Search — Theology Explorer

tithing New Testament ethics Mosaic Law applicability

Jesus mentions tithing twice but always speaking to Jews under the law; this cannot be extended to Gentile Christians

Surveying New Testament evidence for tithing

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

violence Old Testament ethics self-defense

Christians have a biblical duty to protect others — pacifism taken to its logical extreme is evil

Question from Spazzy Jazzy about the extent to which Christians should protect and retaliate against abuse

Acts 2:42 1 Timothy 5:18 Luke 8:3 Paul Acts 2:42 1 Timothy 5:18

Paying a discipler is wrong; a paywall on discipleship disqualifies the discipler

Question from Blake about someone offering to disciple him for payment

Sinning in dreams: only requires repentance if you yielded your will to it in the dream; involuntary dream content is not sin

Question from Christian Liang about whether to repent for sins committed in dreams

repentance sin dreams

Galatians 5:23 John 18:6 Anaheim Vineyard self-control charismatic gifts

"Slain in the Spirit" is not taught in the Bible and is inconsistent with the Spirit's fruit of self-control

Question from Steph T about whether being slain in the Spirit is biblical and how to distinguish it from demonic possession

Romans 14 Romans 14 faith and works Christian liberty

Romans 14: do not violate your conscience — if you cannot do something in faith before God, do not do it, even if it may be permissible

Question from Only in Antarctica about whether a Christian can work in the cannabis sector

Acts 2 Acts 2 prophecy discernment

Vague YouTube prophecy channels are the perfect environment for false prophets; real prophecy requires verifiable fulfillment

Question from Crystal about many people prophesying and whether the Spirit is being poured out

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

1 Corinthians 6:18 sexual immorality body as temple fornication

Sexual sin is uniquely grave — it is a sin against one's own body in a way other sins are not

Expounding on 1 Corinthians 6:18 within the broader passage study

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 1:23 Paul soul sleep intermediate state

Philippians 1:23 — "my desire is to depart and be with Christ" refutes soul sleep

Exegesis of Philippians 1:23 as the strongest argument against soul sleep

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

Philippians 1 Roman Catholicism eisegesis intermediate state

Roman Catholic purgatory interpretation uses Paul as an exception case rather than normative

Addressing the Roman Catholic counter-reading of Philippians 1

holiness Christian humor reverence for God

Memes about Jesus and Christian humor — the danger of making light of holy things

Question about pages like "Memes for Jesus" and joking about Bible stories

Exodus Moses typology Exodus

Moses going up and down Sinai — theological meaning vs. comedic treatment

Illustrating the danger of humor that replaces theological depth

discernment eschatology false prophecy

Skepticism toward prophetic dreams predicting the rapture — pattern of failed predictions

Question from Brian Harper about online prophetic rapture dreams

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

Colossians Paul Colossians New Age

Colossians — New Testament prohibition against borrowing pagan or Old Covenant practices

New Testament argument against adopting New Age spiritual practices

spiritual gifts Holy Spirit discernment

Root cause of New Age adoption: absence of Holy Spirit necessitates manufactured methods

Theological diagnosis of why Christians turn to New Age practices

spiritual discernment New Age syncretism

Christian adoption of New Age practices is "a forgery of a forgery"

Conclusion of New Age syncretism argument

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

Mark Peter resurrection Gospel of Mark

Mark's Gospel shifts eyewitness sources from Peter to named women when Peter departs

How the Gospel of Mark handles Peter's absence at the crucifixion and tomb

Christian liberty Jehovah's Witnesses Christmas

Christmas and birthdays — Mike changed his mind about pagan origins of Christmas

Question from Rosie A., a recovering Jehovah's Witness, about celebrating birthdays and Christmas

Christian liberty Easter Ishtar

Easter/Ishtar connection is largely false — inflammatory but inaccurate

Continuing the holidays discussion — addressing Easter's alleged pagan origin

John 10 Christian liberty Jesus John 10

Biblical basis for celebrating holidays — God gave Israel feast days; Jesus attended Hanukkah

Positive biblical case for Christians celebrating holidays

Christian liberty Thanksgiving gratitude

Thanksgiving as a biblical holiday in practice though not in name

Applying the holiday criteria to Thanksgiving

Christian liberty Jehovah's Witnesses biblical interpretation

Birthdays: Jehovah's Witness argument from bad birthday examples in the Bible is fallacious

Addressing the JW teaching that birthdays are pagan/forbidden

Jesus Christmas birthdays

Jesus's birth was celebrated — the Nativity as the premier birthday celebration

Positive biblical evidence for birthday celebrations

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Complementarianism vs. chauvinism — Paul's teaching on women roles is not male chauvinism

Question from Proverbs 17:11 about family calling him demon-possessed and a chauvinist for holding Paul's teaching

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

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

catechesis baptism discipleship

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

Revelation 2 Revelation 2 church of Ephesus first love

Renewing love for God — Revelation 2 letter to Ephesus: remember, return, repeat

Question from Trippy Penguin about renewing love for God when faith feels commonplace

Matthew 6:7 Luke 18 prayer vain repetition persistent prayer

Persistent prayer vs. vain repetition — the biblical balance

Question from Lunggail Zandi about wrestling with God vs. vain repetitions in prayer

calling pastoral ministry servanthood

Serve humbly in any capacity — do not limit ministry to pastoral role; obey calling

Final advice to aspiring pastor Jared

Bethel Church discernment Bill Johnson

Feel-good phrases like "you are enough" and "Jesus came to bring a piece of heaven to earth" — ambiguous theology

Question from Ben Johnston about a pastor using feel-good slogans

Unconditional Election — Mike partly affirms, partly rejects

Second point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism Molinism TULIP

Calvinism Free Will Election

Corporate view of election and God's foreknowledge conditioned on faith

Mike's alternative to Calvinist individual unconditional election.

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.

Calvinism TULIP Free Will

All five TULIP points are ultimately one point: denial of free will

Mike summarizes his overarching critique of Calvinism.

Isaiah Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Jesus Isaiah Isaiah 53

Deutero-Isaiah / multiple authorship of Isaiah — Mike skeptical

Q from "Skeptic Reviews" about the scholarly view that Isaiah had multiple authors.

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.

Oneness Pentecostalism Marriage Trinitarianism

Trinitarian-Oneness Christian marriage — Mike counsels against it

Q from Ash Cash about whether a Trinitarian Christian should marry a Oneness Pentecostal.

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.

Judges Judges Just War Pacifism

Just War theory — Mike affirms it; pacifism in all scenarios is evil

Q from Dan Dan about whether an Armenian Christian can go to war in defense against genocide.

1 Samuel 28 Samuel Saul Jehovah's Witnesses

Immortal soul — JW/annihilationist claim that it is a Greek import, not Jewish or biblical

Q from Grace Lou 22 about a JW friend who says the Greek word for soul just means any living being and that the immortal soul concept is Greek philosophy smuggled into Christianity.