Search — Theology Explorer

Prayer to Mary and the glorification of Mary in the rosary are the primary theological problems for an ex-Catholic

Question from Calm 23 — an ex-Catholic still doing the daily rosary, seeking a replacement devotional

Mary prayer Catholicism

Hebrews 4:15 Hebrews 2:17 Jesus temptation incarnation

Hebrews 2:17 — "made like his brothers in every respect" does not imply Jesus had a sinful nature or that humans are born innocent

Question from Troy Mulberry about Hebrews 2:17 and human nature at birth

Romans 14:23 Romans 14:23 conscience faith

Romans 14:23 — "whatever does not proceed from faith is sin" — was not addressing all-encompassing anxiety about every decision

Question from Mr/Miss Spazzy Jazzy about a weak conscience producing doubt about everything basic

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

Romans 14 Romans 14 Christian liberty conscience

Church attendance decisions during COVID are a matter of conscience — Christians should not cause division over this

Question from Israel Garcia about whether Christians are obligated to attend church during the pandemic

Judges Judges 20 Judges suffering divine providence

Judges 20 — Israel's early defeats against Benjamin were not deception by God but a means of bringing them to their knees

Question from Jason and Alana about why God apparently deceived Israel by telling them to fight before giving them victory

Judges Judges typology Samson

Judges is a book designed to show total human depravity — God is the only hero; even the deliverers fail

Broader theological point drawn from the Judges 20 discussion

Mark 8:24 Jesus Mark 8:24 healing

The blind man in Mark who saw "men like trees walking" knew what trees were despite being blind — blind people have extensive non-visual knowledge

Question from Angela about how a man born blind could know what trees look like (Mark 8:24)

Matthew 27:45 Matthew 27:51 historical reliability crucifixion extra-biblical evidence

There is extra-biblical evidence (possibly Tacitus) for the darkness at the crucifixion

Question from Lior about extra-biblical evidence for the earthquake and darkness at the crucifixion

Christian liberty conscience civil government

Christians are not free to disobey government laws simply because they seem pointless — but there is a threshold of oppression where resistance becomes legitimate

Question from Jared's Story about UK COVID laws and Christian obligation to comply

Baptizing children should not be delayed based purely on age — genuine faith at any age is sufficient

Question from April B about baptizing her 8-year-old who has made a genuine profession of faith

baptism salvation faith

perspective Christian worldview kingdom of God

The Hobbit analogy: getting into the Word is like climbing above the fog to regain vision and direction

Transition into the bonus questions — encouragement for the viewers

2 Corinthians 2 baptism grace re-baptism

Re-baptism is not prescribed in Scripture but can be appropriate when the original baptism lacked genuine understanding

Question from Andrew Green about whether re-baptisms are biblical

Ephesians 4:30 Ephesians 4:31 Trinity Holy Spirit Ephesians 4:30

The Holy Spirit specifically is said to grieve because He is the unifying presence dwelling within believers — our division grieves Him most directly

Question from Sandra about why Ephesians 4:30 says the Holy Spirit grieves but not the Father or Son

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 Timothy 2:5 1 Timothy 2:5 Temple theology Ark of the Covenant

The temple's empty space at the center of worship is the model for where all prayer and worship must be directed — God alone, with no mediating object

Continued answer on icons/images, drawing on the temple design.

Prayer Idolatry Catholic devotional practices

Catholic saint icons carry a superstitious protection function incompatible with biblical worship

Practical application of the icons question to Catholic devotional objects.

Acts 2 Acts 2 Tongues / glossolalia Day of Pentecost

Acts 2 tongues were real human foreign languages — each person heard in their own native language, not a single universal language

Question from Joel Holberg about whether the apostles in Acts 2 spoke a language everyone understood or each spoke a different foreign language.

Acts 2 Romans 1:16 Acts 2 Romans 1:16 Pentecost as missionary event

Pentecost was a divine missionary strategy — God gathered diaspora Jews to Jerusalem so the gospel could radiate back to every nation

Continued Acts 2 discussion on why the miracle happened when and where it did.

Acts 2:13 Tongues / glossolalia Acts 2:13 Drunk in the Spirit

"Drunk in the Spirit" is not supported by Acts 2 — the mockers said they were drunk because they couldn't understand the foreign languages

Bonus note during Acts 2 discussion on the misuse of Acts 2:13 to justify charismatic "drunk in the Spirit" practices.

1 Corinthians 14 2 Timothy 1:6 1 Corinthians 14 Elijah Spiritual gifts

Though gifts cannot be taught, believers can grow in their expression and use of already-given gifts

Nuanced development of the spiritual gifts question.

Leviticus 25:44-46 Anachronism in biblical interpretation Leviticus 25:44-46 Slavery in the Old Testament

Leviticus 25:44-46 must be read within a full survey of Old Testament slave laws — anachronism of projecting chattel slavery onto the text is the core hermeneutical error

Question from James W. about Leviticus 25:44-46 and whether the Bible endorses slavery.

Leviticus 25:44-46 Deuteronomy slavery laws Exodus redemption as theological grounding for humane treatment Leviticus 25:44-46 Slavery in the Old Testament Deuteronomy slavery laws

Old Testament slavery laws contained extensive humanitarian protections radically superior to surrounding cultures and incompatible with chattel slavery

Continued answer on Leviticus 25 and slavery.

