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All (81) Mike Winger (81)

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Romans 4:4-5 — wages vs. gift; faith counted as righteousness to the one who does not work but believes

Additional Pauline argument against Catholic soteriology

Romans 4:4-5 justification by faith sola fide grace

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Ephesians 2:8-10 echoes James: saved by grace not works (vv.8-9), then created for good works (v.10)

Final synthesis between Ephesians and James

James 2 Ephesians 2:8-10 James 2 sola fide works as result not cause

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Reference to Mike's video on Romans 2 — 'most misused passage in the book'

Pointing to a related video on another commonly misused passage

Romans 2 apologetics Romans 2

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Pastoral warning: there are people who think they know Christ but do not — James 2 is a wake-up call, not a condemnation

Pastoral application before Q&A

James 2 repentance James 2 dead faith

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Contrast between demons (believe and tremble) and the easy-believer (believes and boasts) — the worse of the two

Pastoral application — comparing dead faith to demonic belief

James 2:19 dead faith easy believism James 2:19

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: apparitions of the Virgin Mary — Mike is skeptical; Catholic Marian devotion (shrines, altars) seems pagan and non-biblical

Viewer question about Catholic Marian apparitions

Catholicism Virgin Mary Marian apparitions

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: can someone have saving faith yet commit murder? — Mike argues sin is not binary; Jesus elevated even hatred and lust to the level of murder and adultery

Viewer question about faith, repentance, and serious sin

Matthew 5 repentance sanctification salvation and sin

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Degrees of sin — some sins are worse than others; the Law has different consequences; Jesus said some will suffer greater judgment

Within the Q&A on murder and saving faith

Matthew degrees of sin Mosaic Law judgment

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: Does faith necessarily produce works, or are works only the way the world sees faith? James 2 is about justification in the eyes of men, not God

Viewer question about the relationship between faith and works

James 2 James 2 demonstration of faith works as evidence of faith

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Groups that use James 2 substitute their own list of required works (sacraments, tongues, church membership) for James's actual examples (tongue, helping poor)

Ironic observation about how misusers of James 2 actually apply it

James 2 hermeneutics Mormonism Jehovah's Witnesses

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

The thief on the cross — deathbed conversion with no works is consistent with James 2 because James addresses ongoing Christian life

Handling the apparent exception of the thief on the cross

James 2 Luke 23 James 2 works as evidence of faith thief on the cross

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: Apologetics effectiveness debated — Mike strongly defends apologetics against claims it doesn't work with Millennials

Viewer shares a pastor's claim that apologetics isn't effective for Millennials

evangelism apologetics Evidence That Demands a Verdict

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Paul's apologetics in Acts — consistent use of reasoning from Scripture in synagogues demonstrates apologetics is a biblical method

Biblical evidence for the legitimacy and effectiveness of apologetics

Acts Paul apologetics Acts

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: Non-Christian friends interested in understanding worldview — all worldviews must be consistent and accurate

Viewer's observation about non-Christian friends being open to worldview discussion

apologetics atheism worldview

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: Romans 4:16 — is it about saving faith? Is Abraham a prototype for saving faith?

Viewer asks Mike's view on Romans 4:16

Romans 4:16 justification by faith Abraham saving faith

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Abraham as the paradigmatic prototype of saving faith in Romans 4 and Galatians — changes how you read both books

Elaboration on Abraham's role as prototype

Romans 4 Galatians justification by faith Abraham Romans 4

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: 1 Corinthians 13:2 — 'if I have all faith but no love I am nothing' — is this faith + love = salvation?

Viewer question about 1 Corinthians 13 and whether it implies faith plus love for salvation

1 Corinthians 13:2 Paul saving faith 1 Corinthians 13:2

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Distinction between saving faith and faith for miracles — 1 Corinthians 13 is about the latter

Type distinction within the concept of faith

1 Corinthians 13 saving faith love charismatic gifts

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Announcement: Mike's podcast now live on iTunes and Stitcher — BibleThinker.org also launched

Administrative announcement at the end of the livestream

Mike Winger BibleThinker podcast

Mike Winger idea 2018-04-11

Reason 4 refuted: The psychological power of contradiction lists outweighs their actual evidential force; contradictions would not disprove inspiration anyway

The skeptic links to the Skeptic's Annotated Bible list of hundreds of alleged biblical contradictions.

James 2 James 2 inspiration tests biblical contradictions

Mike Winger idea 2018-04-25

Q&A: Is belief in Jesus' death and resurrection sufficient for salvation?

Viewer Adrian asks a basic soteriological question.

James 2 salvation James 2 dead faith

Mike Winger idea 2018-10-17

James 2:10 does not teach that all sins are identical; it teaches that breaking any one point of the law makes a person a law-breaker before the same Lawgiver — a relational, not equivalence, statement.

Mike addresses the primary proof-text used to argue all sin is the same and offers an exegesis that resolves the apparent tension.

James 2:10 James 2:11 Romans 3:23 hermeneutics exegesis James 2:10

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Q&A: Connection between belief and obedience in John 3:36 — belief leads to obedience; lack of obedience implies lack of faith

Viewer question from Jacob Englet about John 3:36 and James 2:14-26.

John 3:36 obedience hermeneutics faith and works

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

James 2:14-26 — faith without works is dead; Mike references his dedicated video on Catholic vs. Protestant interpretations

Part of Jacob Englet's question on faith and obedience.

James 2:14-26 faith James 2:14-26 faith and works

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

James the brother of Jesus — conversion from skeptic to martyr

McLatchie presents the conversion and martyrdom of James, Jesus's brother, as particularly strong evidence for the resurrection.

