Search — Theology Explorer

Galatians 3 justification by faith atonement imputed righteousness

Freedom from the law through Christ — justified by faith, law's penalty absorbed by Jesus

Completing the Galatians 3 explanation

1 Corinthians 15 1 Corinthians 15 Jesus resurrection

Jesus appearing in the locked room — glorified body explanation from 1 Corinthians 15

Question from Connor Robinson about Jesus appearing in a locked room after the resurrection

prayer Jesus as mediator prayer in Jesus's name

"In Jesus's name" is not a required formula but a meaningful expression of mediation

Practical application of praying in Jesus's name

catechesis baptism discipleship

Baptism: no required level of knowledge — New Testament pattern is immediate baptism upon faith

Question from Dimitar Bratov about the level of understanding required before baptism

Revelation 2 Revelation 2 church of Ephesus first love

Renewing love for God — Revelation 2 letter to Ephesus: remember, return, repeat

Question from Trippy Penguin about renewing love for God when faith feels commonplace

Revelation 2 spiritual disciplines Revelation 2 first love

Spiritual dryness — returning to first works as the remedy

Continued application from Revelation 2

discernment Word of Faith pastoral care

Leaving Word of Faith — approach departing member's sister with invitation, not condemnation

Question from Mimi about leaving a Word of Faith church and its effect on her sister

Matthew 6:7 Luke 18 prayer vain repetition persistent prayer

Persistent prayer vs. vain repetition — the biblical balance

Question from Lunggail Zandi about wrestling with God vs. vain repetitions in prayer

prayer reverence for God vain repetition

Vain repetition is an insult to God — better to pray less than with empty words

Conclusion of prayer discussion

Bible study pastoral ministry teaching

Laziness is a major detriment to teaching ministry — pastors need to study deeply

Further advice on pastoral preparation

calling pastoral ministry servanthood

Serve humbly in any capacity — do not limit ministry to pastoral role; obey calling

Final advice to aspiring pastor Jared

Calvinism R.C. Sproul TULIP

Introduction to TULIP as a summary of Calvinist theology

Mike opens the Q&A by addressing a Facebook question from Paul Rem about the five points of Calvinism.

Calvinism Sola Scriptura Reformed Theology

Mike affirms the Five Solas but says they do not make him a Calvinist

Mike clarifies his relationship to Reformed theology before walking through TULIP.

Genesis 6:3 Holy Spirit Calvinism TULIP

Total Depravity defined as "total inability" — Mike rejects it

First point of TULIP addressed in detail.

Calvinism Arminianism Total Depravity

Regeneration precedes faith — the core of Calvinism, which Mike rejects

Mike identifies what he sees as the single unifying point underlying all five TULIP points.

Exodus Gospel of John Calvinism Exodus

Divine hardening in John's Gospel as a challenge to Calvinist Total Depravity

Mike argues divine hardening is inconsistent with Total Depravity.

Unconditional Election — Mike partly affirms, partly rejects

Second point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism Molinism TULIP

Calvinism Free Will Election

Corporate view of election and God's foreknowledge conditioned on faith

Mike's alternative to Calvinist individual unconditional election.

James White John Owen James White Calvinism TULIP

Limited Atonement — Mike firmly rejects it

Third point of TULIP addressed.

Hebrews 6 Hebrews 10 Hebrews 4 Calvinism Apostasy Hebrews 6

Perseverance of the Saints — Mike is unresolved, not firmly opposed

Fifth and final point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism TULIP Free Will

All five TULIP points are ultimately one point: denial of free will

Mike summarizes his overarching critique of Calvinism.

Isaiah Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Jesus Isaiah Isaiah 53

Deutero-Isaiah / multiple authorship of Isaiah — Mike skeptical

Q from "Skeptic Reviews" about the scholarly view that Isaiah had multiple authors.

Proverbs Genesis 24 Proverbs Marriage The One

God as matchmaker — Mike rejects "the one" theology applied universally

Q from Haruhi Anderson about the doctrine that God has one divinely chosen spouse for every Christian.

Proverbs 18:22 Marriage Guidance Proverbs 18:22

Proverbs: "He who finds a wife finds a good thing" — find a good one, not the one

Mike applies Proverbs to marriage decision-making.

Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Isaiah 53 Hermeneutics Isaiah 52

How to construct a biblical theology — start with contextual reading plus the doctrine of inspiration

Q from Nick (Quint/Quiet) about building a biblical theological method.

Evangelism Holiness Family Relationships

Living with non-Christian parents who swear, drink, and watch vulgar content

Q from Soul about navigating holiness when living with ungodly parents.

