Search — Theology Explorer

Q&A livestream during early COVID lockdown period. Mike announces he'll livestream his Sunday night Bible study from home due to government guidelines.

Introduction — COVID-era Q&A

COVID lockdown

Mormonism Kolob Mormonism

Q: Does the Bible say anything about other planets and alien life? No biblical text suggests aliens on other planets. God made stars and planets to display his glory. The only extraterrestrial beings in scripture are God and angels. Mormonism's planet Kolob is the one religion that addresses this — and it's false.

Q&A — aliens and other planets

Q: New church member sharing New Age content. Options: approach the person gently, or approach leadership. Example: Doreen Virtue (former New Age guru) became Christian but retained New Age practices — no Christians helped correct her, they just condemned her. New believers need patient discipleship, not condemnation.

Q&A — New Age content in church

New Age Doreen Virtue

2 Corinthians 3:17 Trinity Trinity 2 Corinthians 3:17

Q: 2 Corinthians 3:17 ("the Lord is the Spirit") — does it teach Jesus is the Holy Spirit? It affirms oneness in God but not Oneness Pentecostal theology. The Spirit is sometimes called the Spirit of Jesus; the Holy Spirit is Christ's presence with us. But the full NT also affirms distinct persons of the Trinity.

Q&A — 2 Corinthians 3:17 and the Trinity

Genesis 6 sons of God Nephilim Nephilim Genesis 6 sons of God

Q: Who are the "sons of God" in Genesis 6? Mike leans toward angelic beings who possessed humans to fornicate with human women, producing the Nephilim. Alternative view: the "sons of God" are the godly line of Seth corrupted by marrying ungodly women. Mike has a detailed video in his 1 Peter series.

Q&A — sons of God in Genesis 6

hell annihilationism hell

Q: Does annihilationism follow from eternal life being dependent on salvation? No — eternal life in Scripture means more than mere existence. People physically alive are called "dead" (spiritually); believers have "eternal life" now while still mortal. Life and death are more than existence and non-existence.

Q&A — annihilationism

Mike Winger idea 2020-03-16

Psalm 91 is NOT a guarantee of divine protection from all disease. Satan himself quoted Psalm 91 to tempt Jesus to jump off the temple (Luke 4:9-12). Jesus responded: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." God CAN protect, but demanding supernatural protection while doing reckless things is testing God, not trusting him.

Psalm 91 and COVID — don't test God

Psalm 91 Luke 4:9-12 temptation of Jesus temptation of Jesus Psalm 91

Mike Winger idea 2020-03-16

Not going to church during a pandemic is wisdom, not fear. Two types of fear: (1) terror about what might happen (unnecessary — God is sovereign even in worst outcomes), (2) proper respect/prudence that avoids testing God. Proverbs 27:12: "The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it."

Wisdom vs fear — prudence in Proverbs

Proverbs 27:12 Proverbs 8:5 Proverbs 27:12 prudence Proverbs 8:5

Romans 10:9 gospel presentation Romans 10:9 how to get saved

Mike presents a detailed gospel message: how to get saved. Romans 10:9 is the core verse — confess Jesus is Lord, believe God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved. Simple but with deep layers when you zoom in.

Introduction — how to get saved

John 3:16 Hebrews 4:16 John 3:16 Hebrews 4:16

John 3:16: "God so loved the world" means God loved the world IN THIS WAY — by giving his Son. Whoever believes should not perish but have eternal life. Hebrews 4:16: because of Jesus, we can now confidently approach God's throne to receive mercy and grace despite our sin.

God's love and access to grace

Romans 10:9 repentance repentance Romans 10:9

What to do to be saved (Romans 10:9): (1) "Believe in your heart" = intellectual belief PLUS reliance/trust (Greek pisteuo = entrust). Know the resurrection is true AND rely on Christ for salvation. (2) "Confess Jesus is Lord" = honest commitment to his authority, not just saying words. Lordship means he's your boss, king, authority. Repentance = turning from rebellion to yielding to God.

