Search — Theology Explorer

1 Corinthians 13:8-12 cessationism canon of Scripture to teleion

Cessationist Interpretation 2 (Masters Seminary): prophecy and knowledge = inscripturated revelation; massive time gap between vv. 11 and 12; "the perfect" = the church brought to maturity by the Bible.

Summary of the three key concepts in the Masters Seminary article that underpin its cessationist reading of 1 Cor 13.

Acts 21:9 Acts 11 Acts 21:9 cessationism prophecy

Rebuttal: the inscripturation claim for prophecy and knowledge is unsubstantiated; New Testament prophets generally did not produce Scripture.

First major exegetical objection to the Masters Seminary argument. Winger demonstrates that NT prophets were not primarily Scripture-writers.

1 Corinthians 13:8 spiritual gifts prophecy word of knowledge

Verse-by-verse: v. 8 — love never ends; three gifts (prophecy, knowledge, tongues) will pass away; the context is clearly the spiritual gifts of 1 Cor 12-14.

Winger begins his own positive verse-by-verse treatment of 1 Cor 13:8-13.

1 Corinthians 13:9-10 apostolic authority prophecy inscripturation

Verse-by-verse: vv. 9-10 — Paul includes himself in "we know in part," undermining the inscripturation reading; even apostolic knowledge is partial, not completable by writing.

Key exegetical point: the first-person plural "we" in v. 9 includes Paul and the other apostles, not just ordinary charismatics.

1 Corinthians 13:12 1 John 3:2 1 Corinthians 8:3 eschatology glorification face to face with God

Verse-by-verse: v. 12 — "face to face" and "know fully even as I am fully known" point to the eschatological vision of God, not completion of Scripture; confirmed by 1 John 3:2 and 1 Cor 8:3.

Winger's positive exegesis of v. 12, identifying "the perfect" with the second coming/resurrection state. He cross-references 1 John 3:2 and 1 Cor 8:3.

apostolic office cessationism continuationism

Winger's own position: open but not normative — he agrees with cessationists on apostleship and a likely reduction of healing gifts, but rejects full cessationism.

Having refuted the cessationist use of 1 Cor 13, Winger clarifies his own nuanced view to avoid being read as a rampant charismatic.

Matthew 18 Matthew 18 Bethel Church Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry

Critique of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry: prophetic activation exercises using Uno cards reduce prophecy to social engineering and fabrication.

Winger pivots to critique hyper-charismatic practice, using Bethel's published school curriculum as a concrete example.

Bethel Church false prophecy discernment

Teresa Dedmon / Bethel: selling art as a vehicle for "spiritual impartation" and prophetic clothing that enhances God's presence is false teaching and commercial exploitation.

Second specific example from Bethel: the creative arts director's website claims her paintings and clothing impart heaven's presence.

continuationism spiritual gifts prophecy

Personal testimony: Winger reports a small number of personal experiences he believes were genuine prophetic insights that subsequently proved true.

Winger offers experiential (not dogmatic) support for remaining open to the gifts.

continuationism church order spiritual gifts

Winger's church practice: open to Spirit-prompted words but does not structure services around spiritual gifts; anti-normative posture.

Q&A response about how gifts function in his church.

Romans 8 Romans 8 spiritual gifts tongues

Can a person speak in tongues without having the gift of tongues? Possibly — but Romans 8 groaning is distinct: it is heart-pouring to God, not a spiritual gift requiring impartation.

Q&A — question about whether tongues-speaking requires the specific gift.

cessationism continuationism church history

Historical question: sign gifts did not begin at Azusa Street; early church fathers (Justin Martyr, later Augustine) attest to prophecy and miracles continuing post-apostolically.

Q&A — viewer claims modern tongues/gifts stem from the 1906 Azusa Street revival. Winger corrects the historical record.

Isaiah 45:7 semantic range Isaiah 45:7 ra

Hebrew word ra — range of meaning includes calamity, distress, harm, not only moral evil

Mike examines the Hebrew word translated "evil" in Isaiah 45:7 using multiple lexicons

Job 2:10 moral evil ra calamity vs moral evil

Job 2:10 confirms ra as calamity: Job receiving evil = loss of children, livestock, health

Job passage used as a concrete example of ra meaning bad circumstances, not moral evil

Satan free will moral evil

Moral evil as the result of free will; natural evil as a separate category

Mike distinguishes two major categories of evil

Christian response to suffering: trust God's sovereign goodness despite not knowing the outcome

Pastoral application regarding suffering and theodicy

theodicy suffering faith

Q&A: If God gave us a wicked heart, can we blame him? — Shaking fist at God is foolish

Audience question on whether God bears responsibility for human sinfulness

salvation sin free will

Genesis Genesis free will human nature

Q&A: Were Adam and Eve created perfect? Free will is not an imperfection; sin through free will is

Audience question about the nature of Adam and Eve's creation

Proverbs Job Proverbs 16:33 Proverbs free will Job

Q&A: Proverbs 16:33 and divine sovereignty — layered sovereignty model, not hard determinism

Audience question about whether God meticulously controls all things

hermeneutics Strong's Concordance Blue Letter Bible

Q&A: How to responsibly use Hebrew and Greek resources without knowing the languages

Practical advice for laypeople on lexical Bible study

calling youth ministry Hosanna Christian Fellowship

Calling to online ministry: A strong sense of divine compulsion in 2012

Winger describes how in 2012 he experienced an unusual, intense sense that he had to do something in ministry beyond his local church.

