Search — Theology Explorer

Romans 14 Romans 14 Christian liberty conscience

Q&A: Are Jewish believers required to keep the Mosaic Law? No, but cultural/traditional practice may be permitted if not causing division

Nuanced pastoral answer about Jewish Christians and the Law

Malachi 1:11 Malachi 1:11 Gentiles nations (goyim)

Q&A: Malachi 1:11 — "Gentile" and "heathen" as translation variants; the verse prophesies universal worship

Brief textual note on translation choices in Malachi

Romans 2:12 Hebrew Roots movement Gentiles and the Law Romans 2:12

Q&A: Romans 2:12 undermines the claim that everyone has always been under the Mosaic Law — Winger does not know how Hebrew Roots explains it

Engagement with a counter-question about Hebrew Roots consistency

Matthew 7:14 Matthew 7:14 universalism unevangelized

Q&A: Those who never hear the gospel — Winger says the way is narrow but defers to his dedicated teaching on the topic

Classic theological question about the unevangelized

Hosea 11:1 Proverbs 30:1-4 Hosea 11:1 divine sonship Jonathan McLatchie

Proverbs 30:1-4 — God and his Son in the Hebrew Bible

McLatchie highlights Proverbs 30:1-4 as an often-overlooked text implying the divine sonship within the Hebrew Scriptures.

undesigned coincidences eyewitness testimony Jonathan McLatchie

Undesigned coincidences — definition and how they demonstrate historicity

Winger asks McLatchie to explain undesigned coincidences as a distinct argument for the historicity of the New Testament.

John Leslie Jonathan McLatchie apologetics objections cosmic fine-tuning

Objection: anthropic principle — we shouldn't be surprised we live in a life-permitting universe

McLatchie addresses the anthropic objection to the fine-tuning argument.

Mormonism polytheism monotheism

Why natural theology arguments point to the God of Christianity, not Hinduism

McLatchie explains why the cosmological and design arguments favor the Abrahamic God over polytheistic conceptions.

Mark 16:1 Matthew 28:1 Luke 24:10 empty tomb Jonathan McLatchie historicity of the Gospels

Irreconcilable variation in empty tomb accounts — evidence for independence

McLatchie presents apparent discrepancies between Gospel accounts of the empty tomb as evidence for their independence.

Acts (book) Hebrew Roots movement contextual interpretation Law of Moses

Video agenda: honest survey of Acts to answer whether followers of Jesus should obey the Law of Moses

Introduction and framing of the video

Acts 5:12 progressive revelation temple worship early church

Acts 5:12 -- Apostles gather at Solomon's Portico (temple area), reinforcing the entirely Jewish character of the early church. No abandonment of the law is visible.

Survey of Acts chapter 5

Acts 10 Acts 10 Hebrew Roots movement Gentile inclusion

Hebrew Roots major argument on Acts 10: the vision was about people (Gentiles), not food -- Winger agrees but argues they miss the connection and the implication for dietary laws

Critique of Hebrew Roots interpretation of Acts 10

Acts (book) Torah observance Law of Moses Acts (book)

Final summary of Acts survey: (1) prior law observers continued; (2) non-law observers continued not following it; (3) obedience to law is not required for salvation OR sanctification; (4) the question is what fulfillment means, not abolishment

Concluding summary of the entire Acts survey

Revelation 20-21 eschatology Law of Moses new heavens and new earth

Q&A: Revelation 20-21 as the end of the Mosaic law -- Winger is uncertain; notes a real transition happens in new heavens/new earth but declines to definitively call it the end of the law

Q&A on eschatology and the law

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Audience question: "Consensus holds Jesus existed but was not the Christ of the Gospels" — Licona: that is not a consensus position

Audience Q&A — addressing the claimed scholarly consensus against Gospel accounts

scholarly consensus historicity of Jesus Jesus's miracles

John 3:16 unlimited atonement failure of the Son extent vs. application

Objection 2 answered: Jesus did not fail — his goal was to die for all so that whoever believes is saved

Mike rebuts the "failure of the Son" argument.

James White Hebrews 7:25 James White unlimited atonement intercession

Objection 3 answered: intercession is available to all who draw near, not limited to a fixed elect group

Mike addresses the intercession objection using Hebrews 7:25.

John Owen faith universalism unlimited atonement

John Owen's trilemma answered: extent and application are distinct; the trilemma conflates them

Mike's direct rebuttal to John Owen's trilemma / false dilemma.

