Search — Theology Explorer

Philippians 3:4-9 Paul righteousness Philippians 3:4-9

Philippians 3:4-9 — Paul counts his pre-conversion Jewish credentials as 'rubbish' compared to knowing Christ

Mike reads Philippians 3 as a direct biblical answer to Ben's argument

John 3:1-3 kingdom of God Pharisee John 3:1-3

John 3:1-3 — Jesus tells Nicodemus (a devout Pharisee) he must be 'born again'

Mike turns to Jesus's own words to a religious Jew as the direct scriptural answer

Galatians 2:15-16 Paul justification works of the law

Galatians 2:15-16 — even Jewish believers know that justification is by faith in Christ, not works of the law

Mike adds Galatians to the scriptural case

gospel Messiah substitutionary atonement

Substitutionary atonement: Jesus pays the price so believers can be born again

Mike states the positive gospel solution after showing the problem

Genesis 15:6 Romans 4:1-5 justification by faith Abraham imputed righteousness

Romans 4:1-5 — Abraham justified by faith, not works, citing Genesis 15:6

Mike uses Abraham as the foundational Old Testament example of faith-based justification

Council of Trent Vatican II inclusivism

Q&A: When did inclusivism/relativism become prevalent in the Catholic Church? Vatican II was deliberately vague

Answering viewer question from Michael Cato

Mormonism Christology soteriology

Q&A: Core doctrines vs. peripheral doctrines — spiderweb illustration; Mormonism example

Answering viewer question from Jacob Inglot about when doctrine becomes heresy

1 Corinthians 11 1 Corinthians 11 Aristotle transubstantiation

Q&A: On communion — Mike agrees it is more than a symbol but rejects transubstantiation

Answering viewer question about 1 Corinthians and dying from receiving communion wrongly

Genesis 12:3 Abraham covenant Messiah

Q&A: Were Jews chosen as an ethnic or religious group? — ethnic bloodline with a missional purpose

Answering viewer question from T. Kua

Holy Spirit fruit of the Spirit faith

Q&A: What does it mean to believe? — Faith is a choice to trust, not a blind leap

Answering viewer question about the nature of faith vs. fruit

Romans 1 Romans 1:18-32 atheism conscience Romans 1

Q&A: Can atheists be saved? — Romans 1 and the hardening process of rejecting God

Answering viewer Sarah Beauchamp's question about Barron's statement that even atheists can be saved

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Why Christians accept the bad definition: 'sloppy thinking' — illustrated by the peanut butter sandwich experiment

Mike explains how well-meaning Christians end up using imprecise language that harms their apologetic position.

faith apologetics methodology sloppy thinking

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Q&A: How to explain to non-believers that the Holy Spirit's presence is a reason for faith

Viewer question from Cam 94.

Holy Spirit personal testimony apologetics methodology

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-23

Introduction: Mike frames the livestream as an unemotional, logical case against the pro-choice position on the Roe v. Wade anniversary

Opening remarks establishing the tone and purpose of the livestream

abortion pro-choice pro-life

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

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).

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

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Paul's legitimacy as an apostle — Mike answers a claim that Paul was not a true Jew and therefore untrustworthy

Q&A: a viewer's sister and brother-in-law argue that Paul was not a true Jew and deceived his audience; they use this to reject his letters.

Acts 13 Paul Peter Paul rejection

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

YouTube content moderation process requires two human reviewers

Mike explains the appeal process and the supposed two-reviewer requirement for content removal.

YouTube content moderation content strike appeal

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

Open theological questions Mike personally still has

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

Revelation eschatology Revelation once saved always saved

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

Luke 2:52 kenosis omnipotence omniscience

Luke 2:52 — Jesus grew in wisdom, demonstrating genuine human limitations on omniscience

Continuing answer on Mark 13:32 and Jesus's limited knowledge

Islam Jehovah's Witnesses Trinity

Defending the Trinity against Jehovah's Witnesses: Mike's teaching video addresses their specific objections

Viewer asking for Bible verses to defend Trinity against JW challenges

Genesis Psalm 6 hermeneutics Genesis genre

Literal vs. plain-sense biblical interpretation: read as intended, not mechanically literal

Viewer asking how literally to read the Bible, especially Genesis and Old Testament

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

Introduction: purpose of the stream and why the historicity of the Gospels matters

Mike opens the Tuesday livestream and frames the day's topic as important for faith retention.

Christian apologetics Gospel historicity reasons people leave the faith

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

Q&A: How did the Gospel writers know about private conversations (Jesus and Pilate)?

Q&A on the epistemological question of how private Gospel scenes were recorded.

Pontius Pilate eyewitness testimony Gospel historicity

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

Q&A: How did the disciples know what Jesus prayed in Gethsemane if he prayed alone?

Q&A on the epistemological basis for the Gethsemane prayer account.

Luke 22:41 Matthew 26:39 eyewitness testimony Holy Spirit inspiration private scenes in Gospels

John 14:9 Trinity John 14:9 Jesus and the Father

Question: Did Jesus claim to be the Father in John 14:9?

Jacob Seiler asks why Jesus said he was the Father in John 14:9.

John 14:9 Revelation vs. Identity distinction Trinity Philip John 14:9

John 14:9 context: Philip asks to see the Father; Jesus responds with a revelation claim, not an identity claim.

