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All (354) Mike Winger (354)
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Lack of contemporary accounts of Jesus is explained by low literacy rates (~10%), oral transmission culture, and early Christian expectation of imminent return

Responding to the objection that no writings about Jesus exist from his lifetime

argument from silence oral tradition historicity of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

The consensus extends well beyond a minimal "one man named Jesus died by crucifixion" — substantial historical data about Jesus is agreed upon

Qualifying the extent of the historical consensus on Jesus

scholarly consensus historicity of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Only a handful of bona fide scholars deny Jesus's existence — Carrier said there were seven including himself, none widely respected in their disciplines

Quantifying the scholarly minority who deny Jesus's historical existence

scholarly consensus Richard Carrier Jesus mythicism
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-26

Rebuttal: the inscripturation claim for prophecy and knowledge is unsubstantiated; New Testament prophets generally did not produce Scripture.

First major exegetical objection to the Masters Seminary argument. Winger demonstrates that NT prophets were not primarily Scripture-writers.

Acts 21:9 Acts 11 Acts 21:9 cessationism prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-26

1 Corinthians 15 confirms: "the perfect" is the resurrection state — imperishable bodies, the last trumpet, being changed — not the completion of the Bible.

Winger appeals to 1 Cor 15 (same letter, shortly after ch. 13) as the definitive referent for "when the perfect comes."

1 Corinthians 15 cessationism 1 Corinthians 15 eschatology
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-26

Winger's church practice: open to Spirit-prompted words but does not structure services around spiritual gifts; anti-normative posture.

Q&A response about how gifts function in his church.

continuationism church order spiritual gifts
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Hebrew word ra — range of meaning includes calamity, distress, harm, not only moral evil

Mike examines the Hebrew word translated "evil" in Isaiah 45:7 using multiple lexicons

Isaiah 45:7 semantic range Isaiah 45:7 ra
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Modern translations render ra in Isaiah 45:7 as calamity/disaster, not evil — English has shifted

Mike explains why the KJV uses "evil" and why modern translations differ

Isaiah 45:7 ESV NASB NIV
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Q&A: If God gave us a wicked heart, can we blame him? — Shaking fist at God is foolish

Audience question on whether God bears responsibility for human sinfulness

salvation sin free will
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Q&A: How to responsibly use Hebrew and Greek resources without knowing the languages

Practical advice for laypeople on lexical Bible study

hermeneutics Strong's Concordance Blue Letter Bible
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-24

1 Timothy 2:1-6 — God desires all people to be saved; Christ gave himself as ransom for all

Mike's central proof-text for the Father's universal salvific intention.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 unlimited atonement universal salvific will 1 Timothy 2:1-6
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-24

Negative inference fallacy: Romans 8 makes inclusive statements, not exclusive ones about the atonement's extent

Mike's main exegetical response to the Calvinist use of Romans 8.

Romans 8:29-32 hermeneutics limited atonement negative inference fallacy
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-24

1 John 4:3-5 and 5:19 — "the whole world lies under the power of the evil one" confirms kosmos is non-elect

Clinching evidence for the meaning of kosmos in 1 John from chapter 5.

1 John 4:3-5 1 John 5:19 limited atonement kosmos 1 John 4:3-5
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

Slogan 5: "Sincere people will be okay" — sincerity is not a sufficient standard

Fourth slogan addressed

human nature religious pluralism sincerity argument
Mike Winger idea 2019-10-02

Slogan 6: "God knows our hearts and good people will be okay" — people are not actually good

Final and most substantial of the six slogans

original sin human nature total depravity
Mike Winger idea 2019-10-02

Q&A: Why did God allow bears to kill 42 children for mocking Elisha? (2 Kings 2:23-24)

Viewer question from Pedro Jr.