How to respond — belief and confession

repentance gospel presentation repentance

Mike leads a salvation prayer: admitting sin, believing in Jesus's death and resurrection, confessing him as Lord, thanking God for forgiveness, asking to be filled with the Spirit to walk in new life. He emphasizes the prayer is a step of faith — salvation comes from the heart posture, not the words themselves.

Salvation prayer

Natasha Crain apologetics apologetics

Natasha's journey: started a devotional blog in 2011 with three kids under 3. Skeptics began challenging her on her blog — she couldn't answer questions about biblical errors, Jesus's historical existence, science disproving God. Realized her kids would face these challenges and she needed to equip them. Discovered the world of apologetics.

Natasha's journey into apologetics

Natasha Crain kids apologetics conversation guides

Each chapter has a conversation guide: (1) "Open the conversation" — easy questions to get kids talking without intimidation. (2) "Advance the conversation" — deeper questions with tips in parentheses guiding parents on key points to cover. Designed to move from kids' heads to actual parent-child dialogue.

Conversation guide structure

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-15

Jesus taught monogamy. Matthew 19:9 and Mark 10:11-12: divorcing and marrying another = adultery, which wouldn't make sense if polygamy were permitted. 1 Timothy 3:2, 3:12, Titus 1:6: elders/deacons must be husband of one wife — referring to polygamy prohibition. 1 Corinthians 7:2-4: each man his own wife, each woman her own husband — mutual sexual exclusivity eliminates polygamy.

Jesus taught monogamy — against polygamy

1 Timothy 3:2 Matthew 19:9 Mark 10:11-12 1 Timothy 3:2 polygamy polygamy

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-15

Sex before marriage: Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:2 — the solution to sexual immorality is marriage, which means sex outside marriage IS sexual immorality. If premarital sex were acceptable, marriage wouldn't be needed to avoid sexual immorality. Marrying outside the faith: 1 Corinthians 7:39 — free to remarry "only in the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:14 — unequally yoked.

Sex before marriage and interfaith marriage

1 Corinthians 7:2-4 1 Corinthians 7:39 unequally yoked 1 Corinthians 7:2-4 sex before marriage

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-15

Does God answer unbelievers' prayers? Mike sees no biblical rule preventing it. Jesus healed people who were apparently unrepentant (John 5:14 — "sin no more lest something worse happen" implies the healed man was still in sin). God may answer unbelievers' prayers to show them he's real — but he's not a get-out-of-jail-free card for those who keep living in rebellion.

God answering unbelievers' prayers

John 5:14 God answering unbelievers John 5:14

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Mike presents 24-26 ways Passover was prophetically fulfilled by Jesus. Passover is a typological prophecy — not direct prediction/fulfillment but symbolic correspondence between OT events and Christ's work. 1 Corinthians 5:7: "Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed." Jesus chose to die during Passover week — his timing was deliberate.

Introduction — Passover as prophetic type

1 Corinthians 5:7 Passover Passover Passover as prophecy

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Points 6-7: (6) Lamb was one year old (prime of life) — Jesus began ministry at 30, the age of full maturity for priestly/sacrificial service. (7) Lamb selected on 10th of Nisan — Jesus entered Jerusalem on the same day (Triumphal Entry, Palm Sunday). The crowd cried "Hosanna" (Psalm 118) = "save us" — presenting himself as the Messianic King. He was then "inspected" for 4 days through questioning by religious leaders, found faultless.

Points 6-7 — age, selection date, triumphal entry

Psalm 118 Passover Passover triumphal entry

Mark 8:22-24 messianic mystery two comings of Christ Mark 8:22-24

Context: Mark 8-10 reveals the messianic mystery — Jesus has TWO comings (suffering first, glory later), but the disciples only expect one glorious military conquest. Their argument about who's greatest stems from thinking they're about to rule in an earthly kingdom. They're wrong about both timing and values.

Context — the messianic mystery in Mark

Mark 9:36-37 Matthew 25:34-40 Mark 9:36-37 receiving the least Matthew 25:34-40

Mark 9:36-37: Jesus uses a child (culturally unimportant, not romanticized as today) to illustrate that receiving ANY believer — even the least significant by worldly standards — is receiving Jesus himself. Matthew 25:34-40 confirms: what you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Ministry to any Christian = ministry to Christ.

