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Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Pluck out your eye (Matthew 5:29) vs. having an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1)

A viewer asks how to reconcile the command to pluck out your eye with the promise of an advocate with the Father.

Matthew 5:29 1 John 2:1 repentance hyperbole sin
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Sin leading to death in 1 John 5:16-17 — interpretation depends on prior theology

Question about whether 1 John 5:16-17 implies one can lose salvation.

1 John 5:16-17 hermeneutics eisegesis salvation
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

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).

Romans 8:34 1 John 2:1-2 salvation eternal security propitiation
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

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 4:18 assurance of salvation God's love fear of judgment
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

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.

1 John 3:20-21 assurance of salvation fear of judgment 1 John 3:20-21
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Political prophecies, false prophets in 2020, and the antichrist

Joe Burton asked whether the wave of false political prophecies might be setting up the antichrist to appear as a savior.

Deuteronomy 18:22 1 John 2:18 Jeremiah Johnson discernment prophetic accountability eschatology
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-26

Visualizing God in prayer — dangers of anthropomorphism, suggestion to visualize light

Marty Moxie asks how to see God when praying since the mind naturally wants to picture a person.

James 1:17 1 John 1:5 prayer incarnation James 1:17
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-05

Forgiveness: will and emotions are separate; you can choose to forgive before your heart feels it

Responding to whether one can say words of forgiveness when the heart has not yet caught up

1 John 3:20 Christian living forgiveness walking by faith
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

God's forgetting of sins means he will not bring them up again, not literal amnesia — Christians cannot claim sinlessness post-forgiveness

Q7 from Earl Grey: After forgiveness, sin is wiped clean — can a person claim to have never taken part in certain sins since the Lord remembers them no more?

1 John 1 sin divine omniscience forgiveness
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

1 John 3:4-10 does not teach sinless perfectionism — the Greek present tense indicates habitual lifestyle of sin, not single acts

Q14 from Shauna Whitting: Does 1 John 3:4-10 mean you are not a real Christian if you still struggle with sin?

1 John 2:1 1 John 3:4-10 habitual sin limited atonement propitiation
Mike Winger idea 2020-02-12

Q&A: A sermon claiming that struggling with addiction or fearing hell means you're not a Christian is unbiblical. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for sin without denying their faith; 1 John 4:18 says fear indicates incomplete realization of God's love, not absence of salvation.

Q&A — addiction and assurance of salvation

1 John 4:18 1 John 3:20 assurance of salvation assurance of salvation 1 John 4:18
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-08

What salvation produces: (1) Adoption as God's children (1 John 3:1); (2) Indwelling of the Holy Spirit — born again, new creation (Titus 3:5, 2 Cor 5:17); (3) Complete forgiveness of sins; (4) Eternal life — not ethereal existence but new heaven and new earth with perfect fellowship. Simple to receive, vast in scope.

Results of salvation — adoption, Spirit, eternal life

1 John 3:1 Titus 3:5 regeneration born again 1 John 3:1
Mike Winger idea 2020-05-06

Evidence for early Christian persecution: (1) Multiple attestation across the entire NT — Gospels, Acts, Hebrews, James, 1 John, Peter, Revelation all attest to Christians paying a price for faith. (2) Earliest church fathers (Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp) confirm the theme. (3) Non-Christian sources (Tacitus, Suetonius) confirm persecution under Nero.

Evidence for early persecution — multiple independent sources

multiple attestation Tacitus Clement of Rome
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-07

1 John 3:9 ("whoever is born of God does not sin") doesn't mean Christians never sin. 1 John 1:8-10 in the SAME letter says "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves" and "if we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive." The Greek tense in 3:9 indicates ongoing habitual practice, not individual acts. A Christian won't be characterized by a lifestyle of sin, but will still fail and need forgiveness.

1 John 3:9 — sinless perfection refuted

1 John 3:9 1 John 1:8-10 sinless perfection 1 John 3:9 1 John 1:8-10
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-28

Faith for miracles is different from saving faith — it's initiated by God (a spiritual gift), not fabricated by the believer. Jesus had a responsive ministry to the Father, not initiatory. You respond to what the Spirit reveals.

Theological framework: miracle-faith as God-initiated response, not self-generated belief

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 John 5:19 1 John 5:14 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 John 5:19 1 John 5:14
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-26

Du Toit systematically changes key gospel texts: John 1:12 ("become children of God" → you're already God's offspring), John 3:3 (born again → you were already born from above), John 3:18 (condemned already → under your own self-judgment).

Specific examples of the Mirror Bible inverting gospel texts

John 1:12 John 3:3 John 3:7 born again John 1:12 John 3:3
Mike Winger idea 2021-05-14

1 John 3:4 ("sin is lawlessness") doesn't mean Christians must keep the Mosaic Law — "lawlessness" means rebellion against God's moral authority, not specifically violating Torah commands. The New Testament redefines how we relate to God's moral standards.

Q19: Does 1 John 3:4 mean the Law of Moses still applies?

1 John 3:4 1 John 3 Moses 1 John 3:4 1 John 3
Mike Winger idea 2021-07-23

About the “Three that Testify”: Can you shed some light on 1 John 5: 16-17?

