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All (434) Mike Winger (434)
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Hebrews 6:4-6 is the most challenging apostasy passage in the Bible; Mike is not yet ready to give a definitive answer on it

Question from Folky about the warning in Hebrews 6:4-6 regarding those who seem to have experienced salvation but then fall away

Hebrews 6:4-6 eternal security apostasy Hebrews 6:4-6
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Introduction to soul sleep vs. immediate presence with God at death

Opening question of the 20 Questions livestream format

soul sleep intermediate state death and afterlife
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

How Gospel writers knew what Jesus said when alone — Garden of Gethsemane example

Question from Meg Ward about eyewitness accounts for scenes where Jesus was alone

James John Matthew Peter James John
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

Divine hardening in John's Gospel as a challenge to Calvinist Total Depravity

Mike argues divine hardening is inconsistent with Total Depravity.

Exodus Gospel of John Calvinism Exodus
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

Cheerful giving — the problem is the grudge, not the giving

Q from Folky about whether it is better not to give if you cannot give cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9 Sanctification Giving 2 Corinthians 9
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Introduction: 20 Questions format — answering live chat questions to teach biblical thinking

Opening of the livestream. Mike explains the goal of the show.

apologetics methodology biblical thinking
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Whether lukewarm Christians are saved: this verse addresses corporate church impact, not individual salvation status

Mike addresses the specific salvation question from the Laodicea passage.

lukewarm Revelation 3:16 salvation lukewarm eternal security
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Living peaceably with a difficult family member: Romans 12:18 — 'as much as it depends on you'

Question from Josiah about conflict with a family member at home.

Romans 12:18 Romans 12:18 conflict resolution peacemaking
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

John Walton's temple language view and William Lane Craig's archetypal history view are named as options within Christian faith

Mike surveys distinct Christian interpretive positions on Genesis 1-11

Genesis 1-11 John Walton William Lane Craig Genesis 1-11 creation debate
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

Introduction to subscriber Q&A hangout format

Mike opens his first Q&A livestream, explaining the format and ground rules for how questions will be taken from the chat.

fulfilled prophecy Q&A format Rethink Conference
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Mike Bickle and IHOP — cautious non-answer; requires 60+ hours of research before opining

A viewer asks Mike's opinion of Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer.

Bill Johnson charismatic movement Mike Bickle
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Scriptures for believers needing deliverance — Romans 6 for sin, Philippians 4 for oppression

A viewer at 3am asks for scriptures for believers needing deliverance.

Philippians 4 Romans 6 Proverbs 11:14 Philippians 4 Romans 6 pastoral counseling
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Handling a friend pursuing unbiblical mysticism — staged intervention using Galatians 6:1-2

Mike answers an emailed question from Nikki about a close Christian friend who keeps pursuing mystical and unbiblical things despite multiple conversations.

Matthew 18:15-17 Galatians 6:1-2 false teaching church discipline mysticism
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Sin leading to death in 1 John 5:16-17 — interpretation depends on prior theology

Question about whether 1 John 5:16-17 implies one can lose salvation.

1 John 5:16-17 hermeneutics eisegesis salvation
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Christian liberty includes disobeying government when God's commands conflict with the state

Continued discussion of biblical liberty.

Acts 5:29 Acts 5:29 conscience civil disobedience
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Genesis 1-11 genre: separating science from exegesis; evaluating young earth, Walton, and William Lane Craig's archetypal history view

Question about the creation account in Genesis and young earth creationism vs. modern science.

Genesis 1-11 John Walton hermeneutics Adam and Eve young earth creationism
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus "Everlasting Father" - Mike cannot recall his full answer but recommends James White's The Forgotten Trinity and Got Questions for responses to Oneness Pentecostal use of the verse.

Question about Isaiah 9:6 and Oneness Pentecostalism

James White Isaiah 9:6 Trinity James White Isaiah 9:6
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Women speaking in Bible study (reading, praying, giving commentary but not teaching) - Mike's short answer is that none of those things are prohibited; the restriction relates to formal teaching authority.

Question about women speaking during Bible study

women in ministry egalitarianism gender roles
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Using frequency of tongues-speaking as a spiritual credential is spiritually abusive; Mike refuses to disclose personal charismatic experiences in that context.

Spiritual abuse in hyper-charismatic circles around tongues-speaking

1 Corinthians 12 tongues charismatic theology gifts of the Spirit
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Assurance about a loved one's salvation: if they professed faith and their life evidenced it, trust they are in heaven; if they clearly rejected Christ, honest uncertainty is appropriate.

Question: how can you know a loved one went to heaven?

salvation assurance death and afterlife
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Prayer is powerful precisely because God's will can be conditionally contingent on prayer — he may desire to do something but not do it if we do not pray; Moses' intercession for Israel is the paradigmatic example.

Answering the secondary question: what is the point of praying if it is already God's will?

Exodus 32 — Moses Intercession Prayer Divine Sovereignty and Human Free Will Moses — Intercession
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Introduction and ministry update for 2021

Opening of first livestream of 2021 (New Year's Day)

thinking biblically BibleThinker ministry
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Goal: teach people to think biblically, not just memorize answers

Ministry philosophy discussion

discipleship biblical thinking
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q9: Is it sinful to not want to marry? Singleness is a gift, not inferior to marriage

Response to viewer asking about call to singleness

1 Corinthians 7 Matthew 19 1 Corinthians 7 marriage singleness
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q13: Anxiety about salvation and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit — prayer and resource recommendation

Response to viewer ("Spazzy Jazzy") anxious about salvation and blasphemy of Holy Spirit

Hebrews 12:2 Holy Spirit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit anxiety
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q20: Is hell a literal place of fire and gnashing of teeth, or metaphorical? Open question, research project planned

Response to question about the nature of hell

Matthew 25:41 Revelation 20:10 metaphor eschatology fire
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

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 14:23 Romans 14:23 conscience faith
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

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)

Mark 8:24 Jesus Mark 8:24 healing
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Hillsong is not a progressive church — progressives target traditional Christianity, Hillsong seeks an inclusive umbrella

Answering whether Hillsong qualifies as theologically progressive.

