Search — Theology Explorer

catechesis baptism discipleship

Baptism: no required level of knowledge — New Testament pattern is immediate baptism upon faith

Question from Dimitar Bratov about the level of understanding required before baptism

discernment Word of Faith pastoral care

Leaving Word of Faith — approach departing member's sister with invitation, not condemnation

Question from Mimi about leaving a Word of Faith church and its effect on her sister

discernment Word of Faith pastoral care

Empathy as a tool for helping others leave false teaching — remembering your own exit

Additional counsel for Mimi on reaching her sister in Word of Faith

Bible study pastoral ministry teaching

Laziness is a major detriment to teaching ministry — pastors need to study deeply

Further advice on pastoral preparation

Bethel Church discernment Bill Johnson

Feel-good phrases like "you are enough" and "Jesus came to bring a piece of heaven to earth" — ambiguous theology

Question from Ben Johnston about a pastor using feel-good slogans

Bethel Church discernment false doctrine

Approaching a pastor using feel-good theology — gracious challenge, define the terms

Practical advice for Ben on speaking to a feel-good theology pastor

discernment false doctrine pastoral correction

Using a book or resource as a proxy for delivering correction to a defensive pastor

Alternative strategy for Ben Johnston

Calvinism R.C. Sproul TULIP

Introduction to TULIP as a summary of Calvinist theology

Mike opens the Q&A by addressing a Facebook question from Paul Rem about the five points of Calvinism.

Unconditional Election — Mike partly affirms, partly rejects

Second point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism Molinism TULIP

James White John Owen James White Calvinism TULIP

Limited Atonement — Mike firmly rejects it

Third point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism TULIP Free Will

All five TULIP points are ultimately one point: denial of free will

Mike summarizes his overarching critique of Calvinism.

Satan Paganism Demon Possession

Demon possession: less visible in Western cultures due to secular/medical framing

Q&A question from "Only in Antarctica" about why demon possession seems less prevalent today given population growth.

Isaiah Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Jesus Isaiah Isaiah 53

Deutero-Isaiah / multiple authorship of Isaiah — Mike skeptical

Q from "Skeptic Reviews" about the scholarly view that Isaiah had multiple authors.

Proverbs Genesis 24 Proverbs Marriage The One

God as matchmaker — Mike rejects "the one" theology applied universally

Q from Haruhi Anderson about the doctrine that God has one divinely chosen spouse for every Christian.

Oneness Pentecostalism Marriage Trinitarianism

Trinitarian-Oneness Christian marriage — Mike counsels against it

Q from Ash Cash about whether a Trinitarian Christian should marry a Oneness Pentecostal.

Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Isaiah 53 Hermeneutics Isaiah 52

How to construct a biblical theology — start with contextual reading plus the doctrine of inspiration

Q from Nick (Quint/Quiet) about building a biblical theological method.

Judges Judges Just War Pacifism

Just War theory — Mike affirms it; pacifism in all scenarios is evil

Q from Dan Dan about whether an Armenian Christian can go to war in defense against genocide.

1 Samuel 28 Samuel Saul Jehovah's Witnesses

Immortal soul — JW/annihilationist claim that it is a Greek import, not Jewish or biblical

Q from Grace Lou 22 about a JW friend who says the Greek word for soul just means any living being and that the immortal soul concept is Greek philosophy smuggled into Christianity.

Government Voting Civic Responsibility

Voting as a Christian moral obligation in a democracy

Q from Woolpack about whether it is a sin for a Christian not to vote.

Revelation Galatians 6 1 John 3:6 Revelation Galatians 6 Salvation

1 John 3:6 — "keeps on sinning" does not mean Christians reach sinlessness

Q from Nat Atheist about Christians who use 1 John 3:6 to argue for progressive sinlessness/perfectionism.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 62:8 Proverbs 3:5-6 Faith Guidance

Favorite Bible verses for daily courage — Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 62:8

Q from Eighth Day Adventist about Mike's favorite Bible verse for daily encouragement.

Colossians Romans 14 Acts Colossians Romans 14 Mosaic Law

Old Testament dietary laws — not binding on Christians; Isaiah 66 and Ezekiel future prophecy not a present command

Q from Ashley Koenig about whether Christians must follow OT dietary laws, citing Isaiah 66:16-17.

John 1:1 John 1:6 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation theos

John 1:6 refutes JW argument — theos without article still means God Almighty

Mike demonstrates the JW argument is self-defeating using another verse in the same chapter.

John 1:1 Trinity Deity of Christ theos

Dan Wallace on John 1:1: the articular construction fights Sabellianism; the anarthrous predicate fights Arianism

Mike quotes Greek scholar Dan Wallace's commentary on John 1:1.

John 1:1 John 1:18 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation Deity of Christ

John 1:18 further exposes JW inconsistency — theos without article used twice but not rendered "a god"

Mike shows a second example from John 1 that undermines the JW argument.

Matthew 24 hermeneutics secondary issues eschatology

Eschatology is a secondary issue — Christians should not divide over it

Mike closes his Matthew 24 exposition with an appeal for unity.

