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All (265) Scripture Commentary (110) Theology (21) Mike Winger (134)
Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

Did Jesus go to hell? Mike does not think he was tortured there; references 1-2 Peter and Jude on descent

Viewer asking whether Jesus went to hell between death and resurrection

1 Peter 2 Peter Jude 1 Peter 2 Peter descent into hell
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

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.

1 Corinthians 6:9 1 Corinthians 6:9 Easy believism Gospel
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-14

Closing message to skeptics from Cameron: dialogue doesn't have to be combative; take philosophy seriously; read atheist philosophers of religion (Paul Draper, Graham Oppy, John Schellenberg), not just popular atheists like Dawkins or Hitchens

Cameron's closing message to skeptic viewers

John Schellenberg Richard Dawkins Cameron Bertuzzi Paul Draper
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

Near-death experience books should be tested against Scripture and not used to supplement or replace it; the danger is NDE narrators becoming gurus with insider knowledge

Response to a question about the theological accuracy of books like 23 Minutes in Hell and 90 Minutes in Heaven

Scripture authority spiritual discernment near-death experiences
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 6: the Hellenistic Jews (Greek-speaking Jews) vs. native Hebrews dispute -- still entirely a Jewish internal matter; no Gentiles involved yet

Survey of Acts chapter 6

Acts 6:1 early church Acts 6:1 Hellenistic Jews
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-13

Anderson's compromised gospel: sounds biblical in some clips but denies gospel in others

Assessing the full picture of Anderson's teaching

1 Timothy 1 Timothy false teaching gospel
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-24

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.

atonement limited atonement failure of the Son
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-24

Objection 5 stated: double jeopardy / double payment

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

hell divine justice limited atonement
Mike Winger idea 2019-10-02

Islam's fundamental claims: closer to Christianity but built as a rejection of it — different God, no grace, no cross

Comparative religion analysis of Islam vs. Christianity

Revelation Islam salvation by works comparative religion
Mike Winger idea 2019-10-02

Q&A: If someone prayed to receive Christ but later turns away from Christianity, do they go to hell?

Viewer question from BC Our Life

salvation Calvinism Arminianism
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Q&A: Are those who never hear the gospel lost? Is it your fault if you fail to share?

Winger addresses two connected questions about evangelistic responsibility.

Ezekiel 33 evangelism accountability hell
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

Romans 6:23 — the death referred to is both physical death and eternal separation from God (the second death)

Response to Jesse Crocus asking what kind of death Romans 6:23 refers to.

Romans 6:23 physical death Romans 6:23 wages of sin
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Where was Jesus's spirit during the two days between death and resurrection?

Brief lightning-round answer (no questioner name given).

1 Peter 3:19 eschatology descent into hell intermediate state
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Degrees of judgment in hell: God factors in knowledge when judging — sinning in ignorance vs. sinning with full knowledge results in different severity of judgment

Expanding the Hebrews 10 discussion to address differentiated eschatological judgment

Luke 12:47-48 judgment unevangelized hell
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Near-death / heaven-visiting accounts: deep skepticism warranted; Paul's 2 Corinthians 12 model shows the right posture is silence, not book tours

Question from S.M. Hart about people selling books on visiting heaven or hell

2 Corinthians 12 Paul 2 Corinthians 12 false prophets
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Annihilationism fails because (1) immortality does not mean eternal existence, and (2) Jesus uses the same word "everlasting" for both heaven and hell

Question from Selenora about why annihilationism is unbiblical

Matthew 25:46 eschatology conditional immortality hell
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

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.

Joel Osteen gospel prosperity gospel repentance
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

'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.

John 19:30 1 Peter 3:18-20 atonement descent into hell it is finished
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Annihilationism — Mike disagrees; critiques Chris Date and Rethinking Hell

A viewer asks if annihilationism is a Christian-condoned form of atheism.

eternal punishment conditional immortality hell
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Universalism — on the future video list; briefly identified as unbiblical

A viewer asks Mike to do a video refuting universalism.

universalism hell
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

2 Peter 2:5-6 does not settle the annihilationism debate

Question about whether 2 Peter 2:6 implies annihilation on final judgment day.