2 Kings 2:23-24 apologetics Hebrew exegesis 2 Kings 2:23-24
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Even granting that baptism parallels circumcision as a covenant sign, differences undermine the infant baptism inference

Winger grants the circumcision-as-covenant-sign parallel arguendo and then examines whether it actually supports infant baptism.

typology baptism covenant
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

1 Corinthians 7:13-16 — children are "holy" through a believing parent but this has nothing to do with baptism

Winger examines another verse used by some to support infant baptism.

1 Corinthians 7:13-16 sanctification infant baptism 1 Corinthians 7:13-16
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

Christians have confident, warranted belief in Christianity apart from evidence through the Holy Spirit

Core thesis introduced: knowledge of Christianity's truth comes primarily through the Holy Spirit, not evidence

Holy Spirit epistemology faith and reason
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

Credit to William Lane Craig's article in Five Views on Apologetics for the knowing/showing framework

Attribution of intellectual source material

William Lane Craig knowing vs. showing apologetic methodology
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

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 faith and reason
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

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

evangelism apologetics atheism
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Culture's gospel of external beauty is antithetical to the Christian emphasis on inner godly character

Application of the 1 Tim 2:9 principle to contemporary women's ministry and culture.

1 Timothy 2:9 cultural critique women's ministry 1 Timothy 2:9
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

1 Peter 3:3-4 reinforces 1 Tim 2:9: true adornment is the gentle and quiet spirit, not external appearance

Reading and brief exposition of 1 Peter 3:3-4 as a parallel to 1 Timothy 2:9.

1 Peter 3:3-4 1 Timothy 2:9 Sarah Abraham gentle and quiet spirit
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Pastoral counsel for Christians with habitual sin: radical repentance, not patchwork solutions

Q from Ariane Nisha about how to pray for a believer not walking with God due to habitual sin and lack of intimacy with God.

repentance sanctification pastoral care
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Communion/eucharist: real and important but not transubstantiation; early church writings are secondary to Scripture; John 6 is not about communion

Q from Chris Middleton about Mike's views on communion/eucharist and how much weight early church writings should carry.

John 6 Council of Trent doctrinal development communion
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Michael Heiser: highly commended as a scholar-communicator; divine council theory (Deut 32, Ps 82) personally rejected but engagement required

Q from David Hinnebog asking for comment on Michael Heiser and his divine council theory.

1 Samuel 28 Deuteronomy 32 Psalm 82 Michael Heiser monotheism 1 Samuel 28
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

Women and pornography: the church's silence stems from greater shame; solutions come from women who have found victory speaking out

Response to viewer asking for Christian resources for women struggling with pornography and why the church focuses more on men.

church culture sexual sin shame
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

Romans 10:9 — confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in the heart involves personal yielding and trust, not merely intellectual assent

Response to Ryan Hasty asking how to know if one believes in the heart versus merely thinking the evidence points toward Christianity being true.

Romans 10:9 confession Romans 10:9 lordship
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Faith as small as a mustard seed — the call is to use existing faith, not to manufacture more

Question from Lavell Martinez about the tension between being told to have great faith and Jesus saying mustard-seed faith moves mountains.

Luke 17:5-6 faith discipleship mustard seed
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Mark 16:17-18 — the signs follow believers as a community/historically, not as individual mandates for every Christian

Question from Chretienis about Mark 16:17-18 and helping people escape the prosperity gospel.

Mark 16:17-18 Acts 28 textual criticism healing prosperity gospel
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

Spiritual gifts are discerned by what you are good at, not merely what excites you

Second part of Faded Princess's question about how to identify one's gifts

spiritual gifts vocation gifts of the Spirit
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

Jesus's letters to the seven churches in Revelation show the visible church often fails to represent Christ

Biblical support for why church failures do not disprove Christianity

Revelation 2-3 church history Revelation 2-3 seven churches of Revelation
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

Parable of the Wheat and Tares explains the presence of ungodly people within the visible church

