Search — Theology Explorer

Romans 8 Romans 8 assurance of salvation epistemology

The witness of the Holy Spirit is the primary means by which Christians know Christianity is true

Application of the knowing/showing framework to Christian epistemology

epistemology faith and reason warrant

The inner witness of the Holy Spirit gives Christians warrant regardless of external evidence

Explaining how the witness of the Spirit functions as epistemic justification independent of external arguments

epistemology fideism faith and reason

When the Holy Spirit's witness conflicts with external evidence, Christians are warranted in trusting God over evidence

Addressing the case where scholarly or empirical evidence seems to contradict Christian faith

evangelism prophecy knowing vs. showing

When showing Christianity to others, only external evidence and arguments are available, not the Spirit's witness

Explaining the asymmetry between knowing and showing in evangelism/apologetics

1 John 5:9-10 testimony epistemology witness of the Holy Spirit

1 John 5:9-10: the witness of God is greater than the witness of men; believers have it in themselves

Biblical grounding for the epistemological framework; key proof text for the witness of the Spirit

testimony epistemology faith and reason

Nearly all human knowledge rests on testimony from credible witnesses, not direct personal observation

Defending testimony as a valid epistemological category in response to empiricist objections

1 John 5:9-10 epistemology witness of the Holy Spirit 1 John 5:9-10

God's witness is categorically greater than human testimony because God has all knowledge and cannot lie

Logical grounding for why the Spirit's witness has epistemic priority

epistemology demythologization warrant

The German student scenario: a Christian surrounded by hostile scholarship still has warrant through the Spirit

Thought experiment to test the view's robustness in adverse intellectual environments

atheism epistemology witness of the Holy Spirit

Internet atheism often operates by demanding unanswerable questions rather than engaging arguments honestly

Sociological and spiritual observation about common atheist engagement tactics

Mormonism Book of Mormon epistemology

The Mormon burning-in-the-bosom claim does not undermine the Christian's witness of the Spirit

Responding to the classic objection that the Spirit's witness is unreliable because others claim the same for false religions

1 Kings 18 Elijah 1 Kings 18 Mount Carmel

Elijah on Mount Carmel: biblical example of knowing vs. showing — he knew God was real, he showed others through evidence

Old Testament narrative case study illustrating the knowing/showing distinction

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 eyewitness testimony knowing vs. showing

1 Corinthians 15:3-8: the apostles argued historically for the resurrection by listing eyewitnesses

NT case study showing apostles using evidential showing to establish what they already knew

Romans 1 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Romans 1 sin witness of the Holy Spirit

Christians who struggle to sense the Spirit's witness still have access to evidence as a support, and doubt often traces to sin

Pastoral application for doubting Christians

John the Baptist John the Baptist faith miracles as evidence

John the Baptist's doubt from prison: Jesus responded with fresh evidence rather than rebuke

NT case study: how Jesus handled the doubt of a believer who already had abundant witness

apologetics spiritual maturity witness of the Holy Spirit

Mature Christians who feel no need for apologetics are spiritually healthy, not deficient

Reframing common apologetics-community frustration with Christians who seem uninterested in evidence

epistemology conversion fideism

This view is not fideism; the Spirit's internal witness is genuine evidence, and the Spirit converts — not arguments

Responding to the charge that elevating the Spirit's witness over external evidence is mere fideism

prophecy witness of the Holy Spirit divine communication

Everything genuinely from God is true; the problem is misidentifying non-divine impressions as God speaking

Q&A: pastoral guidance on how to handle perceived divine guidance that turns out to be wrong

evangelism apologetics knowing vs. showing

Closing exhortation: trust the Spirit's witness for your own confidence; use evidence to invite others to seek the Lord

Summary and call to application, including a direct appeal to non-believing viewers

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

Christians must align with Christ first, not a political party

Broader point about Christian political engagement during social unrest.

Christian witness political allegiance Christ above politics

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

The witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16) — an internal truth-awareness of being God's child, not an emotion

Question from John Butterfield about what the witness of the Spirit is and how to obtain it.

Romans 8:16 Romans 8:15 Holy Spirit Romans 8:16 assurance of salvation

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Addressing a church drifting from Scripture — approach thoughtfully, privately first, then through proper channels

Question from Nala about a church where the Bible is not preached and the lead pastor bulldozes people.

Matthew 18 church leadership Matthew 18 ecclesiology

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Q (Quelle) is a hypothetical source document proposed in synoptic gospel studies; its existence is unproven and theologically non-threatening

Question from New Creation Coaching about the scholarly concept of "Q" and its reception among concerned Facebook users

textual criticism inspiration of Scripture synoptic problem

James John Matthew Peter James John

How Gospel writers knew what Jesus said when alone — Garden of Gethsemane example

Question from Meg Ward about eyewitness accounts for scenes where Jesus was alone

Luke Pontius Pilate eyewitness testimony Luke

Luke's technique of embedding source hints — Herod's household and Pilate's conversation with Jesus

How the Gospels account for private scenes between Jesus and officials

Mark Peter resurrection Gospel of Mark

Mark's Gospel shifts eyewitness sources from Peter to named women when Peter departs

How the Gospel of Mark handles Peter's absence at the crucifixion and tomb

Christian liberty Jehovah's Witnesses Christmas

Christmas and birthdays — Mike changed his mind about pagan origins of Christmas

Question from Rosie A., a recovering Jehovah's Witness, about celebrating birthdays and Christmas

Christian liberty Jehovah's Witnesses biblical interpretation

Birthdays: Jehovah's Witness argument from bad birthday examples in the Bible is fallacious

Addressing the JW teaching that birthdays are pagan/forbidden

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

Immortal soul — JW/annihilationist claim that it is a Greek import, not Jewish or biblical

Q from Grace Lou 22 about a JW friend who says the Greek word for soul just means any living being and that the immortal soul concept is Greek philosophy smuggled into Christianity.

1 Samuel 28 Samuel Saul Jehovah's Witnesses

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

"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.

Mark 16:15 Evangelism Mark 16:15 Great Commission

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 Jehovah's Witnesses theos John 1:1

Greek grammar of John 1:1 — theos/theon and the definite article (ton)

Mike walks through the Greek text of John 1:1 using Logos Bible Software.

John 1:1 John 1:6 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation theos

John 1:6 refutes JW argument — theos without article still means God Almighty

Mike demonstrates the JW argument is self-defeating using another verse in the same chapter.

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.

Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation Bible translation

NWT translators' identities were kept secret; a former JW leader revealed they were not qualified

Mike addresses the credibility problem with the NWT's translation committee.

Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation spiritual abuse

JWs are victims of their organization's false teaching, not perpetrators

Mike closes the JW section with a pastoral appeal.

Matthew 24:34 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:34 eschatology Matthew 24

Matthew 24:34 — "this generation" does not mean the generation hearing Jesus speak; it refers to those who witness specific end-time events

Question from Jason Stob about the meaning of Matthew 24:34.

Hebrews 6 Hebrews 6:4-6 Luke 8:4-15 salvation eternal security Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:4-6 — the most difficult passage in the Bible; three main interpretive options explored

Question from Delante Dingo about whether the Parable of the Sower clarifies Hebrews 6 and whether salvation is eternal.

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.