Jehovah's Witnesses YouTube ministry divine confirmation

Early YouTube confirmation: Jehovah's Witnesses video blows up

After making several videos with minimal traction, Winger prayed for confirmation that YouTube was the right investment, and one video took off.

biblical teaching verse-by-verse teaching ministry strategy

2015 turning point: Sunday evening service and weekly video strategy

In June 2015, Winger's senior pastor offered him the freedom to teach an adult Sunday evening service, which catalyzed a new approach to his YouTube ministry.

discipleship apologetics biblical worldview

Four target audiences for BibleThinker ministry

Winger articulates the specific audiences he aims to reach through his online ministry.

BibleThinker Gary Ansdell ministry transition

December 2017: Senior pastor redirects Winger to prioritize online ministry

Pastor Gary challenged Winger with a hypothetical that forced a reckoning over ministry priorities.

marketplace of ideas evangelism Paul the Apostle online ministry

Analogy: Paul would be doing online ministry today

Winger reflects on the scale and nature of online ministry as a modern equivalent to reaching the marketplace of ideas.

discipleship youth ministry ministry transition

Burnout and shedding responsibilities: Transitioning out of youth ministry

The combination of youth pastoring, online ministry, and other church roles became physically unsustainable.

Hosanna Christian Fellowship church staff volunteer ministry

Church and staff status: Volunteer again, not fired

Winger clarifies his church relationship in response to questions and misconceptions.

BibleThinker ministry funding free content

Funding model: Donation-supported free content

Winger explains how the ministry sustains itself financially and his commitment to keeping all content free.

theodicy apologetics divine judgment

Q&A: Canaanite genocide — was it genocide, and does God have the right to kill?

Question from Texas Tech asking how to justify God commanding the killing of Canaanites, which skeptics call genocide.

Isaiah 14:12 Revelation 22:16 NIV translation Satan Isaiah 14:12

Q&A: NIV Morningstar — does the NIV call Jesus Satan?

Question about why the NIV uses "Morningstar" for both Isaiah 14:12 (apparently referring to Satan) and Revelation 22:16 (Jesus).

Psalm 22 Luke 21 eschatology preterism Psalm 22

Q&A: Luke 21 and preterism — is it fulfilled prophecy?

Question from a self-identified preterist asking why Winger does not see Luke 21 as fulfilled prophecy.

Revelation 1:4 Revelation 4:5 Revelation 5:6 Revelation 1:4 Revelation 4:5 Revelation 5:6

Q&A: Revelation 1:4 — the seven spirits before the throne

Question from a confused listener asking what the "sevenfold Spirit" in Revelation 1:4 refers to.

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Q&A: Egalitarianism vs. complementarianism — Winger's position

Question from a listener whose Biola-educated cousin introduced egalitarianism, which conflicts with what the listener has been taught.

miracles cessationism continuationism

Q&A: Why did God stop doing big signs and miracles (burning bush, parting the sea)?

Question from a listener puzzled by the apparent cessation of large-scale miracles after the Old Testament.

1 Corinthians 14:29-32 Philip's daughters testing prophecy prophecy

Q&A: Distinguishing personal prophecy from adding to Scripture (1 Corinthians 14:30)

Question about how to tell the difference between someone claiming new revelation above the Bible versus a 1 Corinthians 14-style prophecy.

repentance perseverance faithfulness

Closing exhortation: Be the tortoise, not the hare

Winger closes with a personal reflection and encouragement about long-term faithfulness.

Scripture authority unlimited atonement universal atonement

Mike's overall conviction: Scripture clearly teaches Jesus died for everyone

Before diving into objections, Mike states his position and epistemic posture.

atonement limited atonement failure of the Son

Objection 2 stated: the failure of the Son

If Jesus died for all people and some go to hell, then Jesus failed at his task.

Hebrews 7:25 limited atonement intercession Hebrews 7:25

Objection 3 stated: intercession linked to atonement

Jesus intercedes for those he died for, and all he intercedes for are saved. Therefore he did not die for all.

hell divine justice limited atonement

Objection 5 stated: double jeopardy / double payment

If Christ paid for everyone's sins, it is unjust to punish anyone further.

1 John 2:2 limited atonement kosmos 1 John 2:2

Sixth item: clear Scripture texts refuting limited atonement — especially 1 John 2:2

Mike previews the scriptural section at the end of the video, noting White directly responded to this verse.

Calvinism theological method Scripture authority

Scripture should trump philosophical reasoning; most limited atonement arguments are not exegetical

Mike's meta-level argument about the structure of Calvinist argumentation for limited atonement.

1 John 2:2 kosmos 1 John 2:2 propitiation

1 John 2:2 refutes Trinitarian harmony: Jesus is propitiation for the whole world, not just believers

Mike applies 1 John 2:2 directly against the Trinitarian harmony argument.

1 Timothy 4:10 1 Timothy 4:10 unlimited atonement extent vs. application

1 Timothy 4:10 — God is the savior of all people, especially those who believe

Mike cites 1 Tim 4:10 as another clear text against limited atonement.

2 Peter 2:1 false teachers 2 Peter 2:1 unlimited atonement

2 Peter 2:1 — false teachers "bought" by the master yet will face swift destruction

Mike uses 2 Peter 2:1 to show Christ purchased those who ultimately perish.

Trinity faith unlimited atonement

Response to Trinitarian harmony #2: the Father can have complexity in his desires — saving all who believe

Mike offers a positive alternative to the Calvinist Trinitarian harmony construct.

Ezekiel 33:11 election Ezekiel 33:11 universal salvific will

Ezekiel 33:11 — God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; desires all to turn and live

Old Testament support for God's universal salvific desire.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 hermeneutics Calvinism unlimited atonement

Calvinist interpretation of 1 Tim 2:1-6 refuted: "all kinds of people" reading fails

Mike engages and then rejects the standard Calvinist re-reading of 1 Timothy 2.