Receiving the least = receiving Jesus

Mark 9:38-40 ecumenism ecumenism Mark 9:38-40

Mark 9:38-40: A man casting out demons in Jesus's name but not part of the Twelve. The disciples tried to stop him. Jesus: "Do not hinder him — whoever is not against us is for us." The organic growth of Christianity always outpaces organizational growth. We must resist suspicion toward genuine believers outside our circle/denomination.

Don't hinder outsiders — the church is bigger than your group

John 13:35 Mark 9:41-42 Galatians 6:10 John 13:35 Mark 9:41-42 millstone judgment

Mark 9:41-42: Whoever gives a cup of water to a believer won't lose their reward; whoever causes a believer to stumble, it'd be better to have a millstone hung around their neck and be cast into the sea. Galatians 6:10: do good to all people, ESPECIALLY to the household of faith. The church's primary charitable focus should be caring for fellow believers.

Rewards for blessing believers, judgment for harming them

Joel Osteen Joel Osteen Mark 9:41-42 Joel Osteen Joel Osteen Mark 9:41-42

Q&A: Mark 9:42 "little ones" = any Christian of any status, not just children or Jews. Joel Osteen: Mike hasn't studied him enough to categorize fully, but what he's heard is "sub-Christian, sub-biblical" teaching. Being "for us" doesn't mean everything someone does is approved — there's still room for church discipline and correction.

Q&A — little ones, Joel Osteen

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-29

Q&A: Will saved Christians be punished on Judgment Day? Not punished in the hell sense — Jesus took that punishment. But 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 shows believers' works will be tested by fire: gold/silver/precious stones survive (pure ministry); wood/hay/straw burn up (compromised service). The person is saved but may suffer loss of ALL rewards. 2 Corinthians 5:10: we receive what is due for what we've done — this is loss of reward, not punishment.

Q&A — believers' judgment and rewards

2 Corinthians 5:10 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 2 Corinthians 5:10 2 Corinthians 5:10 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 2 Corinthians 5:10

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-29

Q&A: How to deal with worry about death as a young Christian. The gospel IS the solution to death: Jesus's empty tomb means resurrection is real. Mike shares attending an atheist's funeral — no comfort, only empty cliches. Christian "cliches" about being with the Lord and seeing loved ones again are actually TRUE. Re-read the resurrection accounts and biographies of faithful saints.

Q&A — fear of death

gospel presentation fear of death resurrection hope

Mike Winger idea 2020-04-29

Q&A: How to evaluate modern self-proclaimed prophets who get prophecies wrong. Mike's position: if they get one wrong, he no longer trusts they're hearing from God (Deuteronomy 18:22 principle). He gives leeway to sincere believers who may have confused their own heart for the Holy Spirit, but consecutive failures warrant stronger stance.

Q&A — evaluating modern prophets

Deuteronomy 18:22 Deuteronomy 18:22 modern prophecy testing prophets

apostolic martyrdom Sean McDowell conspiracy hypothesis

Mike interviews Dr. Sean McDowell about his doctoral research on apostolic martyrdom as evidence for the resurrection. The argument: martyrdom proves sincerity (not truth), which eliminates the conspiracy/lying hypothesis. It's one piece of a larger resurrection argument, not standalone proof.

Introduction — apostolic martyrdom and the resurrection

Candida Moss Myth of Persecution persecution vs prosecution

Where McDowell agrees with Candida Moss: many Christians overstate early persecution. There wasn't official statewide persecution until 3rd-4th centuries. Moss correctly notes that many martyrdom accounts are exaggerated. But she takes the correction too far by dismissing all early persecution evidence.

Agreement with Moss — overstated persecution

James brother of Jesus James son of Zebedee James brother of Jesus Sean McDowell James son of Zebedee

The actual historical evidence for specific apostolic martyrdoms: strong for Peter, Paul, James son of Zebedee, James brother of Jesus (early, multiple sources). Possible for Thomas (some 2nd century evidence). For the rest (Bartholomew, Matthew, Matthias etc.) — 3rd-5th century accounts that are contradictory and likely fictional. McDowell and Moss agree on the later accounts being unreliable.