Ephesians 2:1-3 divine justice limited atonement double jeopardy / double payment

Double jeopardy objection answered: Ephesians 2 proves the elect were under wrath after the cross, i.e., already "double payment" on limited atonement

Mike turns the double payment argument against limited atonement.

Mike Winger idea 2019-08-07

Q&A: Why doesn't the death penalty for homosexuality apply today? — Old Testament law and Christ

Viewer asks why the Old Testament death penalty for various sins does not apply under the new covenant.

new covenant progressive revelation the cross

Mike Winger idea 2019-08-07

Q&A: Does God's love have a time limit — does it turn to hatred at death for the damned?

Viewer asks whether God's love for the unrepentant ceases at death and becomes everlasting hatred.

eschatology God's love divine judgment

Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

Q&A: Seventh-day Adventism — Winger defers, recommends GotQuestions.org

A viewer asks for Winger's take on Seventh-day Adventism. He declines to answer without fresh study, acknowledging he taught on it years ago but would need to revisit.

GotQuestions.org Seventh-day Adventism cult studies

Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

Q&A: What did Constantine see — an X or a cross?

A viewer asks about Constantine's famous vision before the Battle of Milvian Bridge. Winger acknowledges the ambiguity without offering a firm answer.

early church history crux decussata Constantine

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: James 2 and the relationship between works and faith — a different question from Galatians/Romans

A viewer asks about the distinction between works in Paul versus James.

Romans James 2 Galatians Romans James 2 justification

atheism epistemology faith and reason

It is epistemically wrong to require Christians to answer every argument or question before their faith is valid

Critique of the epistemic standard often imposed by internet atheism

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

evangelism apologetics atheism

When an atheist asks context-free gotcha questions and refuses to engage answers, move on

Q&A: strategy for handling an atheist who uses OT verses as traps without wanting real dialogue

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

No one overcomes unbelief "on their own" — God uses general revelation, conscience, and the Holy Spirit to call everyone

Continuing the conditional election question — answering the specific sub-question of why a sinner must overcome unbelief "on their own."

Romans 1 Holy Spirit conscience soteriology

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

A childhood "blood pact with Satan" has no power over someone who trusts in Christ — the cross cancels all such claims

Question about a friend who at age 12 signed his soul over to Satan in a blood pact and now feels he cannot be saved.

2 Corinthians 5:17 salvation Satan spiritual warfare

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

Unbiblical divorce followed by the ex-spouse's remarriage: the innocent party is free to remarry, but must do heart work first

Question from Carmen about whether someone who initiated an unbiblical divorce is free to remarry after the ex-spouse has already remarried (making reconciliation impossible).

marriage sanctification forgiveness

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

A Christian can struggle with addiction and still be born again; Christians struggle with sin

Q from Christian Liang about whether an addiction sufferer can be born again and saved.

1 Corinthians 5 John 3:3 1 Corinthians 5 salvation sin

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Polygamy is a real but sin-laden marriage; the moral complexity for a polygamist who converts precludes a simple answer

Q from Susan Morales following up on Mike's earlier video on whether a polygamist who becomes a Christian should divorce one or more wives.

marriage sin divorce

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Hebrews 6:4 requires thorough study; Mike plans a verse-by-verse Hebrews series after Mark

Q from Jeff Shoemaker asking about Hebrews 6:4 and whether it refers to backsliding or losing salvation.

Hebrews 6:4 eternal security apostasy Hebrews 6:4

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

God judged Eli both as a father and as high priest for failing to restrain his wicked sons

Response to Jackie Zaras asking whether God was angry with Eli as a father or as a priest for not restraining his sons.

1 Samuel Eli 1 Samuel priestly accountability

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

Seeking God guarantees finding him, though not always in the expected way or with the expected results

Quick response to Cameron Powers asking if truly seeking God means he will show up.

Jeremiah 29:13 prayer faith seeking God

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

Christians and labor exploitation: genuine question requiring more information before forming a clear position

Response to Spazzy Jazzy asking whether Christians should boycott products made with exploited labor (chocolate, phones, etc.).

Christian ethics labor exploitation consumerism

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

gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation spiritual abuse

Personal testimony: as a teenager Mike was told he was not saved because he had not spoken in tongues

Opening introduction before answering the first question about tongues and salvation

1 Corinthians 12:30 1 Corinthians 12:27-29 gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation 1 Corinthians 12:30

1 Corinthians 12:30 — rhetorical questions imply not all speak in tongues

Second and final Corinthians passage used to refute tongues-salvation requirement

James 1 John James 1 John sanctification

Assurance of salvation comes from 1 John and James, not from speaking in tongues

Positive alternative answer to what Scripture says proves salvation