Search — Theology Explorer

Genesis 6:3 Holy Spirit Calvinism TULIP

Total Depravity defined as "total inability" — Mike rejects it

First point of TULIP addressed in detail.

Hebrews 6 Hebrews 10 Hebrews 4 Calvinism Apostasy Hebrews 6

Perseverance of the Saints — Mike is unresolved, not firmly opposed

Fifth and final point of TULIP addressed.

Proverbs Genesis 24 Proverbs Marriage The One

God as matchmaker — Mike rejects "the one" theology applied universally

Q from Haruhi Anderson about the doctrine that God has one divinely chosen spouse for every Christian.

Proverbs 18:22 Marriage Guidance Proverbs 18:22

Proverbs: "He who finds a wife finds a good thing" — find a good one, not the one

Mike applies Proverbs to marriage decision-making.

Evangelism Holiness Family Relationships

Living with non-Christian parents who swear, drink, and watch vulgar content

Q from Soul about navigating holiness when living with ungodly parents.

Satan Imago Dei Free Will

Angels and free will — Mike's view that angels had a one-time choice that became fixed

Q from Brent Smith about what separates humans from angels and whether angels can fall.

Mark 16:15 Evangelism Mark 16:15 Great Commission

"My faith is personal" — Mike says this is unbiblical and reflects spiritual deception

Q from Proverbs 17:11 about Christians who refuse to discuss religion because it is personal.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 62:8 Proverbs 3:5-6 Faith Guidance

Favorite Bible verses for daily courage — Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 62:8

Q from Eighth Day Adventist about Mike's favorite Bible verse for daily encouragement.

1 Corinthians 10:13 Romans 13:14 1 Corinthians 10:13 Spiritual Warfare Pornography

Fighting pornography addiction — battle is lost before you even feel overwhelmed

Q from Nathan P about why prayer seems ineffective against porn addiction.

Colossians Romans 14 Acts Colossians Romans 14 Mosaic Law

Old Testament dietary laws — not binding on Christians; Isaiah 66 and Ezekiel future prophecy not a present command

Q from Ashley Koenig about whether Christians must follow OT dietary laws, citing Isaiah 66:16-17.

John 1:1 Trinity Martin Luther John 1:1

Martin Luther quote: lack of article is against Sabellianism; word order is against Arianism

Mike continues citing Wallace who himself references Luther's summary of John 1:1's grammar.

John 1:1 John 1:18 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation Deity of Christ

John 1:18 further exposes JW inconsistency — theos without article used twice but not rendered "a god"

Mike shows a second example from John 1 that undermines the JW argument.

Matthew 24:34 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:34 eschatology Matthew 24

Matthew 24:34 — "this generation" does not mean the generation hearing Jesus speak; it refers to those who witness specific end-time events

Question from Jason Stob about the meaning of Matthew 24:34.

Matthew 24:32-33 eschatology fig tree parable Israel

The fig tree parable: its lesson is about the Abomination of Desolation as the trigger sign, not Israel's re-founding

Mike addresses the common identification of the fig tree with Israel in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24 hermeneutics secondary issues eschatology

Eschatology is a secondary issue — Christians should not divide over it

Mike closes his Matthew 24 exposition with an appeal for unity.

Matthew 13 Luke 8 parable interpretation Matthew 13 Parable of the Sower

Parable of the Sower — the four soil ratios do not give a percentage of who is saved

Mike applies the principle about not literalizing parable ratios to the Parable of the Sower.

Numbers 5:27 Numbers 5 NIV abortion divine judgment

Numbers 5 — the Bitter Water trial does not describe an abortion; the NIV translation is mistaken on this point

Question from Dakota Ballard about pro-choice advocates using Numbers 5:27 to support abortion.

Jeremiah 31 Matthew 5:17 Galatians 3 Jeremiah 31 New Covenant fulfillment of the law

The Old Covenant is "eternal" in the sense that Christ fulfilled it — fulfillment, not destruction, transitions to the New Covenant

Question from Jason and Alana about how the Old Covenant can be everlasting yet superseded.

Hebrews 4:16 Ephesians 1 1 John 2:1 prayer assurance of salvation righteousness of Christ

Guilt and shame before God — healthy guilt vs. unhealthy guilt that drives you away from God

Question from Lisa Kaminsky about feeling unworthy to pray or call herself a Christian when she misses daily Bible reading and prayer.

Proverbs Proverbs 13:24 Proverbs parenting corporal punishment

Proverbs 13:24 — the rod is literal corporal punishment; wisdom literature genre does not dissolve literal content

Question from Bethany Ferguson about whether "the rod" is physical punishment or a metaphor for accountability.

Isaiah 6 Romans 9 Genesis 25 election Moses Abraham

God's choices of Jacob, Abraham, Moses, prophets — not favoritism but purposive grace for non-salvific roles

Question from Ryder Ness, a "struggling Calvinist," about divine favoritism in biblical election.

election Calvinism free will

Mike affirms free-will salvation against Calvinism but insists rejection of Calvinism must be theological, not emotional

Mike gives his own position on Calvinism while counseling the questioner.

Hebrews 6 Hebrews 6:4-6 Luke 8:4-15 salvation eternal security Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:4-6 — the most difficult passage in the Bible; three main interpretive options explored

Question from Delante Dingo about whether the Parable of the Sower clarifies Hebrews 6 and whether salvation is eternal.

