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All (83) Scripture Commentary (5) Theology (9) Mike Winger (69)

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 2019-05-22

The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 appears to be Jewish or a proselyte (he was in Jerusalem to worship and had Isaiah), so this is still not a full Gentile conversion

Survey of Acts 8, Ethiopian eunuch

Acts 8:27-40 proselytes Philip (Evangelist) Acts 8:27-40

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 9: Saul is converted and called as the apostle to the Gentiles, but immediately begins preaching in synagogues to Jews -- the Gentile mission has not yet begun

Survey of Acts chapter 9, Paul's conversion

Acts 9:15 Acts 9:20 Paul the Apostle Acts 9:15 Acts 9:20

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Timothy was not circumcised because he was Jewish -- he was circumcised for ministry effectiveness. This distinction is critical: it is fulfillment theology, not law-keeping.

Clarification on Timothy's circumcision motivation

Timothy Jewish identity fulfillment theology

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-30

Objective atonement 2,000 years ago vs. subjective appropriation at conversion

Winger explains how a believer can say they died with Christ even though they were not alive when Jesus died.

objective vs subjective atonement union with Christ conversion

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Argument: Paul's conversion is inexplicable if Jesus were fictional — he was in Jerusalem at the same time as the crucifixion

Using Paul's personal proximity to events to argue against mythicism

Paul Jesus mythicism historicity of Jesus

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

John 7 records Jesus's brothers not believing in him during his ministry, then Acts records them as believers after resurrection — this disbelief/conversion arc supports biological relationship

The conversion of Jesus's brothers as evidence for their biological relationship

Acts James (brother of Jesus) John 7 Acts James (brother of Jesus) resurrection appearances

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Did Paul hallucinate seeing Jesus? Hallucinations are private, not group experiences — Paul's companions also saw the light and heard the voice (Acts 9)

Audience Q about whether Paul hallucinated his encounter with the risen Jesus

Acts 9 Paul resurrection appearances hallucination hypothesis

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Summary: Paul taught physical/bodily resurrection; hallucination theory fails; Paul was not grieving Jesus's death — he was glad Jesus was dead before his conversion

Concluding the section on Paul's resurrection belief

Paul bodily resurrection resurrection appearances

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Acts 16:31-34: Philippian jailer's household — all heard the word, believed, and rejoiced, excluding passive infants

Exegesis of the Philippian jailer conversion and household baptism.

Acts 16:31-34 faith infant baptism household baptism

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Q&A: False conversion followed by genuine salvation — should the person be re-baptized?

A viewer asks about someone who was baptized during a false conversion and then genuinely saved.

assurance of salvation baptism pastoral counsel

Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

This view is not fideism; the Spirit's internal witness is genuine evidence, and the Spirit converts — not arguments

Responding to the charge that elevating the Spirit's witness over external evidence is mere fideism

epistemology conversion fideism

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

Mike declines to share his full personal testimony out of love for family members whose failures would be exposed publicly

Question from ZZ asking Mike to share his testimony and struggles as a new believer.

discipleship personal testimony pastoral ethics

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Polygamy is a real but sin-laden marriage; the moral complexity for a polygamist who converts precludes a simple answer

Q from Susan Morales following up on Mike's earlier video on whether a polygamist who becomes a Christian should divorce one or more wives.

marriage sin divorce

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Baptism: no required level of knowledge — New Testament pattern is immediate baptism upon faith

Question from Dimitar Bratov about the level of understanding required before baptism

catechesis baptism discipleship

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

All believers are indwelt by the Spirit at salvation, but degrees of Spirit-filling differ among believers

Responding to a question from Sarah P about whether salvation and Spirit baptism are the same event

Acts 6 Acts 2 John 20 Acts 6 Acts 2 Holy Spirit

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

Acts 16:31 does not teach household salvation -- the household's rejoicing proves they individually believed

Responding to Sarah P's report that her Bible teacher taught household salvation from Acts 16:31

Acts 16:31-34 hermeneutics salvation Acts 16:31-34

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Some people abandon faith over UFO sightings because they do not consider alternative explanations like demonic activity; alien existence is not a defeater for Christianity.