Bethel Church Christian unity Hillsong
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

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.

1 Timothy 2:5 1 Timothy 2:5 Temple theology Ark of the Covenant
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Spiritual gifts cannot be taught or transferred — they are given by the Spirit as he wills

Question from Ad Chan about whether spiritual gifts can be taught.

1 Corinthians 12 Spiritual gifts 1 Corinthians 12 Holy Spirit sovereignty
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

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.

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
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Lust and pornography as stress relief: the sin creates more stress than it relieves; Romans 7-8 and walking in the Spirit

Question from Adriano about being tempted by lust online and watching pornography to deal with stress.

Romans 7-8 Matthew 4:3 sanctification temptation lust
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike answers a question about the race of Jesus, concluding that Jesus was Jewish by lineage but that racial categorization is not meaningful since he holds there is only one human race; he notes Jesus likely had a medium skin tone.

Response to viewer question about the race of Jesus

Jesus Rahab Jewish identity
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike wrestles with whether the American Revolution violated Romans 13 (submission to government), concluding he cannot make a confident judgment but personally sympathizes with the revolutionaries and affirms his current submission to the established American government.

Response to viewer question about the American Revolution and Romans 13

1 Peter Romans 13 1 Peter just war Romans 13
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike declines to comment on Coptic/Oriental Orthodox theology due to insufficient knowledge, but raises concerns about Eastern Orthodox extra-biblical tradition and recounts a personal experience of a woman who left his church for an Eastern Orthodox group and could no longer articulate the gospel.

Response to viewer question about Coptic/Oriental Orthodox theology

Eastern Orthodoxy gospel Sola Scriptura
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike wraps up after about an hour, promoting his upcoming Thursday debate on the resurrection against an atheist named Paul from Paulogia on the Non-Sequitur Show, and instructs viewers to enable YouTube notifications.

Closing remarks and debate promotion

apologetics resurrection of Jesus debate
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike closes the livestream, identifies his debate opponent as Paul from Paulogia on the Non-Sequitur Show, scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m., and asks for prayers.

Final closing remarks

apologetics resurrection of Jesus debate
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

Advice to someone whose church is becoming hyper-charismatic: leave, if you must, without bitterness, motivated only by principle and love.

Question from Jay Parker about whether to leave a church moving toward hyper-charismaticism after elders dismissed critique of the Passion Translation as nitpicking.

Galatians 5 Galatians 5 Passion Translation Hyper-charismatic movement
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Free will is biblically assumed throughout Scripture — humans are treated as responsible agents making real choices

Continuing the free will answer, Mike argues that the assumption of free choice and moral responsibility permeates the entire biblical narrative.

atheism free will moral responsibility
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Belief in Christ's resurrection transforms the believer's relationship to death — to die is to pass into God's presence

Mike continues his counsel on fear of death, drawing on the resurrection and Paul's teaching.

2 Corinthians 5:8 John 11 Paul the Apostle resurrection 2 Corinthians 5:8
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

1 John 3:20-21 — God is greater than our condemning heart; confidence before God is the mature Christian posture

Mike continues the fear-of-death answer, noting many Christians are condemned not by actual rebellion but by vague fear.

1 John 3:20-21 assurance of salvation fear of judgment 1 John 3:20-21
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q8: Is God present in hell? Yes in omniscience but not in felt/manifest presence — Psalm 139 explored

Viewer Angela Juarez asks whether an omnipresent God is also present in hell.

Psalm 139 Moses omniscience omnipresence
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q15: Matthew 11:22-24 — If Sodom would have repented at Jesus's miracles, why didn't Jesus go to Sodom? Christians need not have an answer to every question

Viewer Lawrence H asks why Jesus did not perform miracles in Sodom to prevent its destruction, given Jesus's statement in Matthew 11.

Matthew 11:22-24 apologetics divine judgment Sodom and Gomorrah
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

God's timing for the Incarnation was strategically optimal — Jesus came when manuscript distribution, roads, and population growth maximized gospel spread

Mike continues the Matthew 11 answer by addressing why Jesus did not go to Sodom in the past.

Matthew 11:22-24 manuscript evidence apologetics Providence
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q20: Do we need to feel bad for sin when we repent, or is knowing it is wrong enough? Feeling is healthy but not required — emotions are the caboose of the train

Viewer Joel Larson asks whether genuine repentance requires feeling bad about sin, noting his ex-girlfriend does not feel bad about their shared sexual sin.

2 Corinthians 4 repentance sanctification Paul the Apostle
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Introduction to Friday Q&A format

Pastor Mike opens the show, noting he will answer up to 20 questions and will admit when he does not know something.

intellectual honesty Q&A format pastoral teaching
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Question: Why is demonic activity so prevalent in the NT vs. OT?

Viewer Tinkerbell Bear asks why the New Testament has so many examples of demons being cast out while the Old Testament rarely mentions demonic possession.

New Testament Old Testament exorcism
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Question: Synoptic differences — disciples called before/after healing Peter's mother-in-law; Luke heals by rebuking the fever

Viewer Stephen Wilson asks about the differences between Matthew/Mark (disciples called before healing) and Luke (called after; heals by rebuking the fever).

Luke Matthew Mark synoptic problem Luke Matthew