Search — Theology Explorer

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Announcement: upcoming deep-dive study on women's roles and gender in the church

2021 ministry plans

James 1:14-15 sanctification sin temptation

Q5: Do Christians sin every second? Distinguishing temptation from sin

Response to question about frequency of sin in the Christian life

1 Corinthians 7 1 Corinthians 7 singleness free will

Gift of singleness: a choice, not only a sovereign assignment

Continuing Q9 on singleness

exclusivity of Christ New Age positive thinking

Blanket positivity thinking leads to rejection of God's judgment and Jesus' exclusivity

Continuing Q10 on positivity as moral category

Romans 9 Exodus 4-14 Calvinism free will Romans 9

God's hardening of hearts: temporary, judgment-related, not arbitrary — non-Calvinist reading

Continuing Q15 — part about those God hardens, blasphemers, and people in hell

John 3:3-8 Peter Williams Bart Ehrman Nicodemus

Q16: Bart Ehrman's claim that John 3 "born again" wordplay couldn't have occurred in Aramaic — Jesus spoke Greek

Response to viewer citing Bart Ehrman's argument about John 3 and language

Acts 6:1 Peter Williams Acts 6:1 Jesus' languages

Evidence Jesus spoke Greek: Nazareth as Roman construction site, Greek inscription found there, multilingual Galilee

Continuing Q16 on Jesus speaking Greek

Psalm 37:4 hermeneutics prosperity gospel covetousness

Psalm 37:4 is misused in Word of Faith teaching as a blank-check promise to receive material desires

Question from Lungil Zandi about how to read Psalm 37:4 without falling into a Word of Faith trap

Psalm 37 contextual interpretation eschatology prosperity gospel

Psalm 37 in context is an encouragement to the righteous who are NOT experiencing abundance, not a promise of material wealth

Contextual reading of Psalm 37 to correct the Word of Faith misuse

marriage lust pornography

Lust toward others outside marriage diminishes desire for your spouse — exclusivity of sexual attention is essential

Second issue addressed in the marriage/intimacy question — possible causes of diminished desire

Desire is nice but not required for loving action in marriage

Closing thought on the marriage/intimacy question

marriage love covenant

Philippians 3:13-14 calling Paul discouragement

The feeling of "not being there yet" in Christian growth is healthy when it motivates pressing on rather than giving up

Question from Derry Draws about how to grow spiritually when the fire feels gone

Being too submissive is a real and dangerous failure — biblical submission has limits defined by obedience to God

Question from Lacey Fix about marriage counseling — secular counselors say too-submissive equals codependent, biblical counselors say submit more and your spouse will repent

submission David Saul

1 Peter 3:1 submission 1 Peter 3:1 marriage

The claim that a wife's submission will cause her husband to repent is not biblical — each person is accountable for their own behavior

Rebuttal of a specific style of marriage counseling

1 Peter 3:1 submission Sarah Abraham

1 Peter 3:1 says a wife's godly conduct MAY win her husband — not that it WILL — preserving his moral agency

Careful reading of 1 Peter 3:1 regarding wives with unbelieving or disobedient husbands

1 Peter 3:1 1 Peter 3:1 marriage conversion

Real-life example: a wife's Christ-like conduct broke through her angry husband's defenses and led to his conversion

Illustrative story supporting 1 Peter 3:1 and the "may" interpretation

Abraham salvation universalism

Those who lived before Christ or never heard the gospel can still be saved — through faith in the true God, ultimately through Christ

Question from Telly Kaler about how people who lived before Jesus will be judged

Matthew 6:7 Matthew 6:9-13 prayer vain repetition Matthew 6:7

Jesus warns against vain repetition in prayer — praying a formula many times over can become "heaping up empty phrases"

Exposition of Matthew 6:5-13 in response to the rosary question

John 16:13 apostles Holy Spirit prophecy

John 16:13 has primary application to the apostles; broadly applying it to all Christians sets the bar for Spirit-guidance too low

