Search — Theology Explorer

consistency argument abortion SLED acronym

Overpopulation argument fails — if it justifies killing the unborn, it justifies killing anyone

Q&A — claim that overpopulation justifies abortion

1 John Leviticus 1 John typology biblical interpretation

Brief digression — 'the sin that leads to death' in 1 John and Leviticus typology are likely unrelated

Q&A — off-topic question about 1 John's 'sin that leads to death' and Leviticus typology

pro-life mother's life exception abortion definition

High-risk pregnancy (lupus) scenario — saving the mother is a pro-life position, not abortion by definition

Q&A — question about a mother with lupus whose life is endangered by pregnancy

repentance cultural engagement Christian ethics

Abortion and slavery — both involve culturally hardened consciences that must be awakened; the church must keep speaking

Closing remarks comparing the cultural blindness around abortion to historical blindness around slavery

repentance Christian ethics gospel

Call to repentance for those who have had or supported abortions — women were often deceived by dishonest medical language; the gospel offers forgiveness

Closing pastoral appeal

abortion human rights right to life

The right to life supersedes bodily autonomy — the most fundamental human right

Closing argument summarizing the rights-based case against abortion

Hebrew Roots Movement Law of Moses Torah

Introduction: Hebrew Roots Movement defined as mostly Gentile believers who think they should obey the Law of Moses

Opening of the video; Mike explains he surveyed his audience for topic requests and this won the most votes.

Torah observance Hebrew Roots Movement Salvation by works

Hebrew Roots Movement is not monolithic — four distinct subgroups identified along a spectrum from optional Torah-keeping to rejecting Jesus entirely

Mike breaks down the internal diversity within the movement to caution against a single label.

Leviticus Leviticus Law of Moses Gentile believers

Mike's positive disclaimer: he loves the Old Testament law and is not attacking it — the debate is about application, not truthfulness

Before making his critique, Mike establishes his high view of the OT law to clarify that his disagreement is about how and to whom the law applies, not whether it is true.

Hebrew Roots Movement 119 Ministries Pauline Paradox

119 Ministries' Pauline Paradox series analyzed; its pre-Pauline argumentation is the real persuasive engine

Mike explains his analytical approach: the movement's rhetoric and philosophy before getting to Paul is what actually hooks people.

Hebrew Roots Movement 119 Ministries Rhetorical manipulation

119 Ministries opens by appealing to an "unsettling feeling" — Mike critiques this as emotional manipulation, not theological argument

Mike plays and critiques the opening rhetorical move of 119 Ministries' video, which begins by affirming that many Christians feel something is missing.

Genesis 22 Abraham Genesis 22 Law of Moses

119 Ministries misrepresents mainstream Christianity as teaching the Old Testament is "no longer true" — Mike corrects this as a straw man

Mike plays and analyzes a 119 Ministries clip that characterizes traditional Christianity as teaching the Old Testament is no longer true.

Paul rejection 119 Ministries Rhetorical manipulation

119 Ministries asks "can truth become not-truth?" — Mike identifies this as a misleading question that conflates truthfulness with universal applicability

Mike quotes and critiques a rhetorical question 119 Ministries poses to destabilize the traditional Christian position.

John 1 Hebrews 13:8 Law of Moses 119 Ministries Logos

119 Ministries' core philosophical claim: Jesus is the Word, therefore Jesus is the Bible, therefore obeying Jesus means obeying OT law — Mike calls this irrational

Mike introduces the central pre-Pauline argument of 119 Ministries: equating Jesus (the Logos) with the written Bible.

Hebrews 13:8 Genesis 12 Abraham 119 Ministries Old Testament application

119 Ministries uses Hebrews to argue Jesus does not change, therefore the Bible does not change, therefore you must obey OT law — Mike dissects this logical chain

Mike traces the logical steps of 119 Ministries from the immutability of Christ to the conclusion that Torah-observance is mandatory.

