Search — Theology Explorer

Revelation Galatians 6 1 John 3:6 Revelation Galatians 6 Salvation

1 John 3:6 — "keeps on sinning" does not mean Christians reach sinlessness

Q from Nat Atheist about Christians who use 1 John 3:6 to argue for progressive sinlessness/perfectionism.

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.

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 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation

Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation renders John 1:1c as "a god" rather than "God"

Mike opens the episode by addressing the JW translation of John 1:1 before taking live questions.

John 1:1 Trinity Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation

JW theology denies the Trinity and the deity of Christ; NWT is their translation tool to support this denial

Mike explains the theological motivation behind the JW translation of John 1:1.

John 1:1 Trinity Deity of Christ theos

Dan Wallace on John 1:1: the articular construction fights Sabellianism; the anarthrous predicate fights Arianism

Mike quotes Greek scholar Dan Wallace's commentary on John 1:1.

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 Matthew 24:6-8 eschatology false prophets Matthew 24

Wars, famines, earthquakes, and pestilences in Matthew 24 are NOT signs of the Second Coming — they are warnings that the end has not yet come

Mike reads Matthew 24 in sequence to reframe how the signs are commonly misunderstood.

Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 eschatology

The one true sign in Matthew 24 is the Abomination of Desolation — referenced from Daniel 9

Mike identifies the single definitive sign Jesus gives in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24 Matthew 24:26-27 eschatology false prophets Matthew 24

During the Tribulation, false christs will appear — the real Second Coming will be unmistakably visible to all

Mike explains why Jesus warns so strongly against looking for a hidden or local return of Christ.

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 25:1-13 Holy Spirit salvation parable interpretation

Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) — a warning about authentic faith, not about percentages of saved vs. unsaved

Question from Gloria Urban about whether Matthew 25:1-13 teaches that half the church will not be saved.

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.

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.

John 6 Mark 7:27-28 Lord's Supper Eucharist John 6

Mark 7:27-28 (Syrophoenician woman and children's bread) is not connected to the Eucharist debate

Question from Caleb Lindsey about whether Mark 7:27-28 supports a spiritual (non-physical) view of the Eucharist.

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.

1 Corinthians 6:12 1 Corinthians 6:13 1 Corinthians 10:22 1 Corinthians 6:12 Christian liberty Mosaic Law

1 Corinthians 6:12 and 10:22 — "all things are lawful" is a Corinthian slogan Paul quotes and then corrects

Question from Wolpak about what Paul means by "all things are lawful" in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 10 1 Corinthians 10:22 1 Corinthians 8 Christian liberty 1 Corinthians 10 idolatry

1 Corinthians 10 — food offered to idols has different rules depending on marketplace vs. temple context and whether a pagan makes it explicit

Mike addresses the idol food question in 1 Corinthians 10 as related to the Christian liberty discussion.

1 Corinthians 16:20 hermeneutics cultural hermeneutics 1 Corinthians 16:20

1 Corinthians 16:20 — "greet one another with a holy kiss" is a culturally applied principle, not a universal command

Question from Sarah Taytano about whether the holy kiss is a binding commandment.

evangelism epistemology relativism

Question about how to evangelize a friend who denies objective truth (relativism/anti-realism)

Question from Colby Hill about a friend with relativistic epistemological views who says Christianity is true for you but not for me.

evangelism eternal destiny objective truth

Parachute/airplane illustration: beliefs do not determine outcomes — reality is independent of belief

Mike uses a vivid analogy to show relativism fails when applied to real-world consequences.

salvation resurrection objective truth

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

Conclusion of the relativism discussion.

Hebrews 7 Genesis 14 Psalms 110 Melchizedek Christophany Hebrews 7

Melchizedek question: Is Melchizedek a theophany/Christophany of Jesus, and how does Hebrews know so much about him?

Question from Christian Liang. Mike provides background on Genesis and Hebrews 7.

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.

Psalm 110:4 messianic prophecy Melchizedek Psalm 110:4

Melchizedekian priesthood continues in Christ as prophesied in Psalm 110:4

Brief mention connecting Psalm 110 to the Hebrews 7 argument about the eternal priesthood.

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.

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.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Hebrews 13:5 2 Corinthians 12:10 Christian contentment Hebrews 13:5

Christian self-improvement is valid but must be reframed biblically: strength in weakness, contentment from God's presence not wealth

Nuancing the critique of self-improvement Christianity.

lukewarm Revelation 3:14-22 lukewarm seven churches of Revelation Revelation 3:14-22

Revelation 3:14-22 — Laodicea: the lukewarm church letter read and introduced

Question from Louise about Revelation 3:16 and whether lukewarm Christians go to heaven.

lukewarm Revelation 3:16 lukewarm worldliness zeal

Lukewarm defined: a Christian who has conformed to surrounding culture — worldliness that replaced former zeal

Mike's interpretation of the hot/cold/lukewarm symbolism in Revelation 3.

lukewarm Revelation 3:16 salvation lukewarm eternal security

Whether lukewarm Christians are saved: this verse addresses corporate church impact, not individual salvation status

Mike addresses the specific salvation question from the Laodicea passage.

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.

Christology hypostatic union death of Christ

Jesus's death was a real human physical death; the divine nature did not cease to exist

Part of the atonement discussion, carefully distinguishing Christ's two natures.

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.

Bible study Blue Letter Bible new believers

Bible study tips for new believers: study Bibles and Blue Letter Bible as foundational resources

Question from Mia Joe, a new Christian of a couple months.

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.

Matthew 10:33 Luke 12:9 evangelism private faith shame of the gospel

Keeping faith private: a private relationship with God signals shame or embarrassment, not genuine privacy

Question from Dusty Matthew about a friend who says faith is a private matter.

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.

YouTube ministry YouTube Tactics with Mike Winger

Announcement: second YouTube channel 'YouTube Tactics with Mike Winger' for evangelical ministry on YouTube

Closing announcements.

Galatians 2 Paul Peter Galatians 2

Paul rebuked Peter publicly in Galatians 2 because his behavior impacted the whole community

Mike shows a biblical precedent for public confrontation of a leader

John 5:44-47 Genesis 1-11 salvation John 5:44-47 Genesis 1-11

Genesis 1-11 allegorical interpretation does not necessarily violate John 5:44-47 or deny salvation

Responding to a question from Cat Chat about whether allegorical reading of Genesis 1-11 equals rejection of Christ per John 5

salvation evolution creation debate

Francis Collins is cited as an example of a Christian who holds evolutionary creation yet is genuinely saved

Mike illustrates that believing in evolution does not automatically equal rejection of Christ

Genesis 1-11 John Walton William Lane Craig Genesis 1-11 creation debate

John Walton's temple language view and William Lane Craig's archetypal history view are named as options within Christian faith

Mike surveys distinct Christian interpretive positions on Genesis 1-11

1 Corinthians 6 1 Corinthians 6 Christian liberty addiction

1 Corinthians 6 provides key principles for evaluating bodily health choices: lawfulness, helpfulness, and avoiding bondage

Responding to a question from Grayson Fuller about biblical principles for physical health, smoking, piercings, diet, and exercise