Search — Theology Explorer

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 testing prophecy discernment prophecy

Assessing modern prophecy claims: consistency in future fulfillment is the test

Response to Jody Wainwright asking about pastor Dana Coverstone and his prophetic dreams.

Trinity deity of Christ Son of God

Why the Father is typically called simply God in the NT while Jesus is called the Son: guarding against modalism

Response to Deke Liu asking why God the Father is typically just called God in the NT while Jesus is called the Son and the Spirit is called the Spirit.

James 1:13-15 Matthew 5:28 temptation sin sexual sin

Distinction between temptation and lust/sin: sin begins when the will yields to desire, not at first awareness of attraction

Response to Hot Wax 93 asking the difference between simple sexual attraction and lust.

1 Corinthians 13:10 spiritual gifts second coming cessationism

1 Corinthians 13:10 does not teach cessationism — the perfect refers to seeing Christ face to face at the second coming, not the completion of Scripture

Response to Brandy Medved asking about 1 Corinthians 13:10 and whether the perfect means the Bible, therefore ending spiritual gifts.

1 Samuel Eli 1 Samuel priestly accountability

God judged Eli both as a father and as high priest for failing to restrain his wicked sons

Response to Jackie Zaras asking whether God was angry with Eli as a father or as a priest for not restraining his sons.

discernment prosperity gospel false teaching

Strategy for confronting prosperity gospel error in friends and family: affirm first, then use bridge-building resources they cannot interrupt

Response to Robert Butcher asking how to lovingly reveal errors of the prosperity gospel to friends and family.

evangelism Islam Christian liberty

Christians may read and study the Quran for education and evangelistic purposes; avoid it only if it causes personal spiritual instability

Response to Sarah Nordberg (Denmark) who feels convicted reading the Quran for a required university religion class.

Isaiah 53:5 hermeneutics healing Word of Faith

Isaiah 53:5 interpretation — "by his stripes we are healed" in context

Question from Cindy Johanneson about Word of Faith use of Isaiah 53:5 to support divine health and the claim believers should never be sick.

Mark 9:49-50 Old Testament typology discipleship

Old Testament sacrifices seasoned with salt — salt as covenant symbol and godly character

Question from Molly Thompson about the spiritual/messianic meaning of salting OT sacrifices.

Psalm 15:4 marriage covenant contracts

Are marriage contracts biblical? — Yes, with wisdom; keeping one's word is a biblical principle

Question from Mahit (likely from India) about whether signing a pre-marriage contract is biblical.

Hebrews 4:16 Ephesians 1 sanctification hypocrisy abortion

Having had an abortion: is it hypocritical to oppose it, have children afterward, or feel unworthy?

Question from "Faded Princess" about abortion, hypocrisy, and guilt.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 apologetics miracles Catholicism

Apparitions of Mary at Fatima — three interpretive options; not sufficient to validate Catholic Marian dogmas

Question from Cody Skinner about Catholic apparitions at Fatima and messages to the shepherd children.

Psalm 22 Luke 22:44 Trinity Christology Psalm 22

Gethsemane — Jesus was not separated from the Father; "forsaken" means handed over to a terrible fate, not ontological separation of the Trinity

Question from Blake about whether Jesus was forsaken/separated from the Father in Gethsemane.

Mark 16:17-18 Acts 28 textual criticism healing prosperity gospel

Mark 16:17-18 — the signs follow believers as a community/historically, not as individual mandates for every Christian

Question from Chretienis about Mark 16:17-18 and helping people escape the prosperity gospel.

Matthew 18 church leadership Matthew 18 ecclesiology

Addressing a church drifting from Scripture — approach thoughtfully, privately first, then through proper channels

Question from Nala about a church where the Bible is not preached and the lead pastor bulldozes people.

Matthew 5:44 Luke 6:28 prayer sanctification forgiveness

How to overcome long-held bitterness — pray for the person consistently; blessing them changes your own heart

Final question from Lillian McDonald about stopping bitterness held for years.

gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation spiritual abuse

Personal testimony: as a teenager Mike was told he was not saved because he had not spoken in tongues

Opening introduction before answering the first question about tongues and salvation

1 Corinthians 12 Bethel Church Brian Simmons Bill Johnson

Critique of Bethel/Bill Johnson teaching that everyone works miracles and is a prophet

Application of the 1 Corinthians 12 argument against charismatic excess

1 Thessalonians 5:23 anthropology 1 Thessalonians 5:23 trichotomy

1 Thessalonians 5:23 — Paul mentions spirit, soul, and body as distinct aspects of the human person

Q&A from Noah Bramble about the trichotomy of human nature

Hebrews 1:1-2 dia Trinity Hebrews 1:1-2

Hebrews 1:1-2 — God created the world "through" his Son: economic Trinity and the agency of the Son in creation

Q&A from Ed Jacobson about the meaning of "through" in Hebrews 1:2

Genesis 1 John 1 Hebrews 1:1-2 Genesis 1 soteriology John 1

Symmetry of creation and salvation: both occur through the Son

Theological reflection on Hebrews 1:2 and its implications

John 1 John 1 economic Trinity creation through Christ

John 1 — the Logos made all things; parallel to Genesis 1 and Hebrews 1

Cross-reference supporting the creation-through-Son theology

1 John 4:7-16 propitiation assurance of salvation 1 John 4:7-16

1 John 4 on love and assurance: knowing and believing God's love is the foundation for freedom from fear about the afterlife

Q&A from Taste Remains about anxiety regarding the afterlife and assurance of salvation

Christian liberty Christian ethics self-control

Video game content issues: overconsumption/obsession is a separate concern from content itself