Q&A question: About the “Three that Testify”
Mike Winger idea 2021-07-30

Interpreting a Difficult Verse: I’ve read two different views on 1 John 3: 20. 1: If our heart condemns us, how much more will God since He is greater than our heart? 2: Even though we feel guilty, God knows our heart. Thoughts?

Q&A question: Interpreting a Difficult Verse

1 John 3 1 John 3
Mike Winger idea 2021-08-06

Overcoming Condemnation/Embracing God’s Grace: I have a good understanding of God’s Love and forgiveness in my head, but I have trouble living as though I believe it in my heart, and I still feel condemned at times (1 John 4: 16-18). Any advice?

Q&A question: Overcoming Condemnation/Embracing God’s Grace

1 John 4 1 John 4 forgiveness
Mike Winger idea 2021-08-13

About “Perfect Love Casting Out Fear”: What did John mean in 1 John by “perfect love casts out fear, and that whoever fears has not been made perfect…”?

Q&A question: About “Perfect Love Casting Out Fear”
Mike Winger idea 2021-08-20

About the Paraclete: John 16:7 says Paraclete is the Holy Spirit, and 1 John 2:1 says it is Jesus Christ. I cannot believe this is a mistranslation, so what is 1 John 2:1 talking about?

Q&A question: About the Paraclete

1 John 2 John 16 1 John 2:1 Jesus Christ Jesus 1 John 2
Mike Winger idea 2023-02-17

Gospel Patterns?: Is Genesis 1:1-6 a foreshadowing of the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? John 1:1, Luke 1:1, Mark 1:1, Matthew 4: 17, and 1 John 1:1 all speak of beginning, then water, light, and darkness.

Q&A question: Gospel Patterns?

Genesis Genesis 1 John 1 Jesus Christ Jesus Genesis
Mike Winger idea 2023-03-17

Can We Be as Close as the Disciples?: Do you think that we can have as personal and intimate of a relationship with Jesus as His twelve disciples did? I've heard 1 John 1:1-3 used to support this.

Q&A question: Can We Be as Close as the Disciples?

1 John 1 Jesus 1 John 1
Mike Winger idea 2023-03-17

When Translations Vary: What do we do when we find significant difference between translations (such as 1 John 5:7 in the KJV vs. modern translations)?

Q&A question: When Translations Vary

Bible translations
Mike Winger idea 2023-05-26

1 Jn. 2:2 & Limited Atonement: Doesn't 1 John 2:2 blow the Calvinist doctrine of Limited Atonement straight out of the water?

Q&A question: 1 Jn. 2:2 & Limited Atonement

1 John 2 1 John 2:2 atonement Calvinism 1 John 2
Mike Winger idea 2023-07-21

Did Joseph Fail to “Test the Spirits”?: 1 John 4 says to “test the spirits.” But Mary's husband, Joseph, didn't appear to do this when he had the dream to flee to Egypt. How should we understand or interpret this?

Q&A question: Did Joseph Fail to “Test the Spirits”?

1 John 4 Joseph marriage 1 John 4
Mike Winger idea 2023-09-01

Do Christians Still Sin?: How should I understand 1 John 3 when it talks about those who abide in Christ no longer sinning, even as someone who continues to sin?

Q&A question: Do Christians Still Sin?

1 John 3 1 John 3
Mike Winger idea 2023-09-15

New Command or Old Command?: Why does 1 John 2:7 say that he is not writing a new command, but in the next verse (1 John 2:8) he says that he is writing a new command? What's going on here?

Q&A question: New Command or Old Command?

1 John 2 1 John 2
Mike Winger idea 2023-12-29

Mortal & Venial Sins?: 1 John 5: 16-17 seems to support the Roman Catholic understanding of mortal and venial sins. Is that the proper interpretation of this verse, and if not, how should we understand sin and the death it causes?

Q&A question: Mortal & Venial Sins?

Roman Catholicism
Mike Winger idea 2024-05-03

Do Christians Continue to Need Forgiveness?: 1 John 1:9 perplexes me. I am a Christian. In what sense does my daily confession apply "forgiveness" to me? What happens if I die with “unforgiven” sin?

Q&A question: Do Christians Continue to Need Forgiveness?

1 John 1 forgiveness 1 John 1
Mike Winger idea 2024-06-07

What Exactly Is Sin?: What exactly is sin? Is there a difference between sins against the flesh and sins against the heart/spirit? Does 1 John 5: 17 have anything to do with that? Is sin only sin when it causes death?

Q&A question: What Exactly Is Sin?

death and afterlife
Mike Winger idea 2024-12-20

David’s Salvation – Murderer?: If according to John, no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3: 15), how do we explain David’s salvation, since he had Uriah killed?

Q&A question: David’s Salvation – Murderer?

1 John 3 David salvation 1 John 3
Mike Winger idea 2025-01-17

Water & Blood: 1 John 4: What is the significance of the water and the blood in 1 John 4:6, 8?

Q&A question: Water & Blood: 1 John 4

1 John 4 1 John 4
Mike Winger idea 2025-10-03

Why is David in Heaven?: Can you explain how David would be in Heaven when he knew 1 wife was God’s design but was living in continuous sin (1 John 3:4-9, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Hebrews 10: 26, Ephesians 5:3-7)?

Q&A question: Why is David in Heaven?

1 Corinthians 6 Ephesians 5 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 David marriage 1 Corinthians 6
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