2 Peter 2:5-6 Sodom and Gomorrah hell annihilationism
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q4: Soul sleep, resurrection, and the problem of personal continuity

Response to question about whether resurrection is "snatching" someone from paradise/hell

resurrection soul sleep personal identity
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q10: Dangers of treating positivity/negativity as moral categories — New Age/New Thought origins

Response to question about "happy church" culture where positivity = moral good

Philippians 4:8 Brian Simmons prosperity gospel Philippians 4:8
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

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

Continuing Q10 on positivity as moral category

exclusivity of Christ New Age positive thinking
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

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

Romans 9 Exodus 4-14 Calvinism free will Romans 9
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Does God love those who go to hell? Yes — but love stopped by rejection; holiness demands judgment

Continuing Q15 — part about God's love for the damned

Luke 23:34 Ezekiel 18:23 Matthew 23:37 judgment God's love Luke 23:34
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

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

Continuing Q16 on Jesus speaking Greek

Acts 6:1 Peter Williams Acts 6:1 Jesus' languages
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q20: Is hell a literal place of fire and gnashing of teeth, or metaphorical? Open question, research project planned

Response to question about the nature of hell

Matthew 25:41 Revelation 20:10 metaphor eschatology fire
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

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

Proverbs wisdom relationships Proverbs
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike argues that the best approach to the question of hell is not direct empirical evidence but rather a two-step argument: establish the trustworthiness of Jesus through the resurrection and fulfilled prophecy, then accept his teaching on hell as credible.

Response to viewer demanding evidence for hell

apologetics resurrection of Jesus hell
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

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

judgment divine justice hell
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q8: Is God present in hell? Yes in omniscience but not in felt/manifest presence — Psalm 139 explored

Viewer Angela Juarez asks whether an omnipresent God is also present in hell.

Psalm 139 Moses omniscience omnipresence
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Question: Do people go to hell for sin or for not believing in Jesus?

Viewer Phil Agape asks whether hell is the penalty for sin or for unbelief; references Ephesians 5:5-6 and Colossians 3:5-6.

Ephesians 5:5-6 Colossians 3:5-6 soteriology sin unbelief
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Question: What is the difference between Hades and Hell — do people go directly to hell at death?

Viewer Henry Avery's Gravery asks Mike to elaborate on his view that people do not go directly to hell when they die.

Revelation Luke 16 millennium eschatology Revelation
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Ghosts, the witch of Endor, and demonic impersonation of the dead

Lindsay Kelso asked whether the Bible supports ghosts, and whether those who claim to see them are actually encountering demons.

1 Samuel 28 Leviticus 19:31 Deuteronomy 18:11 Samuel Catholicism afterlife
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-26

Unconfessed sin at death — positional vs. conditional righteousness; in Christ theology

Popham asks if a born-again Christian who dies suddenly with an unconfessed momentary sin (not a lifestyle) goes to hell.

Galatians 2:20 Ephesians 1 in Christ Galatians 2:20 Ephesians 1
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-05

God does not create people destined for hell; the verb tense in Romans 9 distinguishes God's active preparation of the saved from passive endurance of the lost

Responding to the difficulty of reconciling God's glory with creating people He knows will end up in hell

Romans 9 Romans 9:22-23 Romans 9 predestination God's sovereignty
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-05

God's glory is displayed in just judgment of sin, like a good judge rightly sentencing the guilty

Responding to the question of how God's glory comes from judging unbelievers

justice divine judgment holiness of God
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

Should a Christian woman avoid having children because her future children might reject Christ and go to hell?

Question from Susan about a friend afraid to have children for fear they will go to hell.

Children and salvation Having children / parenthood Fear and faith
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-23

Luke 12:44-48 teaches proportional eschatological judgment, not purgatory; the parable presents two servants (faithful/unfaithful) plus a closing lesson on degrees of punishment based on knowledge.

