Search — Theology Explorer

Mormonism Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

LDS Book of Abraham — Joseph Smith's evolving theology from monotheism toward polytheism

A viewer asks about doing a verse-by-verse study on the LDS Book of Abraham.

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.

1 Corinthians 14:34 1 Timothy 2:12 hermeneutics 1 Corinthians 14:34 gender roles

Women's silence passages in context — likely addressing local disorder, not a universal ban

A viewer asks whether men and women can be in a Bible study together and if women should be silent.

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.

assurance of salvation Donald Trump Christianity and politics

Is Donald Trump a genuine Christian? — Mike's cautious non-assessment

A viewer asks if Mike thinks President Trump is a true believer.

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.

Mormonism Jehovah's Witnesses comparative religion

Are other religions twisted versions of Christianity? — Depends on derivation vs. importation

A viewer asks whether other religions are twisted versions of Christianity.

Matthew 4 1 Peter 5:8 Ephesians 6:12 spiritual warfare Holy Spirit indwelling exorcism

Can a Christian be demonized or possessed? — No, the Spirit-indwelt believer cannot be internally possessed

A viewer asks if a Christian can be demonized and if Mike has ever cast out a demon.

1 Peter Genesis 6 1 Peter Genesis 6 Nephilim

Nephilim in Genesis — Mike directs viewers to his 1 Peter Bible study for treatment

A viewer asks what Mike thinks about the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis.

discernment worship music Bethel

Worship music evaluation — two questions: is the song sound? Do I want to partner with the movement?

A viewer asks whether worship music should contain Scripture and doctrine, and whether Chris Tomlin and Jesus Culture are fine.

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.

1 Timothy Mark Luke 1 Timothy textual criticism Mark

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.

eschatology fulfilled prophecy Israel

Israel 1948 prophecy claim — Mike is skeptical; caution about unverified fulfilled prophecy arguments

A viewer asks if Israel becoming a nation in 1948 was prophesied to the day in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 6:16 Deuteronomy 22:28-29 Exodus 22:16 marriage one flesh sexual ethics

Does intercourse constitute marriage? — No; vows before witnesses and God define marriage

Mike reads an email asking whether sleeping with someone makes you married.

Matthew 18:15-17 Galatians 6:1-2 false teaching church discipline mysticism

Handling a friend pursuing unbiblical mysticism — staged intervention using Galatians 6:1-2

Mike answers an emailed question from Nikki about a close Christian friend who keeps pursuing mystical and unbiblical things despite multiple conversations.

Matthew 5:13-16 salt and light gospel proclamation religious persecution

Standing up for faith before it is taken away — Christians always stand; democracy creates gospel opportunity

A viewer asks at what point Christians should stand up for their faith before it is taken away.

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.

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

Revelation 7:4 — the 144,000 are a literal future group of ethnic Jewish men

Question about what the 144,000 sealed in Revelation 7:4 means.

Romans 11 Revelation 7:4 Jehovah's Witnesses tribulation futurism

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Word of Faith 'little gods' teaching is serious enough to warrant leaving a church

Question from someone whose pastor teaches the Word of Faith 'little gods' doctrine and has rejected private correction.

Matthew 18 false teaching Matthew 18 church discipline

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

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 2020-12-18

There may be seasons — such as extreme hardship — where a married couple may avoid pregnancy; but this is entirely distinct from abortion (murder) or any contraception that kills a conceived human being.

Discussing contextual exceptions to the general childbearing mandate.

Matthew 24 — Woe to Nursing Mothers Marriage and Childbearing Contraception Abortion

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 2021-01-01

Experimenting with interviews: open candid dialogue over polished preparation

2021 plans announcement

Galatians Craig Blomberg Galatians New Perspective on Paul

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Announcement: upcoming deep-dive study on women's roles and gender in the church

2021 ministry plans

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

BibleThinker.org website improvements: searchable timestamp database

Website and ministry infrastructure plans for 2021

BibleThinker ministry open theism

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

Re-baptism is not prescribed in Scripture but can be appropriate when the original baptism lacked genuine understanding

Question from Andrew Green about whether re-baptisms are biblical

2 Corinthians 2 baptism grace re-baptism

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

Proverbs recommended as the antidote to the lack of wisdom on both political extremes

Closing remarks

Proverbs Craig Blomberg wisdom Proverbs

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.

1 Timothy 2:5 1 Timothy 2:5 Temple theology Ark of the Covenant

The temple's empty space at the center of worship is the model for where all prayer and worship must be directed — God alone, with no mediating object

Continued answer on icons/images, drawing on the temple design.

Prayer Idolatry Catholic devotional practices

Catholic saint icons carry a superstitious protection function incompatible with biblical worship

Practical application of the icons question to Catholic devotional objects.

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.

Romans 13:1 Romans 14 Hebrews 10:25 Romans 13:1 Romans 14 Hebrews 10:25

Romans 13:1 requires submission to governing authorities, but the command to gather (Hebrews 10:25) creates a potential tension during COVID restrictions

Question from Felicia Claan about Hosea 8:4 vs. Romans 13:1 in the context of COVID restrictions on household gatherings.

Mike Winger online ministry ministry perseverance

Introduction: channel milestone of 200,000 subscribers and format of the 20 Questions Friday livestream

Opening remarks before questions begin. Mike Winger celebrates reaching 200k subscribers and explains the Q&A format.

discernment prophetic accountability Bethel Church

Bethel Church's role in the false prophecy conundrum: uncritical embrace of all positive prophecy regardless of source

Continuation of the charismatic false prophecy discussion. Mike names Bethel specifically as a contributing factor.

Matthew 19:12 Matthew 19:12 eunuch intersex

Eunuchs from birth likely refers to those physically unable to procreate; intersex persons who cannot have intercourse fit this category

Continued analysis of Matthew 19:12 eunuchs from birth.

Revelation Hebrews warning passages Revelation once saved always saved eternal security

Book of Life: names blotted out -- the phrase is too non-specific to resolve the eternal security debate

Question from Paul Redding about how one is written into or blotted out of the Book of Life.

Daniel 9 Daniel 9 eschatology Antichrist

Mike briefly comments on the Abomination of Desolation, describing it as a future event in a literal rebuilt Jerusalem temple involving an Antichrist figure setting up an image and declaring himself God, occurring in the middle of the Tribulation.

Response to viewer question about the Abomination of Desolation

prayer sanctification pastoral counsel

Mike offers pastoral advice on controlling anger in traffic, recommending a practice of redirecting the impulse to complain into prayer, focusing on controlling one’s own reactions rather than others’ behavior.

Response to viewer asking for counsel on road rage/anger

Holy Spirit apologetics gospel

Mike shares his personal testimony: he came to faith at age 12 through the 10 Commandments convicting him of sin, then heard the gospel at a youth group he attended to get out of the house, believed immediately, and later pursued apologetics to verify his faith.

Response to viewer asking about Mike’s testimony

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

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.

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.