversal Genesis 3

Christ as Second Adam — taking on human form to represent all humanity and reverse the curse

Christ's incarnation was not only to die but to serve as the representative of all humanity, reversing the curse of the first Adam.

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.

spiritual gifts planning and providence vocation

Plan according to your God-given gifts, not just desires or vague calling

Practical guidance for Christian life planning: identifying gifts rather than merely desires or claimed callings.

sola scriptura apologetics Catholicism

Question: Confused after debate with a Catholic — how to handle doctrinal confusion

Viewer Katie had a debate with a Catholic and now feels confused about core doctrinal differences.

Acts 8 Acts 8 eschatology futurism

Question: If Christ's return requires a rebuilt temple, how is it rebuilt without the Ark of the Covenant?

Viewer Isaac O'Brien asks about the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple in eschatology and the missing Ark of the Covenant.

Ecclesiastes 3:21 Ecclesiastes 12:7 death Ecclesiastes 3:21 Ecclesiastes 12:7

Ecclesiastes passage differentiating the spirit of animals (returns to dust) from the spirit of humans (returns to God)

The only biblical text Mike can identify that directly addresses the distinction between animal and human souls at death.

John 8:30-38 John 1:11 perseverance of the saints John 8:30-38 belief in John

Interpretive options for belief in John 8:30 — salvific vs. surface belief; audience complexity

The theological puzzle: was this salvific belief that was then lost, or was it never salvific to begin with?

Genesis 3 Genesis 3 Christian ethics cultural Christianity

Question: What does the Bible say about modesty? Is a bikini sport uniform sinful?

Viewer Austin Holloman asks for biblical guidance on modesty and whether sports requiring bikinis should be avoided.

Ephesians 6:15 evangelism witness armor of God

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace — evangelism as spiritual protection

Third piece of armor: footwear as readiness to go with the gospel.

Pastoral formation Seminary education Humility in ministry

Advice for a 20-year-old preparing for pastoral ministry: balance seminary education with active local church service, and remove ego.

Question from John Parizzo about preparing for pastoral ministry while in college and seminary.

Isaiah 6 Isaiah 1:18 Atonement Isaiah 6 Divine sovereignty and human responsibility

Isaiah 6's commissioning does not mean God does not want Israel healed — the prophet's message hardens already-rejecting hearts, and God's overall posture throughout Isaiah is restorative.

Question from V Palumbi about Isaiah 6 and God's apparent unwillingness for the people to return and be healed.

Abraham Old Testament saints Salvation exclusivism

Accepting Jesus is the only way to heaven, but those who never heard the gospel may be saved through faithful response to lesser revelation — analogous to Abraham.

Question from Jack Bradley about salvation for those who never heard or only heard harmful versions of the gospel.

Women in ministry Women as elders Church leadership

Women serving as elders is not Winger's current biblical position, but he plans a thorough future research project before finalizing his view.

Question from Patience Kachidza about a mother-in-law ordained as an elder in a church.

Genesis 2-3 Genesis 2-3 Tree of knowledge of good and evil Divine foreknowledge

Why did God create the tree of the knowledge of good and evil if he foreknew the fall? Guessing divine motives is risky, but free will and genuine love require real choices.

Question from Reggie LQ about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and divine foreknowledge.

Genesis 1-2 Genesis as history vs. mythology Genesis 1-2 Young earth creationism Old earth creationism

Genesis 1-2 and the age of the earth: Winger is no longer confident in young-earth creationism based on exegesis alone; plans a full research project.

Question from Ethan Tucker about whether early Genesis is mythology or history.

Revelation 13 Mark of the Beast Revelation 13 Mark of the Beast COVID vaccine

The COVID vaccine is not the mark of the beast; Winger would take it, and dismisses mark-of-the-beast vaccine claims as theological irrationality.

Bonus question from Solomon Paparazzi via Sarah Zimmerman: should a Christian take the COVID vaccine?

Matthew 13:24-30 free will theodicy problem of evil

Why God creates people he foreknows will reject him

Our Fish asked why God would create people he knows will not choose him.

Romans proof-texting discernment false teaching

Protecting against false doctrine without a complete Bible knowledge: read in context and check the text

Katie, a newly saved teen (about 10 months old in the faith), asked how to guard against false teaching when she has not yet read the entire Bible.

Holy Spirit discernment prophecy

Testing whether a vision or impression is from the Holy Spirit

UK Dove Girl asked how to know whether a lucid open-eyed vision comes from the Spirit rather than the subconscious.

Hebrews 7:7 spiritual authority Levitical priesthood Abraham

Pronouncing a blessing on others: Hebrews 7:7 and mutual blessing in the body of Christ

Andrej asked whether saying "I bless you" to someone implies a hierarchical superiority that is inappropriate between equals.