Torah Paul rejection 119 Ministries

119 Ministries: "you cannot choose which parts of the Messiah you like" — Mike critiques this as circular reasoning that makes Torah-rejection equivalent to rejecting Jesus

Mike plays a clip where 119 Ministries equates partial Torah-rejection with rejecting part of the Messiah himself.

1 John 2:3-10 1 John 3:23-24 John 15 Law of Moses 1 John 2:3-10 1 John 3:23-24

Reading 1 John in context: the commandment John has in view is love and faith in Jesus Christ, not the Mosaic law

Mike does a sustained contextual reading of 1 John 2 and 3 to determine what John meant by "commandments."

Torah observance Hebrew Roots Movement Paul rejection

The Hebrew Roots Movement tends to involve a progressive radicalization through increasingly extreme positions

Mike describes what he observes as a typical trajectory for people who enter the Hebrew Roots Movement.

1 John 2 Torah observance Salvation by works Apostasy

119 Ministries contradicts itself: early they say Torah-keeping is not required for salvation; later they imply it is, calling non-observance "denying the faith"

Mike plays two clips from 119 Ministries showing an internal contradiction between their opening disclaimer and their later conclusion.

Torah observance Gentile believers Sola fide

Torah-observant Christians who hold sola fide — Mike's gracious but firm assessment

Q&A question: what about Torah-observant believers who genuinely hold that salvation is by grace through faith alone?

1 Corinthians 7 Paul 1 Corinthians 7 Torah observance

Jewish believers and Torah: Paul's principle "let him who is circumcised not seek to be uncircumcised" — Mike gives leeway to Jewish Christians observing Torah

Mike distinguishes between Jewish and Gentile believers in his pastoral response to Torah-observance.

1 Corinthians 3 Revelation 22:12-14 1 Corinthians 3 Revelation 22:12-14 Heavenly rewards

Revelation 22:12 — "repaying each one for what he has done" does not teach levels of heaven or works-based salvation

Q&A: questioner asks whether Revelation 22:12 implies different levels or places in heaven based on works.

Bible translation recommendation: Mike favors ESV and NASB, and advises reading multiple translations when a passage turns on a single word

Q&A: questioner asks which Bible translation Mike recommends, especially given the Hebrew/Greek issues discussed.

ESV NASB NKJV

Galatians 6:2 John 15:12 Greg Koukl Love command Context in interpretation

Galatians 6:2 — "the law of Christ" means bearing one another's burdens, which Mike identifies with love

Q&A: questioner asks about "the law of Christ" in Galatians 6:2.

Galatians 6 Tithing Giving (NT) Galatians 6

Tithing is not required for NT believers, but giving is — Mike outlines NT giving principles

Q&A: questioner asks whether tithing applies to NT believers.

Torah observance Hebrew Roots Movement Jewish ancestry claim

Hebrew Roots claim that most believers secretly have Jewish ancestry — Mike dismisses this as convenient and self-serving

Q&A: questioner relays that her Hebrew Roots friends claim most people have Jewish ancestry they are unaware of, which is why the law applies to them.

Romans (series) Kingdom of God Dispensationalism Replacement theology

Dispensationalism: Mike rejects the label but holds a modified view — national Israel has a distinct future in God's plan; he rejects full replacement theology

Q&A: questioner asks about dispensationalism and kingdom of heaven vs. kingdom of God.

Leviticus 24:22 Zechariah 14:16 Leviticus 24:22 Zechariah 14:16 Sojourner

Leviticus 24:22 — "same rule for sojourner and native" does not require Gentile Torah-observance; it is case law about judicial fairness in civil punishments

Q&A: questioner asks about Leviticus 24:22 and Zechariah 14:16 as texts allegedly requiring Gentiles to keep OT law.

