Search — Theology Explorer

James Crossley John Dominic Crossan scholarly consensus Bart Ehrman historicity of Jesus

Objection that scholars affirm historicity only because they signed faith statements is refuted by citing atheist/agnostic scholars who agree

Responding to the claim that Christian bias explains scholarly consensus on historicity

scholarly consensus historicity of Jesus Society of Biblical Literature

Suggestion to mythicists: attend the Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting and ask scholars directly whether Jesus existed

Practical advice for those skeptical of scholarly consensus

scholarly consensus resurrection crucifixion of Jesus

Virtual scholarly consensus on historical facts about Jesus: lived in Palestine, believed special relationship with God, performed astonishing deeds, taught in parables, criticized Jewish leaders, crucified under Pilate

Summarizing the bedrock facts about Jesus accepted by virtually all historians including non-Christians

historicity of Jesus extra-biblical sources Suetonius

Suetonius's reference to "Chrestus" in Life of Claudius possibly refers to Jesus — but Suetonius is chronologically challenged if it does

Discussing Suetonius as a possible extra-biblical source for Jesus

Acts 9 Paul resurrection appearances hallucination hypothesis

Did Paul hallucinate seeing Jesus? Hallucinations are private, not group experiences — Paul's companions also saw the light and heard the voice (Acts 9)

Audience Q about whether Paul hallucinated his encounter with the risen Jesus

1 Corinthians 15:20 1 Corinthians 15:23 Paul resurrection bodily resurrection

Paul's resurrection theology reconstructed from 1 Corinthians 15: Christ is firstfruits; believers will be raised at Christ's coming in the same manner

Paul's own teaching on the nature of resurrection

2 Corinthians 5:8 Philippians 1:20-22 Paul eschatology intermediate state

Paul's eschatology: 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:20-22 show an intermediate disembodied state after death, before the final bodily resurrection

Paul's two-stage eschatological framework

Paul bodily resurrection resurrection appearances

Summary: Paul taught physical/bodily resurrection; hallucination theory fails; Paul was not grieving Jesus's death — he was glad Jesus was dead before his conversion

Concluding the section on Paul's resurrection belief

epistemology Jesus mythicism historicity of Jesus

Red flags for mythicists: fringe scholarly support + primarily internet bloggers = gullibility warning; comparable to moon landing denialism and Holocaust denial

Warning signs that a position may be a conspiracy theory

cessationism continuationism spiritual gifts

Cessationism defined: miraculous gifts belonged to the apostolic era only, served a unique founding purpose, and ceased before the canon closed.

Winger reads a definition from Theapedia. He contrasts it with continuationism, which holds the gifts are normative and available today.

Bethel Church false prophecy discernment

Teresa Dedmon / Bethel: selling art as a vehicle for "spiritual impartation" and prophetic clothing that enhances God's presence is false teaching and commercial exploitation.

Second specific example from Bethel: the creative arts director's website claims her paintings and clothing impart heaven's presence.

continuationism spiritual gifts prophecy

Personal testimony: Winger reports a small number of personal experiences he believes were genuine prophetic insights that subsequently proved true.

Winger offers experiential (not dogmatic) support for remaining open to the gifts.

1 Corinthians 14 Romans 8 1 Corinthians 13:1 1 Corinthians 14 Romans 8 spiritual gifts

Q&A: Tongues in 1 Cor 14 are actual languages; tongues always requires genuine linguistic communication; "groaning" in Romans 8 is distinct from the gift of tongues.

Response to viewer question about whether 1 Cor 14 tongues are languages or ecstatic utterances.

biblical authority apologetics discernment

Warning against seeking comfort in progressive or unorthodox theology as a false catharsis; such teachers typically demonize biblical Christianity to wedge in their reinterpretations.

Q&A response about walking with a friend questioning traditional beliefs, specifically mentioning Greg Boyd.

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Contextual argument: peace (shalom) vs. calamity is the correct contrast, not peace vs. moral evil

Mike moves from lexical analysis to contextual/structural analysis of the verse

Isaiah 45:7 contextual interpretation Isaiah 45:7 ra

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Christian response to suffering: trust God's sovereign goodness despite not knowing the outcome

Pastoral application regarding suffering and theodicy

theodicy suffering faith

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Q&A: Proverbs 16:33 and divine sovereignty — layered sovereignty model, not hard determinism

Audience question about whether God meticulously controls all things

Proverbs Job Proverbs 16:33 Proverbs free will Job

calling youth ministry Hosanna Christian Fellowship

Calling to online ministry: A strong sense of divine compulsion in 2012

Winger describes how in 2012 he experienced an unusual, intense sense that he had to do something in ministry beyond his local church.