Question from Rocketman Sean about the extent to which John 16:13 applies to Christians today

Romans 14:23 Romans 14:23 conscience faith

A hyper-sensitive conscience projects fear onto others and paralyzes daily life — the solution is more faith, not more scrutiny

Continuing response to the overly-scrupulous conscience question

Michael Brown Bible translation Passion Translation

Mike intends to discuss the Passion Translation with Dr. Michael Brown on Brown's program once his research is more complete

Question from Two Messianic Jews about whether Mike has reached out to Dr. Michael Brown regarding the Passion Translation

Proverbs wisdom relationships Proverbs

Walking on eggshells around an easily angered person should be motivated by wisdom, not fear

Question from Taylor Paris about dealing with someone who is easily angered

Ephesians 4:31 Matthew 7:3-5 Holy Spirit self-examination bitterness

Bitterness, clamor, and slander toward political opponents grieve the Spirit — Christians must deal with their own carnality first

Application of Ephesians 4:30-31 to the current political/cultural climate

1 Corinthians 12 Spiritual gifts 1 Corinthians 12 Holy Spirit sovereignty

Spiritual gifts cannot be taught or transferred — they are given by the Spirit as he wills

Question from Ad Chan about whether spiritual gifts can be taught.

Acts 1:9-11 Philippians 3:21 Glorified body of Christ Ascension of Christ Right hand of God

Jesus currently has a glorified human body in heaven — the localized presence of God is where Christ is embodied, worshipped by angels

Question from Agnes Magnusson about what form Jesus has in heaven.

Jeremiah Peter Williams Jeremiah Old Testament canon

The shorter Septuagint Jeremiah vs. the longer Hebrew Masoretic Jeremiah — reasons to trust the longer canonical form

Question from Leor about which version of Jeremiah is correct.

Matthew 25:14-30 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Matthew 25:14-30 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Parable of Talents

Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of Talents) and 1 Corinthians 3:12 are distinct analogies and should not be conflated

Question from Eelo Minish about whether the "bags of silver" in Matthew 25 are the same as the gold/silver/wood in 1 Corinthians 3:12.

lukewarm Revelation 3:15-17 evangelism lukewarm Laodicea

Revelation 3:15-17 -- Jesus's rebuke of Laodicea used as evangelism tool to show Jesus is not like his unfaithful followers

Mike reads Revelation 3:15-17 as a concrete example of Jesus rebuking church representatives who misrepresent him.

Exodus 7 Mark 13:22 discernment evangelism Exodus 7

False signs and wonders: miracles do not authenticate a religion; Satan has real but limited supernatural power

Question from 'spazzy jazzy' about a Japanese friend who believes a false religion because of a miraculous healing her mother received.

1 Corinthians 10:13 sanctification temptation sin

1 Corinthians 10:13 -- No temptation is beyond your ability; sinning is a choice, not compulsion; God provides a way of escape

Question from Bob Satellite who says he cannot stop sinning and feels his heart is too cold to change.

youth ministry evangelism apologetics

Advice for online youth pastor: engage real youth in person; use apologetics and comparative theology to reach skeptical students

Final question from Dragon Fist 900, a biblical studies major pursuing online youth ministry.

Daniel 9 Daniel 9 eschatology Antichrist

Mike briefly comments on the Abomination of Desolation, describing it as a future event in a literal rebuilt Jerusalem temple involving an Antichrist figure setting up an image and declaring himself God, occurring in the middle of the Tribulation.

Response to viewer question about the Abomination of Desolation

politics Ben Shapiro Christian behavior

Mike comments on Ben Shapiro, affirming that his biblical worldview on moral values is refreshing but warning Christians not to imitate his sarcastic and vitriolic tone toward those he disagrees with.