Principles for evaluating video game engagement

personal testimony speaking in tongues gifts of the Spirit

Mike's personal experience of what he believes was genuine speaking in tongues during times of hardship

Anecdotal response to a question about scientific evidence for tongues

Luke 22:36 Christian ethics Gethsemane Luke 22:36

Luke 22:36 — "sell your cloak and buy a sword": Jesus wanted the disciples armed for personal protection in Gethsemane

Q&A from Micah about the meaning of Jesus's command to buy a sword

church history apologetics Jesus

Response to the charge that the church is a bloody, evil institution: distinguish Christ from institutional church history

Q&A from Connor Robinson about the church's violent history as an apologetic challenge

James 1 Corinthians 9 James 1 Corinthians 9 Christian giving

New Testament giving priorities: the poor, the persecuted church, local ministers, and generosity as lifestyle — not limited to 10%

Constructive answer on what Christian giving should look like without a tithe mandate

Hebrews 6:4-6 eternal security apostasy Hebrews 6:4-6

Hebrews 6:4-6 is the most challenging apostasy passage in the Bible; Mike is not yet ready to give a definitive answer on it

Question from Folky about the warning in Hebrews 6:4-6 regarding those who seem to have experienced salvation but then fall away

Calvinism soteriology total depravity

Calvinism: regeneration precedes faith — the Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner first, making belief inevitable

Question from Jason Staub about whether faith from a fallen nature is "fruitful" faith, touching on the Calvinist doctrine of regeneration preceding faith

Romans 10:17 faith Calvinism soteriology

Non-Calvinist view: God initiates faith through the proclaimed word, but the individual makes the decision to believe

Mike's positive account of how faith works in a non-Calvinist framework

textual criticism inspiration of Scripture synoptic problem

Q (Quelle) is a hypothetical source document proposed in synoptic gospel studies; its existence is unproven and theologically non-threatening

Question from New Creation Coaching about the scholarly concept of "Q" and its reception among concerned Facebook users

2 Corinthians 12 Paul 2 Corinthians 12 false prophets

Near-death / heaven-visiting accounts: deep skepticism warranted; Paul's 2 Corinthians 12 model shows the right posture is silence, not book tours

Question from S.M. Hart about people selling books on visiting heaven or hell

1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14:32 1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14:32 prophecy

Paul's instructions on tongues and prophecy require self-control, proving the Spirit does not override the person's will

Continuing the argument against slain in the Spirit using 1 Corinthians 14 as evidence

Matthew 25:46 eschatology conditional immortality hell

Annihilationism fails because (1) immortality does not mean eternal existence, and (2) Jesus uses the same word "everlasting" for both heaven and hell

Question from Selenora about why annihilationism is unbiblical

theodicy Calvinism problem of evil

Calvinist theodicy: God is not guilty for decreed sin because he is perfect goodness; skeptical theism is the strongest available path for Calvinists

Question from Matt Bach about whether the Calvinist claim "God is not guilty for sin he decrees because his purposes are good" is a form of ends-justify-the-means reasoning

Acts 5:29 Romans 13 Acts 5:29 Romans 13 COVID-19

Grace Community Church COVID decision: Mike is on the fence — neither fully endorsing nor opposing their refusal to close

Question from Teonbay about Grace Community Church defying California government COVID gathering restrictions

1 Corinthians 6:12 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 sexual immorality 1 Corinthians 6:12 body as temple

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 is about sexual immorality in context, not primarily about diet/exercise/tobacco — but the moderation and mastery principles within the passage do apply broadly

Question from Grayson Fuller about whether 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 establishes a biblical basis for maintaining bodily health

Proverbs 1 Peter 4:8 Kenneth Copeland Proverbs accountability

Gossip is unnecessary information that tears people down without justification — not merely sharing personal information without permission

Final question from Woolpack about the definition of gossip

Philippians 1:19-23 Paul intermediate state Philippians 1:19-23

Philippians 1:19-23 — context of Paul in prison writing about life vs. death

Mike introduces Philippians 1 as the stronger text on immediate post-death presence with Christ

Philippians 1 Paul soul sleep intermediate state

Paul's tension between ministry and being with Christ only makes sense if death means immediate presence

Logical argument from Philippians 1 structure

millennium eschatology rapture

Mike's personal position: premillennial with a real thousand-year millennium and seven-year tribulation

Stating his personal eschatological view

Bethel Church Bill Johnson Physics of Heaven

Physics of Heaven — Bethel/Bill Johnson endorsed book promoting adoption of New Age practices

Question from April Stafford about spiritualism and New Age practices being "rescued" for Christian use

Luke Pontius Pilate eyewitness testimony Luke

Luke's technique of embedding source hints — Herod's household and Pilate's conversation with Jesus

How the Gospels account for private scenes between Jesus and officials

Galatians 3:23-24 Paul paidagogos covenant theology

Galatians 3:23 — the Law as guardian/nanny: imprisoned under law until Christ

Question from Jesse Jack about Galatians 3:23 and being confined/imprisoned by the law

Galatians 3 justification by faith atonement imputed righteousness

Freedom from the law through Christ — justified by faith, law's penalty absorbed by Jesus

Completing the Galatians 3 explanation

1 Corinthians 15 1 Corinthians 15 Jesus resurrection

Jesus appearing in the locked room — glorified body explanation from 1 Corinthians 15

Question from Connor Robinson about Jesus appearing in a locked room after the resurrection

John 16:24 Gospel of Mark Jesus as mediator intercession

John 16:24 — praying in Jesus's name: Jesus as the access point replacing the temple

Question from Danada Morin about what it means to pray in Jesus's name

prayer Jesus as mediator prayer in Jesus's name

"In Jesus's name" is not a required formula but a meaningful expression of mediation

Practical application of praying in Jesus's name