Romans 8:15 assurance of salvation witness of the Holy Spirit Romans 8:15

Witness of the Holy Spirit is mental/spiritual awareness of sonship, not necessarily emotional feeling; love for God is primarily volitional, not emotional

Question from "JW" about not feeling the witness of the Holy Spirit or love for God despite trusting Christ.

1 Corinthians 3 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 salvation judgment 1 Corinthians 3

1 Corinthians 3 — believers are judged at the Bema for their works (gold/silver/precious stones vs. wood/hay/straw), not for salvation

Question from Emily Bain about how forgiveness of sins relates to judgment day.

Bible translation biblical accuracy The Message Bible

The Message Bible — not a legitimate translation; unfaithful to the original languages; should not be recommended

Question from Jonathan Edwards about recommending The Message Bible.

evangelism gospel proclamation social action

Evangelism through good works must be coupled with verbal proclamation of the gospel

Question from Samuel Nelson about extravagant mission trips vs. evangelizing by acting good in the world.

stewardship mission trips short-term missions

Short-term mission trips are often inefficient — local missionaries are more effective with the same funds

Mike continues on the mission trip question with personal experience and practical critique.

salvation resurrection objective truth

Salvation is grounded in objective reality, not in the power of belief itself

Conclusion of the relativism discussion.

typology Melchizedek Christophany

Mike's position: Melchizedek is a type of Christ, not an actual Christophany/theophany

Mike distinguishes between a type (literary/theological correspondence) and a theophany (actual divine appearance).

Hebrews 7:3 typology Melchizedek Christophany

Hebrews 7:3 — 'without father, without mother, without genealogy': literary vs. literal interpretation

The key debated phrase in the Melchizedek/Christophany debate.

Trinity heresy Oneness Pentecostalism

Oneness Pentecostalism: critique of modalism and concern about authoritarian/bully theology

Question from Stephen Serrano about Oneness Pentecostalism.

1 Corinthians 7:25-40 marriage singleness 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

Is marriage a choice? 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 — singleness and marriage as two equally valid, differently good options

Question from Simeon Botha about whether marriage is God's will or a personal choice.

John 3 Calvinism born again regeneration

John 3 born-again analogy: the Calvinist 'you don't choose to be born' argument is overextended

Question from Chris Glynn about whether John 3's born-again analogy implies no human choice in regeneration.

marriage Christian ethics believer-unbeliever marriage

Attending a believer/unbeliever wedding: Mike would likely attend while opposing the union beforehand

Question from Brian Park about attending such a wedding.

Joel Osteen gospel prosperity gospel repentance

Repentance-free Christianity: omission of sin, judgment, and hell produces a distorted gospel

Question from Chip Lutec about self-improvement replacing holiness in modern Christianity.

Isaiah 53:10 crucifixion atonement Sodom and Gomorrah

Penal substitutionary atonement: two valid senses of God's wrath on the cross — displeasure toward sin; outward punishment of sin

Question from Zoe Abundant about whether Jesus experienced God's wrath and what that means.

John 19:30 1 Peter 3:18-20 atonement descent into hell it is finished

'It is finished' — full payment was complete at the moment of death; descent to spirits in prison was proclamation, not suffering

Follow-up on the atonement question about whether Jesus experienced the equivalent of hell.

crucifixion atonement shame

Shame and guilt on the cross: Jesus experienced the full weight of all human guilt — an underappreciated dimension of atonement

Mike adds to the physical and death dimensions of what Jesus suffered.

Matthew 8 Mark 5 inerrancy Matthew 8 Mark 5

Matthew 8 two demoniacs vs. Mark 5 one demoniac: narrative selectivity, not contradiction

Question from CM (from Germany) about the apparent discrepancy between Matthew 8 and Mark 5.

Romans 12:18 Romans 12:18 conflict resolution peacemaking

Living peaceably with a difficult family member: Romans 12:18 — 'as much as it depends on you'

Question from Josiah about conflict with a family member at home.

Romans 14:4 Islam apologetics methodology David Wood

David Wood's apologetics style: Mike declines blanket condemnation, invokes 'who are you to judge another man's servant'

Question from Dimitar Bratov about David Wood's confrontational approach to Islamic apologetics.

charismatic gifts slain in the Spirit Pentecostalism

Personal testimony: Mike faked being slain in the Spirit at a hyper-Pentecostal church due to peer pressure as a teenager

Mike's personal experience with being slain in the Spirit.

Acts Acts persecution bold witness

Book of Acts as counter-example to private faith: the apostles were imprisoned and beaten rather than stop speaking about Jesus

Closing reinforcement of the bold witness argument.

Matthew 18 Brian Simmons Matthew 18 Bill Johnson

Matthew 18 is widely misused on the internet to silence discernment of public teachers

Mike introduces the recurring question about whether he has the right to critique public teachers like Bill Johnson, Todd White, Brian Zond, and Brian Simmons

Matthew 18:15-17 hermeneutics church discipline Matthew 18:15-17

Matthew 18:15-17 is about personal sin resolution, not evaluation of public teaching

Mike reads Matthew 18:15-17 and explains its actual contextual meaning

Acts Mark 16:17-18 signs and wonders speaking in tongues Acts

If Mark 16:17-18 is original, signs accompanying believers does not mean every believer at all times

Mike gives a conditional interpretation of Mark 16:17-18 assuming its authenticity