BibleThinker atheist objections to Christianity YouTube ministry

Starting YouTube: Identifying a vacuum of quality Christian online content

Winger began experimenting with YouTube after feeling called to reach beyond his local church, motivated by the dominance of scoffing and misrepresentation of Christianity online.

discipleship apologetics biblical worldview

Four target audiences for BibleThinker ministry

Winger articulates the specific audiences he aims to reach through his online ministry.

BibleThinker Gary Ansdell ministry transition

December 2017: Senior pastor redirects Winger to prioritize online ministry

Pastor Gary challenged Winger with a hypothetical that forced a reckoning over ministry priorities.

marketplace of ideas evangelism Paul the Apostle online ministry

Analogy: Paul would be doing online ministry today

Winger reflects on the scale and nature of online ministry as a modern equivalent to reaching the marketplace of ideas.

discipleship youth ministry ministry transition

Burnout and shedding responsibilities: Transitioning out of youth ministry

The combination of youth pastoring, online ministry, and other church roles became physically unsustainable.

evangelism gospel death and dying

Q&A: How to share the gospel with a dying family member who may not be saved

Question from someone whose family member appears to be unsaved and is likely dying soon.

Psalm 22 Luke 21 eschatology preterism Psalm 22

Q&A: Luke 21 and preterism — is it fulfilled prophecy?

Question from a self-identified preterist asking why Winger does not see Luke 21 as fulfilled prophecy.

John Owen universalism limited atonement John Owen

Objection 4 stated: John Owen's trilemma

Classic Calvinist logical argument from John Owen's Death of Death in the Death of Christ.

hell divine justice limited atonement

Objection 5 stated: double jeopardy / double payment

If Christ paid for everyone's sins, it is unjust to punish anyone further.

1 John 2:2 limited atonement kosmos 1 John 2:2

Sixth item: clear Scripture texts refuting limited atonement — especially 1 John 2:2

Mike previews the scriptural section at the end of the video, noting White directly responded to this verse.

1 John 2:2 kosmos 1 John 2:2 propitiation

1 John 2:2 refutes Trinitarian harmony: Jesus is propitiation for the whole world, not just believers

Mike applies 1 John 2:2 directly against the Trinitarian harmony argument.

1 Timothy 4:10 1 Timothy 4:10 unlimited atonement extent vs. application

1 Timothy 4:10 — God is the savior of all people, especially those who believe

Mike cites 1 Tim 4:10 as another clear text against limited atonement.

Trinity faith unlimited atonement

Response to Trinitarian harmony #2: the Father can have complexity in his desires — saving all who believe

Mike offers a positive alternative to the Calvinist Trinitarian harmony construct.

faith unlimited atonement extent vs. application

Extent vs. application: atonement intended for all, applied to those who believe

Mike's synthesis of the Father's intent in the atonement.

Romans 8:29-32 hermeneutics limited atonement negative inference fallacy

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 Romans (book) hermeneutics union with Christ Romans 8:29-32

Romans 8 is about benefits to those in Christ, not an exclusive statement limiting the atonement's extent

Contextual argument about what Romans 8 is actually teaching.

Matthew 22:14 Mark 16:15 Great Commission gospel proclamation limited atonement

Many are called but few are chosen; preaching the gospel to all implies a genuine offer for all

Mike uses the Great Commission and related teaching to argue against limited atonement's pastoral coherence.

Romans 10:9-13 faith unlimited atonement genuine offer of salvation

Romans 10:9-13 — the emphasis of Romans is on faith, not on limiting who Christ died for

Mike applies the theological logic of Romans to the limited atonement debate.

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.

Ephesians 2:1-3 election limited atonement intercession

Ephesians 2 refutes the intercession argument: the elect were still under wrath after the cross, before believing

Mike uses Ephesians 2 as a direct rebuttal to the Calvinist intercession/atonement link.

Ephesians 2:8-9 Ephesians 2:11-13 Ephesians 2:8-9 faith atonement

Ephesians 2:11-13 reinforces: benefits of Christ's blood applied at the moment of belief, not at the cross

Further use of Ephesians 2 to argue for the extent/application distinction.

Hebrews 7:25 election unlimited atonement intercession

Hebrews intercession summary: Christ intercedes for whoever draws near, not a closed list of predetermined elect

Mike's final summary on the intercession argument.

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 faith limited atonement trilemma

Owen's trilemma implies the elect were forgiven before they believed — which Ephesians 2 contradicts

Secondary refutation of the trilemma from Ephesians 2.

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.

faith imputation unlimited atonement

Christ's work is not applied until belief; payment and application are two distinct moments

Positive resolution to the double payment problem.

divine justice unlimited atonement double jeopardy / double payment

Legal pardon analogy: a rejected pardon does not eliminate the sentence

Mike uses a legal illustration to support his double payment response.

1 John 3:1 1 John 3:13 hermeneutics limited atonement kosmos

1 John 3:1 and 3:13 — "world" in the same letter refers to those who do not know God

Mike surveys other uses of kosmos in 1 John to establish the author's usage.

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

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.