Matthew 26:46 crucifixion Judas Iscariot Garden of Gethsemane

Matthew 26:46 — Jesus voluntarily walks forward into betrayal and crucifixion

Question from Hunter Clyce about Matthew 26:46.

Numbers 5:27 Numbers 5 NIV abortion divine judgment

Numbers 5 — the Bitter Water trial does not describe an abortion; the NIV translation is mistaken on this point

Question from Dakota Ballard about pro-choice advocates using Numbers 5:27 to support abortion.

Jeremiah 31 Matthew 5:17 Galatians 3 Jeremiah 31 New Covenant fulfillment of the law

The Old Covenant is "eternal" in the sense that Christ fulfilled it — fulfillment, not destruction, transitions to the New Covenant

Question from Jason and Alana about how the Old Covenant can be everlasting yet superseded.

Proverbs Proverbs 13:24 Proverbs parenting corporal punishment

Proverbs 13:24 — the rod is literal corporal punishment; wisdom literature genre does not dissolve literal content

Question from Bethany Ferguson about whether "the rod" is physical punishment or a metaphor for accountability.

hermeneutics social justice impartiality

Jesus did not come to "dismantle systems of oppression" — projecting modern political terminology onto Jesus creates an idol

Question from Steph T about the claim that Jesus came to dismantle systems of oppression.

Hebrews 6 Hebrews 6:4-6 Luke 8:4-15 salvation eternal security Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:4-6 — the most difficult passage in the Bible; three main interpretive options explored

Question from Delante Dingo about whether the Parable of the Sower clarifies Hebrews 6 and whether salvation is eternal.

Romans 8:15 assurance of salvation witness of the Holy Spirit Romans 8:15

Witness of the Holy Spirit is mental/spiritual awareness of sonship, not necessarily emotional feeling; love for God is primarily volitional, not emotional

Question from "JW" about not feeling the witness of the Holy Spirit or love for God despite trusting Christ.

1 Samuel 16 Luke 4:18 spiritual gifts Holy Spirit charismatic movement

"The Anointing" — biblical basis is real but the charismatic formulaic packaging of it is concerning

Question from Lavell Martinez about whether "the anointing" is biblical.

1 Corinthians 3 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 salvation judgment 1 Corinthians 3

1 Corinthians 3 — believers are judged at the Bema for their works (gold/silver/precious stones vs. wood/hay/straw), not for salvation

Question from Emily Bain about how forgiveness of sins relates to judgment day.

Bible translation biblical accuracy The Message Bible

The Message Bible — not a legitimate translation; unfaithful to the original languages; should not be recommended

Question from Jonathan Edwards about recommending The Message Bible.

stewardship mission trips short-term missions

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.

1 Corinthians 16:20 hermeneutics cultural hermeneutics 1 Corinthians 16:20

1 Corinthians 16:20 — "greet one another with a holy kiss" is a culturally applied principle, not a universal command

Question from Sarah Taytano about whether the holy kiss is a binding commandment.

The Passion Translation discernment false teaching

The Mirror Bible by Francois du Toit — described as the worst Bible translation Mike has encountered; announces a dedicated video

Mike previews Monday's upcoming content at the close of the episode.

evangelism epistemology relativism

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.

relativism apologetics methodology Socratic method

Relativism about truth is a self-refuting claim — the claim that there is no objective truth is itself an objective truth claim

Mike's primary philosophical rebuttal to relativism.

Hebrews 7 Genesis 14 Psalms 110 Melchizedek Christophany Hebrews 7

Melchizedek question: Is Melchizedek a theophany/Christophany of Jesus, and how does Hebrews know so much about him?

Question from Christian Liang. Mike provides background on Genesis and Hebrews 7.

typology Melchizedek Christophany

Mike's position: Melchizedek is a type of Christ, not an actual Christophany/theophany

Mike distinguishes between a type (literary/theological correspondence) and a theophany (actual divine appearance).

Hebrews 7:1-3 Melchizedek Hebrews 7:1-3 melek

Reading Hebrews 7:1-3 and analyzing Melchizedek's royal/priestly identity

Mike reads the passage aloud and comments on key descriptors.

Hebrews 7:3 typology Melchizedek Christophany

Hebrews 7:3 — 'without father, without mother, without genealogy': literary vs. literal interpretation

The key debated phrase in the Melchizedek/Christophany debate.

Psalm 110:4 messianic prophecy Melchizedek Psalm 110:4

Melchizedekian priesthood continues in Christ as prophesied in Psalm 110:4

Brief mention connecting Psalm 110 to the Hebrews 7 argument about the eternal priesthood.

1 Corinthians 7:25-40 marriage singleness 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

Is marriage a choice? 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 — singleness and marriage as two equally valid, differently good options

Question from Simeon Botha about whether marriage is God's will or a personal choice.

John 3 Calvinism born again regeneration

John 3 born-again analogy: the Calvinist 'you don't choose to be born' argument is overextended

Question from Chris Glynn about whether John 3's born-again analogy implies no human choice in regeneration.

parental authority communion children and church

Children and communion: readiness is knowledge-based not age-based; parents decide, not the church

Question from Kimberly Mencina about a four-year-old not participating in communion.