Acts 1 James the brother of Jesus John 7:5 Josephus resurrection of Jesus Acts 1

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Q&A: James 2 and the relationship between works and faith — a different question from Galatians/Romans

A viewer asks about the distinction between works in Paul versus James.

Romans James 2 Galatians Romans James 2 justification

Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

Who is a brother or sister in Christ? Core doctrines required: the identity and saving work of Jesus — his real existence, death, resurrection, and forgiveness of sins through faith.

Question from Rosie A. about the minimum beliefs required to consider someone a fellow Christian.

James 2 James 2 Christian essentials Salvation theology

Mike Winger idea 2021-06-04

Faith vs. Works Contradiction?: I’m confused on two verses, Romans 4:3 and James 2: 21. I don’t believe the Bible has any contradictions, can you please clear up my confusion on this?

Q&A question: Faith vs. Works Contradiction?

James James 2 Romans 4 James James 2 Romans 4

Mike Winger idea 2021-06-25

“Free Grace” Theology, Faith, & Works: Free grace theology says that "save" in James 2: 14 means from physical death or harm. All uses of the word “save” in James 2: 14 are in the context of physical harm, so why is this different for you in 2: 14?

Q&A question: “Free Grace” Theology, Faith, & Works

James James 2 James James 2

Mike Winger idea 2024-07-12

Mixed Messages in Scripture?: I lost my faith due to all the mixed messages in the Bible. For example, is salvation by faith alone like John 5: 24, or faith plus works like James 2? Why doesn’t this cause you to doubt?

Q&A question: Mixed Messages in Scripture?

James James 2 John 5 James salvation James 2

Mike Winger idea 2026-03-20

Biblical Justification: Works Based?: I’m struggling DEEPLY with James 2: 24 vs. Romans 3: 28. Your best argument in the video you did on this 7 years ago was the definition of "justified." But my NIV Bible says "considered righteous."

Q&A question: Biblical Justification: Works Based?

James James 2 Romans 3 James James 2 justification

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Romans 4:4-5 — wages vs. gift; faith counted as righteousness to the one who does not work but believes

Ephesians 2:8-10 echoes James: saved by grace not works (vv.8-9), then created for good works (v.10)

Reference to Mike's video on Romans 2 — 'most misused passage in the book'

Pastoral warning: there are people who think they know Christ but do not — James 2 is a wake-up call, not a condemnation

Contrast between demons (believe and tremble) and the easy-believer (believes and boasts) — the worse of the two

Q&A: apparitions of the Virgin Mary — Mike is skeptical; Catholic Marian devotion (shrines, altars) seems pagan and non-biblical

Q&A: can someone have saving faith yet commit murder? — Mike argues sin is not binary; Jesus elevated even hatred and lust to the level of murder and adultery

Degrees of sin — some sins are worse than others; the Law has different consequences; Jesus said some will suffer greater judgment

Q&A: Does faith necessarily produce works, or are works only the way the world sees faith? James 2 is about justification in the eyes of men, not God

Groups that use James 2 substitute their own list of required works (sacraments, tongues, church membership) for James's actual examples (tongue, helping poor)

The thief on the cross — deathbed conversion with no works is consistent with James 2 because James addresses ongoing Christian life

Q&A: Apologetics effectiveness debated — Mike strongly defends apologetics against claims it doesn't work with Millennials

Paul's apologetics in Acts — consistent use of reasoning from Scripture in synagogues demonstrates apologetics is a biblical method

Q&A: Non-Christian friends interested in understanding worldview — all worldviews must be consistent and accurate

Q&A: Romans 4:16 — is it about saving faith? Is Abraham a prototype for saving faith?

Abraham as the paradigmatic prototype of saving faith in Romans 4 and Galatians — changes how you read both books

Q&A: 1 Corinthians 13:2 — 'if I have all faith but no love I am nothing' — is this faith + love = salvation?

Distinction between saving faith and faith for miracles — 1 Corinthians 13 is about the latter

Announcement: Mike's podcast now live on iTunes and Stitcher — BibleThinker.org also launched

Reason 4 refuted: The psychological power of contradiction lists outweighs their actual evidential force; contradictions would not disprove inspiration anyway

Q&A: Is belief in Jesus' death and resurrection sufficient for salvation?

James 2:10 does not teach that all sins are identical; it teaches that breaking any one point of the law makes a person a law-breaker before the same Lawgiver — a relational, not equivalence, statement.

Q&A: Connection between belief and obedience in John 3:36 — belief leads to obedience; lack of obedience implies lack of faith

James 2:14-26 — faith without works is dead; Mike references his dedicated video on Catholic vs. Protestant interpretations

James the brother of Jesus — conversion from skeptic to martyr

Q&A: James 2 and the relationship between works and faith — a different question from Galatians/Romans

Who is a brother or sister in Christ? Core doctrines required: the identity and saving work of Jesus — his real existence, death, resurrection, and forgiveness of sins through faith.

Faith vs. Works Contradiction?: I’m confused on two verses, Romans 4:3 and James 2: 21. I don’t believe the Bible has any contradictions, can you please clear up my confusion on this?

“Free Grace” Theology, Faith, & Works: Free grace theology says that "save" in James 2: 14 means from physical death or harm. All uses of the word “save” in James 2: 14 are in the context of physical harm, so why is this different for you in 2: 14?

Mixed Messages in Scripture?: I lost my faith due to all the mixed messages in the Bible. For example, is salvation by faith alone like John 5: 24, or faith plus works like James 2? Why doesn’t this cause you to doubt?

Biblical Justification: Works Based?: I’m struggling DEEPLY with James 2: 24 vs. Romans 3: 28. Your best argument in the video you did on this 7 years ago was the definition of "justified." But my NIV Bible says "considered righteous."

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