Search — Theology Explorer

word of wisdom word of knowledge prophecy

Cessationism vs. continuationism — Mike holds continuationism but respects cessationists

A viewer asks what Mike thinks about cessationists.

Ephesians 2:2 Satan spiritual warfare kingdom of darkness

Conspiracy theories — Satan as the real unseen puppet master (Ephesians 2:2)

A viewer asks if Mike believes any conspiracy theories.

Revelation eschatology fulfilled prophecy Revelation

Preterism — all Bible prophecy fulfilled by 70 AD; Mike disagrees and will debate it on Remnant Radio

A viewer asks: if Revelation was all about Rome, what would be the point of it?

Philippians 4 Romans 6 Proverbs 11:14 Philippians 4 Romans 6 pastoral counseling

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

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

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 elder qualifications youth ministry

Can a high school student give a sermon? — Giving a message vs. holding the office of elder

A viewer asks whether biblical leadership qualifications prevent a high school student from giving a message at a school Bible study.

Matthew 4 1 Peter 5:8 Ephesians 6:12 spiritual warfare Holy Spirit indwelling exorcism

Can a Christian be demonized or possessed? — No, the Spirit-indwelt believer cannot be internally possessed

A viewer asks if a Christian can be demonized and if Mike has ever cast out a demon.

discernment worship music Bethel

Worship music evaluation — two questions: is the song sound? Do I want to partner with the movement?

A viewer asks whether worship music should contain Scripture and doctrine, and whether Chris Tomlin and Jesus Culture are fine.

Matthew 18:15-17 Galatians 6:1-2 false teaching church discipline mysticism

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.

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

1 Corinthians 14:22 — tongues are a sign for unbelievers only when interpreted; the apparent contradiction explained

Question about the apparent flip in 1 Corinthians 14:22-23 where tongues are a sign for unbelievers yet unbelievers will think speakers are mad.

1 Corinthians 14:22-23 spiritual gifts tongues 1 Corinthians 14:22-23

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Temptation originates primarily from one's own sinful desires, not Satan — James 1:13-15

Question about whether all temptation comes from Satan/demons or from one's sinful self.

James 1:13-15 personal responsibility Satan sin

Ezekiel Ezekiel demonology apologetics

UFO sightings: the Christian worldview has a third explanatory option beyond aliens or government - angelic/demonic activity.

UFO sightings and Christian worldview

spiritual warfare apologetics UFOs

Some people abandon faith over UFO sightings because they do not consider alternative explanations like demonic activity; alien existence is not a defeater for Christianity.

Spiritual danger of UFO-driven deconversion

Hebrews 13:2 Genesis 18 Genesis 19 Abraham angelos angelology

Hebrews 13:2 - entertaining angels unawares; the word angelos means messenger but probably refers to spiritual beings here, based on OT cross-references (Genesis 18-19).

Question on Hebrews 13:2 - hospitality and angels

Hebrews 13:2 hermeneutics angelology Hebrews 13:2

Entertaining angels unawares is a super-rare event in Scripture; the main application of Hebrews 13:2 is the importance of showing kindness to strangers, not predicting frequency of angelic visits.

Application of Hebrews 13:2

2 Kings 6 spiritual warfare Elisha angelology

Angels do occasionally interact tangibly with creation; 2 Kings example of Elisha's servant needing eyes opened, and angelic armies that physically engaged enemies.

Do angels interact tangibly with creation?

Romans 8:28 suffering providence prosperity gospel

Romans 8:28 is the biblical basis for saying "good things are coming" in hard times; the phrase is fine if stripped of materialistic or time-specific implications.

Is "good things are coming when you face struggles" biblical or prosperity gospel?

Holy Spirit repentance revival

Revival is biblical; Mike defines it as significant corporate repentance and walking rightly with God, not primarily as an outpouring of spectacular spiritual gifts.

Question: is revival biblical?

cessationism Holy Spirit tongues

Mike identifies as charismatic (gifts active today, cessationism rejected) but not hyper-charismatic; he opposes fabricating gifts and "Acts 2.0" theology.

Question clarifying what Mike means by calling himself charismatic

1 Corinthians 12 tongues charismatic theology gifts of the Spirit

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 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols 1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols Christian Liberty / Conscience Worship Music and Discernment

Worship leaders bear collective responsibility to their congregations: presenting music in corporate worship is like preparing a meal for everyone — songs known to cause stumbling should be avoided.

Application of the meat-in-marketplace analogy to congregational worship leading.

1 Samuel — Spirit on Saul Saul Nebuchadnezzar ra

The 'evil spirit from the Lord' that afflicted Saul may simply mean a harmful/distressing spirit (Hebrew ra = bad/harmful, not necessarily morally evil), and God allowing adversarial spirits as discipline for rebellion is not itself immoral.

Continued discussion of the evil spirit from God in 1 Samuel.

Baptism Sacramentology Salvation — Faith not Ritual

Baptism does not require a perfect or specially credentialed person — find a genuine Christian you respect and be baptized; Jesus saves, not the baptism or the baptizer.

