Search — Theology Explorer

Do Tiny Choices Affect History?: Should Christians ever concern themselves with ideas like the butterfly effect (the idea that tiny choices have big impacts on history)?

Q&A question: Do Tiny Choices Affect History?

Will God Reveal when our Thinking is Unbiblical?: Philippians 3: 15 says God will reveal when our thinking is opposed to His calling. How, then, do so many dedicated Christians get all the way through life still utterly confused about essential moral issues?

Q&A question: Will God Reveal when our Thinking is Unbiblical?

Philip Philippi

How to Tell When Love Has Become Idolatry: Have I made my crush an idol? I’ve found myself crushing on a brother in Christ. I’ve also found that sometimes I prefer thinking about him more than God. I don’t want to do this. Any advice?

Q&A question: How to Tell When Love Has Become Idolatry

idolatry

Must our Salvation Produce an Emotional Response?: Most Christians have a moment where they break down and weep as they realize what Jesus did for them on the cross. Is it normal to not have experienced this? I'm grateful, but also weirdly indifferent.

Q&A question: Must our Salvation Produce an Emotional Response?

Jesus salvation

How to Tell if a Show or Movie is Appropriate: As Christians, how should we judge whether or not a secular show or movie is OK for us to watch or not?

Q&A question: How to Tell if a Show or Movie is Appropriate

Can a Christian Have a Demon?: Can a true Christian be “possessed” or have demons?

Q&A question: Can a Christian Have a Demon?

demons

About the “Church of Christ”: Do you have any insight on Church of Christ doctrine? I have a friend I'm planning to open a dialogue with who is in the Church of Christ. I see works based salvation emphasized, but need help.

Q&A question: About the “Church of Christ”

salvation

1 Corinthians 5 1 Corinthians 5

Living Together if a Couple Abstains?: Is living together without being married while abstaining living in sin? I don't know how to deal with so many Christians that think it's OK, in light of 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.

Q&A question: Living Together if a Couple Abstains?

Mike Winger idea 2023-02-17

Can Christians Serve in the Military?: I was curious what your thoughts are on the modern American military and if Christians can/should serve in it.

Q&A question: Can Christians Serve in the Military?

Gospel Patterns?: Is Genesis 1:1-6 a foreshadowing of the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? John 1:1, Luke 1:1, Mark 1:1, Matthew 4: 17, and 1 John 1:1 all speak of beginning, then water, light, and darkness.

Q&A question: Gospel Patterns?

Genesis Genesis 1 John 1 Jesus Christ Jesus Genesis

Hebrews 1 cessationism prophecy Hebrews 1

Does Hebrews Support Cessationism?: Is Hebrews 1:1 a reasonable proof text for cessationism in relation to prophecy? It says God spoke to our ancestors through prophets, but "in these last days," He has spoken to us through Christ. Are we in the "last days" Paul refers to?

Q&A question: Does Hebrews Support Cessationism?

Could God be Playing a Joke On Us?: I am a new Christian and my brother is an atheist. He has brought up the question of “What if God is lying about everything and this all a big cosmic joke?” How do I combat this thinking?

Q&A question: Could God be Playing a Joke On Us?

atheism

Isaiah Isaiah second coming

Unclean Meats & the Second Coming: If all meats were made clean, then how do Christians interpret Isaiah 66: 15-18, as that passage, I believe, refers to Christ’s second coming, and in it He “destroys” those who eat unclean meats?

Q&A question: Unclean Meats & the Second Coming

Mike Winger idea 2023-03-17

Do This if Your House is Haunted: What's the biblical response on what a Christian should do if they move into a haunted house? I know "hauntings" are demonic...

Q&A question: Do This if Your House is Haunted

demons

Knowing When to Yield: My pastor wants me to obey my husband even when it hurts my mental health, triggers my eating disorder, or my sleep disorder. Is he right or wrong? He says I should “Die like Christ.”

Q&A question: Knowing When to Yield

marriage pastoral ministry

Mike Winger idea 2023-03-17

Should We Call Out Others’ Sins?: Should we call out sin in the lives of other Christian friends? I had a conversation with my pastor about this in regard to cussing, and he told me if we don't have a mutual edification then it might not be my place.

Q&A question: Should We Call Out Others’ Sins?

pastoral ministry

Mike Winger idea 2023-04-07

Should Men Move Out Before Dating?: Looking at Ephesians 5: 31, Should a Christian man move out of his parents’ house before trying to date, to prove they can provide an income and a house?

Q&A question: Should Men Move Out Before Dating?

Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5

Mike Winger idea 2023-04-07

Slave to Sin?: In Romans 7: 14, is Paul describing his experience before or after he became a Christian? He’s just shifted to the present tense, but says he is sold as a slave to sin. Does this differ from Romans 8?

Q&A question: Slave to Sin?

Romans 8 Romans 7 Romans 8 Romans 7

Self-Loathing vs. Self-Love?: As Christians, how do we deal with self-loathing without indulging in and practicing too much self-love?

Q&A question: Self-Loathing vs. Self-Love?

Evolved from Monkeys?: From a biblical standpoint, is there any reason that Christians believe we evolved from monkeys? I'm confused why some Christians believe that, and I’m curious if it’s purely a worldview standpoint?

Q&A question: Evolved from Monkeys?