Satan Imago Dei Free Will

Angels and free will — Mike's view that angels had a one-time choice that became fixed

Q from Brent Smith about what separates humans from angels and whether angels can fall.

Government Voting Civic Responsibility

Voting as a Christian moral obligation in a democracy

Q from Woolpack about whether it is a sin for a Christian not to vote.

2 Corinthians 9 Sanctification Giving 2 Corinthians 9

Cheerful giving — the problem is the grudge, not the giving

Q from Folky about whether it is better not to give if you cannot give cheerfully.

Evangelism Discipleship Church

Purpose of a church service — discipleship vs. evangelism balance

Q from Austin Hallman about whether church services should be primarily for believers or inclusive of the unsaved.

Revelation Galatians 6 1 John 3:6 Revelation Galatians 6 Salvation

1 John 3:6 — "keeps on sinning" does not mean Christians reach sinlessness

Q from Nat Atheist about Christians who use 1 John 3:6 to argue for progressive sinlessness/perfectionism.

Mark 16:15 Evangelism Mark 16:15 Great Commission

"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.

1 Corinthians 10:13 Romans 13:14 1 Corinthians 10:13 Spiritual Warfare Pornography

Fighting pornography addiction — battle is lost before you even feel overwhelmed

Q from Nathan P about why prayer seems ineffective against porn addiction.

Colossians Romans 14 Acts Colossians Romans 14 Mosaic Law

Old Testament dietary laws — not binding on Christians; Isaiah 66 and Ezekiel future prophecy not a present command

Q from Ashley Koenig about whether Christians must follow OT dietary laws, citing Isaiah 66:16-17.

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 Trinity Deity of Christ theos

Dan Wallace on John 1:1: the articular construction fights Sabellianism; the anarthrous predicate fights Arianism

Mike quotes Greek scholar Dan Wallace's commentary on John 1:1.

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.

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.

Matthew 24:34 Matthew 24:34 eschatology Israel

Refutation of the 1948 Israel founding as a generational clock for Matthew 24

Mike critiques the popular dispensational application of Matthew 24:34 to Israel's statehood.

Matthew 24 Matthew 24:6-8 eschatology false prophets Matthew 24

Wars, famines, earthquakes, and pestilences in Matthew 24 are NOT signs of the Second Coming — they are warnings that the end has not yet come

Mike reads Matthew 24 in sequence to reframe how the signs are commonly misunderstood.

Matthew 26:46 crucifixion Judas Iscariot Garden of Gethsemane

Matthew 26:46 — Jesus voluntarily walks forward into betrayal and crucifixion

Question from Hunter Clyce about Matthew 26:46.

Numbers 5:27 Numbers 5 NIV abortion divine judgment

Numbers 5 — the Bitter Water trial does not describe an abortion; the NIV translation is mistaken on this point

Question from Dakota Ballard about pro-choice advocates using Numbers 5:27 to support abortion.

Jeremiah 31 Matthew 5:17 Galatians 3 Jeremiah 31 New Covenant fulfillment of the law

The Old Covenant is "eternal" in the sense that Christ fulfilled it — fulfillment, not destruction, transitions to the New Covenant

Question from Jason and Alana about how the Old Covenant can be everlasting yet superseded.

Hebrews 4:16 Ephesians 1 1 John 2:1 prayer assurance of salvation righteousness of Christ

Guilt and shame before God — healthy guilt vs. unhealthy guilt that drives you away from God

Question from Lisa Kaminsky about feeling unworthy to pray or call herself a Christian when she misses daily Bible reading and prayer.

Proverbs Proverbs 13:24 Proverbs parenting corporal punishment

Proverbs 13:24 — the rod is literal corporal punishment; wisdom literature genre does not dissolve literal content

Question from Bethany Ferguson about whether "the rod" is physical punishment or a metaphor for accountability.

election Calvinism free will

Mike affirms free-will salvation against Calvinism but insists rejection of Calvinism must be theological, not emotional

Mike gives his own position on Calvinism while counseling the questioner.

Genesis 9 Noah Genesis 9 Ham

Genesis 9 — Noah cursed Canaan for Ham's sin because Canaan was likely complicit, not just punished for his father's actions

Question from Caleb McMurtry about why Noah cursed Canaan rather than Ham.

hermeneutics social justice impartiality

Jesus did not come to "dismantle systems of oppression" — projecting modern political terminology onto Jesus creates an idol

Question from Steph T about the claim that Jesus came to dismantle systems of oppression.

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.