Hebrews 11 John 5 John 6:53-63 Abraham Hebrews 11 John 5

John 6:53 — "eat my flesh and drink my blood" is symbolic, not a basis for the Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist

Q&A: an ex-Catholic questioner asks whether John 6:53 has legitimate Hebrew roots or is scripture-twisting in support of the Eucharist.

John 1:1 Revelation of God Logos Jesus as the Word Pre-existence of Christ

John 1 Logos — what it means for Jesus to be the Word: Jesus is God's self-revelation, not the Bible itself

Q&A: questioner asks Mike to elaborate biblically on what it means for Jesus to be the Word.

Colossians Colossians 2:16-17 Colossians Colossians 2:16-17 Gentile believers

Colossians recommended as a direct scriptural answer to questions about Sabbath and the fourth commandment for Gentiles

Q&A: questioner asks how Gentiles grafted into the vine should handle the fourth commandment (Sabbath).

YouTube reinstatement content moderation error

YouTube tweet acknowledging mistaken removal

Mike reads the official Team YouTube tweet confirming the video was mistakenly removed.

secondary issues false teaching gospel

Heresy accusations between Christians: two extremes to avoid

Q&A question about how to handle accusations of heresy between Christian brothers.

1 Corinthians 13 prophecy word of knowledge 1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13 "the perfect" does not refer to the completed canon — cessationism refuted

Q&A question about whether 1 Corinthians 13 latter half refers to the completed canon of Scripture.

Romans 8 Revelation 2 Peter Romans 8 sons of God eschatology

Book of Revelation and the new heavens and new earth

Q&A question about what Revelation says about the new heaven and earth.

false teaching heresy Rob Bell

When should a pastor call out another pastor as a heretic?

Q&A on the pastoral responsibility to call out heretical teaching from other pastors.

1 Corinthians 7 calling 1 Corinthians 7 marriage

1 Corinthians 7: Singleness is better than marriage for kingdom service

Q&A on Christian celibacy and the Catholic Church sex scandal involving nuns.

worship vain worship non-believers in ministry

Non-believers in a worship band constitute vain worship

Q&A on whether it is okay for a non-believer to sing or play in a worship band.

Revelation eschatology Revelation once saved always saved

Open theological questions Mike personally still has

Q&A asking what theological questions Mike still has unanswered.

New Testament generational curses deliverance ministry

Generational curses: Mike does not believe in them as commonly taught

Q&A on whether generational curses are biblical.

Mark unforgivable sin rejection of Christ blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit: not accidentally saying a wrong phrase

Q&A on the meaning of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

apologetics fulfilled prophecy divine inspiration of Scripture

Fulfilled prophecy as evidence for God

Q&A asking for apologetic reasons to believe in God.

apologetics monotheism cosmological argument

Kalam Cosmological Argument for God's existence

Mike presents the Kalam Cosmological Argument as a fourth reason to believe in God.

typology seven feasts of Israel Christ as fulfillment of OT feasts

Upcoming video: The seven feasts of Israel as types of Christ

Mike previews his next scheduled video content.

Mark 13:32 second coming Trinity Mark 13:32

Mark 13:32 — Jesus not knowing the hour does not threaten his deity

Viewer question about the Trinity and whether Jesus' limited knowledge in Mark 13:32 undermines his divinity

Job Job suffering and theodicy Elihu

Job's friends argued he deserved his suffering; God rebuked them at the end

Viewer asking for help understanding Job's friends in the book of Job

Islam resurrection apologetics

Why Christianity and not other religions: incompatible truth claims require choosing

Viewer asking how to respond to someone asking why they should believe Christianity and not another religion

Romans 6 discipleship obedience salvation

Baptism is required for obedience but not for salvation

Viewer recently baptized asking whether baptism is essential to becoming a disciple

Daniel 11 Jehovah's Witnesses Daniel 11 fulfilled prophecy

JW interpretation of Daniel 11 king of the north as Russia is old Cold War theology they borrowed

Viewer asking about JW teaching that the king of the north in Daniel 11 represents Russia