Mike walks through the narrative context of John 14, noting the Last Supper setting and Philip's request.

Hebrews 1:1-3 Trinity Hebrews 1:1-3 Radiance of God

Hebrews 1 supports the distinction: Jesus is the radiance/imprint of God, not God the Father himself.

Mike cross-references Hebrews 1 to reinforce that seeing Jesus reveals the Father without Jesus being the Father.

John 14:10 John 14:13 Trinity John 14:10 John 14:13

John 14:10 reinforces Trinitarian distinction: Jesus is "in" the Father, not identical to the Father.

Continuing the John 14 exposition.

1 Peter 1 Peter False prophets Prosperity gospel

Prosperity preachers and false prophecy: prophets whose utterances focus on wealth and success are false prophets.

Question from "First Last" about whether God wants believers to be wealthy and whether to trust wealth-focused prophets.

1 John 2:16 Prosperity gospel Lust of the eyes Lust of the flesh

Prosperity gospel critique: misappropriates OT promises to Israel, ignores Jesus's teachings on suffering and cross-bearing.

Continuing the prosperity gospel discussion.

Matthew 6 Matthew 6 Seek first the kingdom Wealth and Christianity

Distinction between being wealthy and pursuing wealth; Matthew 6 "seek first the kingdom" as the proper framework.

Wrapping up the prosperity gospel question.

Revelation 3:19 metanoia Repentance Revelation 3:19

Question: Does "repent" (metanoia) mean godly grief/sorrow?

Christopher White asks about a video by Creation Liberty Evangelism claiming metanoia means godly grief and sorrow.

King James Version Bible study methodology Strong's Concordance

Strong's Concordance is not a thorough Greek resource; Bible software lexicons provide better word definitions.

Mike explains methodology for Greek word study.

2 Corinthians 7 metanoia 2 Corinthians 7 Repentance

Metanoia definition: a complete change of thought, attitude, and behavior regarding sin and righteousness — not inherently grief.

Reading the lexical definition from Bible software.

Luke 3:8 Acts 26:20 Hebrews 6:1 metanoia Repentance Luke 3:8

Metanoia encompasses both attitudinal and behavioral change; Luke 3:8 and Acts 26:20 illustrate the distinction.

Further nuance on the meaning of repentance.

Contextual reading Bible study methodology Hermeneutics

Bible study tip: spend more time reading the text itself before turning to commentaries.

Joey Fisher asks for study tips for going deeper in the Bible.

Bible study methodology Commentaries Critical thinking in theology

How to use commentaries well: seek their reasoning, not their conclusions; read multiple commentaries.

Continuing Bible study methodology advice.

Blue Letter Bible Bible study resources

Blue Letter Bible (blueletterbible.org) recommended as a free online resource for Bible study.

Practical resource recommendation in the study tips section.

Matthew 27 Apologetics Matthew 27 Saints resurrected at crucifixion

Matthew 27: saints raised from the dead at Jesus's death — why do only Matthew mention it?

Insects Are Cool (an atheist regular on the channel) asks why only Matthew mentions the resurrection of saints in Matthew 27.

Apologetics Gospel reliability Argument from silence

Argument from silence is a poor historical method: uniqueness to one Gospel does not discredit the account.

Responding to the implicit skeptical argument behind the Matthew 27 question.

Kent Hovind BioLogos Young earth creationism

Hovind vs. Falk (BioLogos) debate moderated by Mike: the debaters talked past each other on different topics.

Justin Barnes asks Mike about the debate he moderated between Kent Hovind and a BioLogos evolutionist.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Sexual immorality 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Homosexuality

1 Corinthians 6:9 lists sins (including homosexual practice) that preclude inheriting the kingdom; false teaching on these sins subverts the gospel.

Leanne Waters asks whether those who teach homosexual relations are okay are rejecting the true Jesus and true gospel.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Greek lexicology Homosexuality arsenokoitai

Greek terms in 1 Corinthians 6:9 absolutely refer to homosexuality; attempts to claim otherwise are propaganda.

Addressing revisionist interpretations of 1 Corinthians 6:9.

1 Corinthians 6:9 1 Corinthians 6:9 Easy believism Gospel

Easy believism: allowing people to remain in lifestyle sin while claiming salvation is a false gospel.

Mike argues that teaching sexual sins are acceptable amounts to leading people to hell.

Exodus Apologetics Exodus Archaeology and the Bible

Secular and archaeological evidence for the Exodus exists but Mike cannot present it in detail; early vs. late dating debate.

Patrick Mosher asks if there is secular historical or archaeological evidence for the Exodus.

Biblical inspiration Biblical epistemology Apologetics methodology

Proper epistemology for trusting Scripture: demonstrate Bible is from God, then trust it — rather than requiring external proof for every claim.

Mike's methodological note on the Exodus question.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 1 Timothy 2:8-10 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Modesty 1 Timothy 2:8-10

1 Timothy 2:11-15 context: instructions to men (avoid anger/quarreling in prayer) and women (modesty, inner vs. outer beauty).

Lady D asks about 1 Timothy 2:11-15 regarding women being silent and not having authority.

1 Timothy 2:11-12 1 Timothy 2:11-12 Women in ministry Teaching elder role

1 Timothy 2:11-12 — women learning quietly with submission refers to the teaching context, not a prohibition on speaking at all.

Exegeting 1 Timothy 2:11-12.