Second biblical resource for answering the bloody-church-history objection

Matthew 13 church history visible vs invisible church Parable of the Wheat and Tares
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Mike's anti-Calvinist argument: faith is not a work regardless of its source; the Calvinist objection tries to smuggle faith into the "works" category

Mike's response to the Calvinist framing of faith as a "good work" that requires prior regeneration

Galatians 2 Romans 11:6 Genesis 15:6 Galatians 2 Abraham Romans 11:6
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

The one true sign in Matthew 24 is the Abomination of Desolation — referenced from Daniel 9

Mike identifies the single definitive sign Jesus gives in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 eschatology
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

Short-term mission trips are often inefficient — local missionaries are more effective with the same funds

Mike continues on the mission trip question with personal experience and practical critique.

stewardship mission trips short-term missions
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Question about how to evangelize a friend who denies objective truth (relativism/anti-realism)

Question from Colby Hill about a friend with relativistic epistemological views who says Christianity is true for you but not for me.

evangelism epistemology relativism
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Lukewarm defined: a Christian who has conformed to surrounding culture — worldliness that replaced former zeal

Mike's interpretation of the hot/cold/lukewarm symbolism in Revelation 3.

lukewarm Revelation 3:16 lukewarm worldliness zeal
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Book of Acts as counter-example to private faith: the apostles were imprisoned and beaten rather than stop speaking about Jesus

Closing reinforcement of the bold witness argument.

Acts Acts persecution bold witness
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

Noahide Laws conspiracy theory is rooted in anti-Semitism and misrepresents Jewish belief

Responding to John Ernest's question about whether Noahide Laws pose a threat to Christians

conspiracy theory Noahide Laws anti-Semitism
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

Habitual sin and salvation: honest uncertainty, but the answer is always to press toward Christ rather than despair

Responding to Adriano's question about whether living in habitual sin from addiction while truly wanting to stop means he is unsaved

1 John 1 John 2:1 Peter 1 John perseverance
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Can a Christian marry a Catholic? — Gospel distinction and the unequally yoked principle

A viewer asks whether a Christian can marry a Catholic.

2 Corinthians 6:14 marriage false gospel Catholicism
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Are we the last generation? — Acts 1:7 epistemic humility; abomination of desolation as one signpost

A viewer asks if Mike believes we are the last generation before Christ's return.

Matthew 24:15 Acts 1:7 Matthew 24:15 eschatology Martin Luther
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Death before the Fall: Romans 5 and 8 address human death, not animal death

Question about whether macro-evolution is consistent with Scripture given death entered through sin.

Romans 5:12 Romans 8:20-22 young earth creationism Fall of Man Romans 5:12
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

"Sanctified" in 1 Corinthians 7:14 does not mean saved; it describes the practical, behavioral influence a believing spouse has on an unbelieving one and on the children.

Meaning of "sanctification" in 1 Corinthians 7:14

1 Corinthians 7:14 semantic range marriage sanctification
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's claim that the NT contains anti-Semitic propaganda and forged passages is theologically foolish — it substitutes his personal agenda for textual criticism and makes him the effective authority over Scripture.

Q: What do you think of Shmuley Boteach's claim that the NT has anti-Semitic propaganda Christians should reject as forgeries?

Romans 9-11 Shmuley Boteach Anti-Semitism and the New Testament Romans 9-11
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

The NT is pro-Jewish rather than anti-Semitic: Romans 9-11 teaches the future salvation of all Israel, the gospel goes to the Jew first, and Jesus and all the original apostles are Jewish.

Counter-argument to the anti-Semitism charge against the NT.

Acts of the Apostles Romans 9-11 Romans 1:16 — Jew First Acts of the Apostles Romans 9-11 Jewish Salvation / Two-Covenant Theology
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 establishes mutual bodily authority in marriage and implicitly rules out polygamy

Reading and exposition of 1 Corinthians 7 on conjugal rights

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 Paul 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 conjugal rights
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