Romans 8 Peter Romans 8 angels

Should our Main Focus be Evangelism?: John Wesley says, “You have one business on this earth: to save souls.” Is Christlikeness or spiritual maturity chiefly a means to an end – of bringing people to Christ (Romans 8: 29, 2 Corinthians 3: 18, 2 Peter 3: 18)?

Q&A question: Should our Main Focus be Evangelism?

Setting Biblical Boundaries as Parents: I had a domestic violence upbringing, and I now have a son of my own. I have fears of family telling me how to parent my son. How do I set healthy biblical boundaries that protect my son and honor Christ?

Q&A question: Setting Biblical Boundaries as Parents

Matthew 25 Matthew Matthew 25 Matthew

How to be a Worthwhile Servant: What makes a servant worthwhile to Christ? It seems like in Matthew 25, the servant was cast into outer darkness because he did not DO enough.

Q&A question: How to be a Worthwhile Servant

Can Non-Believers bear the Fruit of the Spirit?: Can someone who is not a Christian show the fruit of the Spirit?

Q&A question: Can Non-Believers bear the Fruit of the Spirit?

How Do We “Abstain from Blood” Today?: How, as 21st century Christians, should we understand the decree for gentile believers to abstain from blood (Acts 15: 20, 28, 29)?

Q&A question: How Do We “Abstain from Blood” Today?

Acts 15 Acts 15

Does Sincerity = Salvation?: I have a Muslim friend that I speak with regularly about God. I am a firm Christian, but I question how other God-fearing people who have been indoctrinated into a specific religion are not saved.

Q&A question: Does Sincerity = Salvation?

salvation Islam

Could the HS be Feminine?: Could the Holy Spirit be feminine? A biblically sound, wiser, older Christian in my life is unsure about this. He brings up decent arguments affirming this view, but then there's John 15: 26. Thoughts?

Q&A question: Could the HS be Feminine?

John 15 John 15

Has God Hidden What We Need to Know?: What are your thoughts on Mathew 11: 25? I was raised in the Branham cult where there is a great deal of anti-intellectualism. They also claim that God has blinded most Christians from Branham.

Q&A question: Has God Hidden What We Need to Know?

Using Time Wisely in Marriage: My husband likes to spend hours on meaningless videos or gaming. How can I talk to him about how he spends his time as a Christian, especially that our young kids see this?

Q&A question: Using Time Wisely in Marriage

marriage

Has Christianity Changed Over Time?: How do you know the Christianity you believe is the same they were practicing in the early Church if history says Constantine and the Greeks changed things?

Q&A question: Has Christianity Changed Over Time?

Constantine

Why Won’t Christians Marry Non-Christians?: A woman stopped dating me because of worldview differences. I believe in a higher power and wouldn’t have pulled her away from her faith. It hurt badly. Why do some Christians do that? She seems indoctrinated (“can’t marry a non-Christian”).

Q&A question: Why Won’t Christians Marry Non-Christians?

dating and relationships

Is Christianity Itself a Cult?: How is Christianity like (or not like) a cult in either definition and/or practice?

Q&A question: Is Christianity Itself a Cult?

Why Aren’t Mormons Christians?: Ex-Mormon here. Surely all Christians believe things about God that are incorrect, but they're still saved. What makes the LDS different? How are my misconceptions acceptable when theirs aren't?

Q&A question: Why Aren’t Mormons Christians?

Mormonism

Are Miracles Unreliable?: If Satan and his workers can perform miracles to mislead people, why should I believe Christians when they tell me to look at miracles, or when Jesus says to look at His miracles?

Q&A question: Are Miracles Unreliable?

Jesus Satan miracles

AI – Image of the Beast?: What are your thoughts on Chat GPT (and AI in general)? As Christians, should we be concerned about this type of technology? Is it OK to experiment with, or should we "steer clear"?

Q&A question: AI – Image of the Beast?

Speaking Over Our Lives: Is “speaking something over your life” a biblical concept? A Christian said something like, “If you were going to die in one week, how would you live? I'm not speaking that over your life though!”

Q&A question: Speaking Over Our Lives

Roman Catholicism worship

The Origin of Sunday Worship: When is the earliest, in church history, that we see Christians worshiping on Sunday instead of the Sabbath? Did it begin with the Catholic Church, or was it before?

Q&A question: The Origin of Sunday Worship

Leading Others to Biblical Teachings: My family member LOVES Joel Osteen. What are some thoughtful questions I could ask that would naturally lead them to a more biblical, Christ-centered understanding of the Gospel?

Q&A question: Leading Others to Biblical Teachings

Joel Osteen Joel Osteen

Can a Christian Struggle to Obey God?: Can a Christian still struggle with submitting completely to God? Or is that a symptom that you're not truly saved?

Q&A question: Can a Christian Struggle to Obey God?

submission in marriage

Should We Still Forgive when Not Asked?: Do we still need to forgive others if they don’t ask for forgiveness? My grandma believes that as Christians, we don’t forgive unless the other person repents and asks for forgiveness.

Q&A question: Should We Still Forgive when Not Asked?

forgiveness

Christian Creators: Make This Content!: As a YouTube pastor, do you have any suggestions for content you would like to see Christians make? I'm in seminary and I’m thinking about making videos, but I wonder what I should create (if I did).

Q&A question: Christian Creators: Make This Content!

pastoral ministry

pornography sexual ethics

Being Open about Sexual Sin: Do you have any advice on how to come out (for lack of a better word) to my Christian parents about being same-sex attracted and addicted to pornography? I know Christianity is true.

Q&A question: Being Open about Sexual Sin