Philemon Paul Philemon Slavery in the New Testament

The Bible's trajectory on slavery moves from regulating and humanizing it in the OT to full abolition ideology in the NT (Philemon)

Closing summary of the slavery question.

John 17:21 John 14-16 Indwelling of the Holy Spirit Jesus as mediator John 17:21

John 17:21 — the oneness Jesus prays for is relational unity via the indwelling Spirit and Christ's mediation, not ontological Trinity participation

Question from David Foresight about what it means for believers to be "one" as the Father and Son are one in John 17:21.

John 17:21 John 13:35 Apologetics John 17:21 Christian unity as apologetic

Christian community love is an apologetic — Trinitarian unity manifested in the church is evidence that God sent Christ

Continuation of John 17:21 discussion.

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.

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.

Hermeneutics Biblical epistemology Sola scriptura

Demanding chapter-and-verse for every claim is an overreaction used to control discourse, not a legitimate epistemic standard

Question from Graham Weaver about how to respond to demands for chapter and verse on nuanced or situational claims.

Baptism Infant baptism Re-baptism / believer's baptism

Adult believers who were baptized as infants should consider being re-baptized — baptism is a ratification of a personal decision to follow Christ

Question from LucyQ (from Finland) who was baptized in the Evangelical Lutheran Church as an infant but came to faith as an adult.

Romans 13:1 Romans 14 Hebrews 10:25 Romans 13:1 Romans 14 Hebrews 10:25

Romans 13:1 requires submission to governing authorities, but the command to gather (Hebrews 10:25) creates a potential tension during COVID restrictions

Question from Felicia Claan about Hosea 8:4 vs. Romans 13:1 in the context of COVID restrictions on household gatherings.

Mormonism Joseph Smith King Follett Discourse

The King Follett Sermon reveals Joseph Smith's radically unbiblical theology — God was once a man, humans become gods

Supporting evidence in the Mormonism discussion.

Romans 3-5 Antinomianism Holiness Sanctification

Imputed righteousness does not eliminate moral obligation — it changes the basis of standing before God, not the Christian's motivation to pursue holiness

Question from John Dutton about whether imputed righteousness is biblical and whether it undermines the call to repent from sin.

Mike Winger online ministry ministry perseverance

Introduction: channel milestone of 200,000 subscribers and format of the 20 Questions Friday livestream

Opening remarks before questions begin. Mike Winger celebrates reaching 200k subscribers and explains the Q&A format.

Revelation 2-3 evangelism Revelation 2-3 Crusades

Evangelism strategy for someone hurt by Christian abuse: separate Jesus from his misrepresenters

Question from Kenneth Kelly about reaching a Native American friend whose aunt was beaten to death by a Catholic nun.

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.

Matthew 19 Roman law marriage divorce

Jesus and Paul do not permit divorce for infertility, demonstrating marriage has value beyond procreation

Extension of the Matthew 19:12 discussion, connecting to Jesus's divorce teaching.

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.

eschatology preterism premillennialism

Announcement: upcoming survey of eschatological views including premillennial, amillennial, postmillennial, and preterist perspectives

Brief mid-stream announcement about upcoming Monday content.

Revelation Hebrews warning passages Revelation once saved always saved eternal security

Book of Life: names blotted out -- the phrase is too non-specific to resolve the eternal security debate

Question from Paul Redding about how one is written into or blotted out of the Book of Life.

Luke 5:17 discernment Benny Hinn charismatic movement

Releasing healing into the atmosphere -- unbiblical charismatic terminology rooted in crowd control rather than Scripture

Question from John Richardson about the biblical basis for Christians releasing healing into the atmosphere.

discernment prosperity gospel apostasy

Why care about false doctrine (prosperity gospel, word of faith)? Because doctrinal error has real-world spiritual consequences

Question from Tony about why false doctrine matters if it does not compromise salvation.

Romans 8:34 1 John 2:1-2 salvation eternal security propitiation

Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1-2 -- Christ's intercession is not ongoing pleading but his perpetual existence as our propitiation

Question from Sephora Ba about why Jesus still intercedes for the elect if they are already saved (Romans 8:34).

Ecclesiastes 1 Kings 11 repentance salvation apostasy

Was Solomon saved? Ecclesiastes may imply a late-life repentance and return to God despite idolatrous period

Question from Darcy 777 about whether Solomon died worshiping false gods and whether he was saved.

Luke 24:13-35 creation Adam and Eve Luke 24:13-35

Visiting moments in Scripture: creation of Adam and Eve (OT); Road to Emmaus Christological exposition (NT)

Hypothetical question from Bree Herb about which biblical moment Mike would most want to witness.

discipleship spiritual leadership mentoring

Discipleship readiness: everyone can encourage immediately; formal leadership is about raising others up, not establishing authority

Second part of Bree Herb's question: how do you know when you are ready to disciple others?

salvation forgiveness soteriology

Forgiveness vs. salvation: forgiveness is one component; salvation is the full package including adoption, the Spirit, and eternal life

Question from Olivia Heartland asking for clarification on the difference between forgiveness and salvation.

Hosea Ezekiel Ezekiel 4 typology Hosea Ezekiel

Hosea's family as prophetic type; Ezekiel as the strongest Christ-type prophet who bears Israel's iniquity bodily

Question from Drifter 2003 about whether Hosea's children having names like 'Not Loved' is a type of Christ bearing others' burdens.