Response to viewer question about Ben Shapiro

2 John 1:11 salvation false gospel works-based salvation

Mike examines 2 John 1:11 in context, explaining it refers to hosting traveling teachers and not to general social contact with heretics, then defends William Lane Craig's nuanced view on Catholics — acknowledging a false Catholic gospel while allowing that some Catholics may be genuinely saved.

Response to viewer question about whether to separate from William Lane Craig over his statements about Catholics

Hebrews youth ministry evangelism spiritual maturity

Mike advises a youth pastor that discipleship of willing students produces more fruit than constant outreach programming, drawing on his own early ministry failure when he focused on students who did not care.

Response to youth pastor viewer about ministry focus

judgment divine justice hell

Mike objects to using the word "torture" for hell because it implies morally wrong treatment; he argues hell is perfectly just measured punishment that varies according to each person’s sins and revelatory opportunities, citing Jesus’ own statements about different degrees of judgment.

Continuation of discussion on hell and how to explain it

Mike dismisses the claim that Jesus was a socialist, arguing that caring for the poor is universal and the political question is how to do so, not whether to; he says Jesus' kingdom is a theocracy that no human government can imitate.

Response to viewer question about whether Jesus was a socialist

theocracy poverty Jesus

apologetics resurrection of Jesus debate

Mike wraps up after about an hour, promoting his upcoming Thursday debate on the resurrection against an atheist named Paul from Paulogia on the Non-Sequitur Show, and instructs viewers to enable YouTube notifications.

Closing remarks and debate promotion

Romans 1 Brian Simmons William Lane Craig Gary Habermas

Verifiability: Simmons's claims are provably false by checking the Greek text; the apostolic claims are historically robust.

Third distinction: the content of the claims can be tested.

Exodus 4:24 Moses Exodus 4:24 Circumcision

Exodus 4:24 interpreted: God's threat on Moses's life is a warning to leaders who are hypocrites — faithful in ministry but unfaithful in personal obedience.

Interpretation of why God sought to kill Moses before he led Israel out of Egypt.

Romans 8 Ephesians 1:13 Abba Father Romans 8 Pentecost

Ephesians 1:13 — the sealing of the Spirit as the New Testament's distinctive: permanent relational indwelling as guarantee of inheritance.

Scriptural basis for the New Testament indwelling distinction.

Isaiah 14 Free will Isaiah 14 Satan's rebellion

Satan's rebellion and God's will: God wills that creatures have genuine free will, which entails the possibility of rebellion.

Question from Casey Mills about whether Satan's rebellion was God's will if God's will is always done in heaven.

Galatians 5 Galatians 5 Passion Translation Hyper-charismatic movement

Advice to someone whose church is becoming hyper-charismatic: leave, if you must, without bitterness, motivated only by principle and love.

Question from Jay Parker about whether to leave a church moving toward hyper-charismaticism after elders dismissed critique of the Passion Translation as nitpicking.

James 1 Genesis 4 James 1 Calvinism free will

Q2: Do we have free will? Mike asserts strong yes — biblically, intuitively, and philosophically supported

Viewer Lace Buck Corny asks about free will, sovereignty, and whether punishment is just if we lack free will.

atheism free will moral responsibility

Free will is biblically assumed throughout Scripture — humans are treated as responsible agents making real choices

Continuing the free will answer, Mike argues that the assumption of free choice and moral responsibility permeates the entire biblical narrative.

free will divine sovereignty compatibilism

Free will and divine sovereignty are compatible — sovereignty means ultimate control, not micromanagement of every choice

Mike addresses how free will coexists with divine sovereignty.

free will moral responsibility divine judgment

Without free will, punishment is morally problematic but stopping evil agents still makes sense

Mike addresses the hypothetical: if no free will, is punishment just?

2 Corinthians 5:8 John 11 Paul the Apostle resurrection 2 Corinthians 5:8

Belief in Christ's resurrection transforms the believer's relationship to death — to die is to pass into God's presence

Mike continues his counsel on fear of death, drawing on the resurrection and Paul's teaching.