Spiritual danger of UFO-driven deconversion

spiritual warfare apologetics UFOs

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Advice to a former JW: Do not transfer the JW 'true church' mentality to a new denomination — move from following an institutional governing body to following Christ, and seek genuine (not perfect) Christians.

Q: Former JW, not properly baptized — how to choose a church and who should baptize me? Afraid of being misled.

Calvary Chapel Jehovah's Witnesses Church Selection

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

Real-life example: a wife's Christ-like conduct broke through her angry husband's defenses and led to his conversion

Illustrative story supporting 1 Peter 3:1 and the "may" interpretation

1 Peter 3:1 1 Peter 3:1 marriage conversion

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Paul's conversion is credible because it was Apostolically ratified and his gospel was identical to the Twelve's — Joseph Smith fails both tests

Question from Summer Monsoon about apologetics for Paul's conversion vs. Joseph Smith's claimed vision.

Galatians 2 2 Peter 3:16 Galatians 2 Mormonism Joseph Smith

Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

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

Holy Spirit apologetics gospel

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

How to find God: Christianity's goal is not emotional comfort but truth and relationship; reading and praying without trusting Christ is insufficient.

Question from an anonymous person (username 'it's me') who found comfort in the New Age but confusion in Christianity after 5 months of reading and prayer.

Assurance of salvation New Age spirituality Conversion and faith

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

God's posture toward the backslidden is always welcoming return — the prodigal son parable and Jeremiah's call to Israel demonstrate this.

Question from Ethan Zaragoza, who drifted from faith for 1.5 years and fears God is done with him.

Jeremiah Hebrews 4:16 Luke 15 Jeremiah Hebrews 4:16 Repentance

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Tips for an atheist starting to believe: gather intellectual reasons for God, practice spiritual disciplines, and make choices that shape belief.

Question from Emil Codrin about how to start believing after a lifetime of atheism.

Evidence for God Christopher Hitchens Spiritual disciplines

Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

Alternative to the Sinner's Prayer for leading someone to salvation

Listener Marie asks for a good alternative to the sinner's prayer.

Evangelism Repentance Sinner's Prayer

Mike Winger idea 2020-02-26

Mike gathered Twitter responses from people who switched from pro-choice to pro-life, asking what changed their minds. He presents 8 specific stories.

Introduction — 8 pro-choice to pro-life conversions

abortion pro-choice to pro-life conversion

Mike Winger idea 2020-02-26

Reason 1 (Sherry): Her 8-week ultrasound. She didn't see a clump of cells — she saw her child. "My choice was to keep her alive or kill her." Ultrasound compilation shows parents instinctively calling the image "he" or "she," never "the fetus."

Reason 1 — ultrasound revelation

ultrasound pro-choice to pro-life conversion

Mike Winger idea 2020-02-26

Q&A: Luke 14:33 ("renounce all you have") and Luke 12:33 ("sell your possessions") are hyperbolic expressions of total dedication to Jesus, not literal commands for universal poverty. Lydia continued her business after conversion and used profits to support missionaries.

Q&A — sell everything and follow Jesus

Luke 14:33 Luke 12:33 Luke 14:33 Luke 12:33 Lydia (seller of purple)

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-11

Deconstruction vs. Deconversion: Is deconstruction just another term for deconversion? Why can't we deconstruct deconstructionism?

Q&A question: Deconstruction vs. Deconversion

deconstruction

Mike Winger idea 2022-07-15

Is Fear of Hell a Valid Motivator?: Would a death bed conversion work if the main driving factor is the fear of Hell rather than choosing to trust God?

Q&A question: Is Fear of Hell a Valid Motivator?

hell

Mike Winger idea 2023-05-12

Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?: Are there any good rules of thumb for atheists attending a church service for the purposes of learning? Assuming they have no intention of conversion, is this considered rude or invasive?

Q&A question: Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?

atheism

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-15

About Saul’s Motives: Was Saul's hostility toward the Jewish Christians based on his biblical beliefs, or was he really on a mission to achieve status considering his age prior to conversion and extreme actions?