Practical baptism advice for the former JW questioner.

Prayer Doubt and Faith Trust in God vs. Feelings

In times of psychological doubt, stop requiring emotional confirmation from Bible reading, worship, and prayer — treat spiritual disciplines as objectively worth doing regardless of how they feel.

Practical strategies for overcoming psychological/emotional doubt.

Spiritual Gifts Ministry and Disability Calling and Gifting

A person with Asperger's who fears public speaking should identify what they are actually gifted at and build ministry around those strengths rather than forcing it through their weakness.

Q: I suffer from Asperger's syndrome and have fear of crowds and public speaking — is my fear a valid reason not to spread God's word?

Spiritual Gifts Calling and Gifting Teaching Gift

Mike's own primary gift is teaching, not worship leading — he did worship leading for years out of necessity but recognized it was not his strongest gift; leaning into actual gifts maximizes ministry impact.

Personal illustration of the spiritual-gifts-discernment principle.

James 1:14-15 sanctification sin temptation

Q5: Do Christians sin every second? Distinguishing temptation from sin

Response to question about frequency of sin in the Christian life

Galatians 6:1 sin habitual sin humility

Galatians 6: distinction between living in sin vs. occasional sin

Continuing Q5 on Christian sin frequency

spiritual authority Jehovah's Witnesses baptism

Q6 (wrong week): Advice for someone leaving a cult (JW) and finding a church; overcoming spiritual abuse

Response to question about choosing a church after leaving JW (note: Mike realized partway through this was from a previous week's questions)

epistemology theological error intellectual humility

Calibrated theological humility: hold beliefs with appropriate confidence, expect some error, keep learning

Continuing Q14 on following heart vs. conscience vs. Scripture

1 Corinthians 11:10 Ephesians 5:22-25 headship submission marriage

Q19: 1 Corinthians 11:10 and Ephesians 5:23 — no biblical grounds for a husband disciplining his wife

Response to question about whether husbands have authority to discipline wives based on headship texts

Ephesians 6:1 Ephesians 5:22 Ephesians 6:4 submission hupotasso marriage

Wives submit vs. children obey — different words, different authority structures; discipline is for children not wives

Continuing Q19 on husband-wife authority vs. parent-child authority

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

The feeling of "not being there yet" in Christian growth is healthy when it motivates pressing on rather than giving up

Question from Derry Draws about how to grow spiritually when the fire feels gone

Philippians 3:13-14 calling Paul discouragement

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

Jesus warns against vain repetition in prayer — praying a formula many times over can become "heaping up empty phrases"

Exposition of Matthew 6:5-13 in response to the rosary question

Matthew 6:7 Matthew 6:9-13 prayer vain repetition Matthew 6:7

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

Re-baptism is not prescribed in Scripture but can be appropriate when the original baptism lacked genuine understanding

Question from Andrew Green about whether re-baptisms are biblical

2 Corinthians 2 baptism grace re-baptism

1 Corinthians 12 Spiritual gifts 1 Corinthians 12 Holy Spirit sovereignty

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 14 2 Timothy 1:6 1 Corinthians 14 Elijah Spiritual gifts

Though gifts cannot be taught, believers can grow in their expression and use of already-given gifts

Nuanced development of the spiritual gifts question.

John 13:2 Ephesians 6:16 John 13:2 Prayer Satan / demonic activity

There is no biblical confirmation that Satan can read human thoughts, but he can place thoughts in the heart

Question from Juliet Isil about whether there is biblical basis for Satan not hearing silent prayers.

2 Timothy 1:7 Prayer Spiritual warfare 2 Timothy 1:7

Modifying prayer practices out of fear of Satan is itself a spiritual defeat — Christians pray to God in the victory of Christ

Practical application of the Satan/prayer question.

James 5:14 Spiritual warfare Anointing with oil James 5:14

Anointing a home with oil is not taught in the NT but is permissible as an extra-biblical tradition if not turned into a formula or power-grab

Question from Kate about anointing a home with oil for spiritual warfare.

youth ministry discernment spiritual warfare

New age practices on TikTok (astral projection): equip youth by understanding what the practices are before addressing them

Question from Deanna about youth leaders dealing with students exploring new age practices like astral projection found on TikTok.

discernment prosperity gospel apostasy

Why care about false doctrine (prosperity gospel, word of faith)? Because doctrinal error has real-world spiritual consequences

Question from Tony about why false doctrine matters if it does not compromise salvation.

discipleship spiritual leadership mentoring

Discipleship readiness: everyone can encourage immediately; formal leadership is about raising others up, not establishing authority

Second part of Bree Herb's question: how do you know when you are ready to disciple others?

1 Corinthians 10:13 sanctification temptation sin

1 Corinthians 10:13 -- No temptation is beyond your ability; sinning is a choice, not compulsion; God provides a way of escape

Question from Bob Satellite who says he cannot stop sinning and feels his heart is too cold to change.