Q10 from Tony: does Luke 12:44-48 teach purgatory? There appear to be four servants — faithful, sent to unbelievers, and two others receiving only punishment.

Luke 12:44-48 purgatory parable interpretation Luke 12:44-48
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

Sharing Jesus with children when an atheist spouse objects

Listener Sheila is a new believer; her atheist husband does not want her sharing Jesus with their daughter because the daughter will think he's going to hell.

Acts 5:29 Acts 5:29 Atheism Religious liberty in marriage
Mike Winger idea 2020-02-12

Q&A: A sermon claiming that struggling with addiction or fearing hell means you're not a Christian is unbiblical. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for sin without denying their faith; 1 John 4:18 says fear indicates incomplete realization of God's love, not absence of salvation.

Q&A — addiction and assurance of salvation

1 John 4:18 1 John 3:20 assurance of salvation assurance of salvation 1 John 4:18
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-08

Drew's Question 2: Shouldn't you worship the cruelest God imaginable? If Pascal's wager is about maximizing reward and minimizing punishment, inventing a maximally cruel God improves the wager by creating a true dichotomy.

Presenting Drew's argument — Pascal's wager and cruelest God

false dichotomy Genetically Modified Skeptic Pascals wager
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-08

Drew's arbitrary cruel God is defeated by evidence: Christianity has historical verification, prophecy, testimony, and wasn't made up on the spot. A maximally cruel God would send everyone to hell with no heaven, giving no reason to worship. This is the "Pascal's mugger" objection, already addressed in literature.

Response to Q2 — arbitrary claims vs evidenced claims

evidence for God evidence for God Pascals wager
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-08

Drew's Question 4: If God knows who will choose him, why not only create those people and skip earthly suffering? If free will is the answer, that implies heaven lacks free will (since there's no suffering there), making earth better than heaven.

Presenting Drew's argument — why create the non-elect?

free will problem of evil problem of evil
Mike Winger idea 2020-03-18

Q: Will we be sad in heaven about people in hell? No — because of resolution, not memory loss. "Former things not remembered" means not dwelling on them or worrying, not literal amnesia. In God's presence with his perspective, we'll understand his justice is right. The glory will outshine all grief.

Q&A — sadness in heaven over hell

hell memory in heaven hell
Mike Winger idea 2020-03-18

Q: Does annihilationism follow from eternal life being dependent on salvation? No — eternal life in Scripture means more than mere existence. People physically alive are called "dead" (spiritually); believers have "eternal life" now while still mortal. Life and death are more than existence and non-existence.

Q&A — annihilationism

hell annihilationism hell
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-08

Consequences of sin: (1) relational separation from God (Isaiah 59:2, Adam and Eve expelled from Eden, Colossians 1:21 — alienated and enemies in our minds); (2) future judgment — God is a just judge who must deal with sin. Romans 6:23: wages of sin is death (separation, judgment, hell). Our goodness can't fix it — we've already failed.

Consequences of sin — separation and judgment

Romans 6:23 Isaiah 59:2 Colossians 1:21 Romans 6:23 wages of sin Isaiah 59:2
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-29

Q&A: Will saved Christians be punished on Judgment Day? Not punished in the hell sense — Jesus took that punishment. But 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 shows believers' works will be tested by fire: gold/silver/precious stones survive (pure ministry); wood/hay/straw burn up (compromised service). The person is saved but may suffer loss of ALL rewards. 2 Corinthians 5:10: we receive what is due for what we've done — this is loss of reward, not punishment.

Q&A — believers' judgment and rewards

2 Corinthians 5:10 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 2 Corinthians 5:10 2 Corinthians 5:10 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 2 Corinthians 5:10
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

Argument 4 — "Religion is desperation, fear of reality" (Nietzsche) — is circular (assumes atheism is reality) and actually describes Buddhism more than Christianity. Atheism itself denies key realities.

Fourth argument from Nietzsche: religion as escapism

Daniel Dennett circular reasoning atheism Sam Harris