Q&A question: About Saul’s Motives

Judaism

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James the brother of Jesus — conversion from skeptic to martyr

The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 appears to be Jewish or a proselyte (he was in Jerusalem to worship and had Isaiah), so this is still not a full Gentile conversion

Acts 9: Saul is converted and called as the apostle to the Gentiles, but immediately begins preaching in synagogues to Jews -- the Gentile mission has not yet begun

Timothy was not circumcised because he was Jewish -- he was circumcised for ministry effectiveness. This distinction is critical: it is fulfillment theology, not law-keeping.

Objective atonement 2,000 years ago vs. subjective appropriation at conversion

Argument: Paul's conversion is inexplicable if Jesus were fictional — he was in Jerusalem at the same time as the crucifixion

John 7 records Jesus's brothers not believing in him during his ministry, then Acts records them as believers after resurrection — this disbelief/conversion arc supports biological relationship

Did Paul hallucinate seeing Jesus? Hallucinations are private, not group experiences — Paul's companions also saw the light and heard the voice (Acts 9)

Summary: Paul taught physical/bodily resurrection; hallucination theory fails; Paul was not grieving Jesus's death — he was glad Jesus was dead before his conversion

Acts 16:31-34: Philippian jailer's household — all heard the word, believed, and rejoiced, excluding passive infants

Q&A: False conversion followed by genuine salvation — should the person be re-baptized?

This view is not fideism; the Spirit's internal witness is genuine evidence, and the Spirit converts — not arguments

Mike declines to share his full personal testimony out of love for family members whose failures would be exposed publicly

Polygamy is a real but sin-laden marriage; the moral complexity for a polygamist who converts precludes a simple answer

Baptism: no required level of knowledge — New Testament pattern is immediate baptism upon faith

All believers are indwelt by the Spirit at salvation, but degrees of Spirit-filling differ among believers

Acts 16:31 does not teach household salvation -- the household's rejoicing proves they individually believed

Some people abandon faith over UFO sightings because they do not consider alternative explanations like demonic activity; alien existence is not a defeater for Christianity.

Advice to a former JW: Do not transfer the JW 'true church' mentality to a new denomination — move from following an institutional governing body to following Christ, and seek genuine (not perfect) Christians.

Real-life example: a wife's Christ-like conduct broke through her angry husband's defenses and led to his conversion

Paul's conversion is credible because it was Apostolically ratified and his gospel was identical to the Twelve's — Joseph Smith fails both tests

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.

How to find God: Christianity's goal is not emotional comfort but truth and relationship; reading and praying without trusting Christ is insufficient.

God's posture toward the backslidden is always welcoming return — the prodigal son parable and Jeremiah's call to Israel demonstrate this.

Tips for an atheist starting to believe: gather intellectual reasons for God, practice spiritual disciplines, and make choices that shape belief.

Alternative to the Sinner's Prayer for leading someone to salvation

Mike gathered Twitter responses from people who switched from pro-choice to pro-life, asking what changed their minds. He presents 8 specific stories.

Reason 1 (Sherry): Her 8-week ultrasound. She didn't see a clump of cells — she saw her child. "My choice was to keep her alive or kill her." Ultrasound compilation shows parents instinctively calling the image "he" or "she," never "the fetus."

Q&A: Luke 14:33 ("renounce all you have") and Luke 12:33 ("sell your possessions") are hyperbolic expressions of total dedication to Jesus, not literal commands for universal poverty. Lydia continued her business after conversion and used profits to support missionaries.

Deconstruction vs. Deconversion: Is deconstruction just another term for deconversion? Why can't we deconstruct deconstructionism?

Is Fear of Hell a Valid Motivator?: Would a death bed conversion work if the main driving factor is the fear of Hell rather than choosing to trust God?

Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?: Are there any good rules of thumb for atheists attending a church service for the purposes of learning? Assuming they have no intention of conversion, is this considered rude or invasive?

About Saul’s Motives: Was Saul's hostility toward the Jewish Christians based on his biblical beliefs, or was he really on a mission to achieve status considering his age prior to conversion and extreme actions?

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