Evidence tiers for apostolic martyrdoms

Matthew 10 apostolic martyrdom Matthew 10 sincerity of apostles

The Apostles' willingness to suffer demonstrates sincerity even without formal recantation opportunities. They knew what they were signing up for: Jesus told them they'd be brought before governors and kings (Matthew 10). They watched Stephen die, John the Baptist get executed, and Jesus himself crucified. They repeatedly chose to keep preaching despite imprisonment and beatings (Acts).

Sincerity without formal recantation opportunities

Peter Williams inference to best explanation gospel reliability

Mike interviews Dr. Peter Williams (principal of Tyndale House Cambridge) about his book "Can We Trust the Gospels?" The approach: rather than proving individual claims, show that the hypothesis of reliable reporting is far simpler than the hypothesis of fabrication. Two competing explanations — reliable accounts vs complex conspiracy — and the data overwhelmingly favors reliability.

Introduction — cumulative case for gospel reliability

gospel reliability geographic evidence Palestinian geography

Geographic knowledge in the gospels: the four gospel writers demonstrate detailed knowledge of Palestinian geography — small villages (Bethany, Bethphage, Chorazin), sub-village locations (Garden of Gethsemane = "oil press" on the Mount of Olives), topography ("went DOWN from Jerusalem to Jericho" — correct elevation change), and traveling times. This knowledge couldn't come from other ancient sources (Strabo, Pliny, Josephus don't have this level of detail). Only two explanations: the writers visited or spoke with eyewitnesses.

Geographic evidence — local knowledge test

Richard Bauckham Tal Ilan gospel reliability

Names in the gospels match the known name distribution of 1st-century Palestine (research by Tal Ilan, Richard Bauckham). The most common names (Simon, Joseph, Mary) are disambiguated with extra identifiers (Simon Peter, Simon of Cyrene, Simon the Zealot) while less common names (Thomas, Thaddeus) stand alone — exactly as you'd expect from authentic records. Names are the first thing lost in retelling; getting them right indicates early, close-to-source transmission.

Onomastic (name) evidence — statistical match

Luke 19 (Zacchaeus) gospel reliability botanical evidence sycamore in Jericho

Botanical evidence: plants mentioned in the gospels match the specific micro-climates where stories are set. Sycamore tree in Jericho (Luke 19, Zacchaeus) — sycamores grow in Jericho's low-altitude tropical climate but not in Turkey, Greece, or Italy where the gospels were later circulated. Palm branches on the Mount of Olives, mint/rue tithed by Pharisees — all botanically correct for the region.

Botanical evidence — plants match locations

John James Blunt John 6 feeding 5000 Bethsaida undesigned coincidences Bethsaida

Undesigned coincidences: subtle agreements between independent gospel accounts that are too incidental to be deliberate. Example: John says Jesus asked Philip where to buy bread (John 6); only Luke says the feeding was near Bethsaida; only John says Philip and Andrew were from Bethsaida. The connection (Jesus asked the local guys) only appears when you combine the accounts — no single author engineered it.

Undesigned coincidences — cross-gospel subtle agreements

burden of proof Bart Ehrman Bart Ehrman

Gospel contradictions: Williams argues the burden of proof is on the person claiming two accounts CAN'T fit together, not on the believer to provide the exact harmonization. The Judas death example (Matthew: hanged; Acts: fell and burst open) — multiple scenarios fit both descriptions. Ancient reporting conventions (no quotation marks, different summarization styles, legal naming conventions) explain most alleged contradictions.

Gospel contradictions — burden of proof and Judas

parables of Jesus gospel reliability Good Samaritan

Why the gospels can't be explained as deliberate fabrication: (1) No scholar — even skeptics — proposes collusion between gospel writers as a serious hypothesis. (2) The gospels contain brilliant parables (Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son) recognized as among the greatest short stories ever told — you can't manufacture genius by wanting to. (3) The simplest explanation for one amazing storyteller across multiple accounts is that Jesus himself was the storyteller.

Against fabrication — parables and genius

divorce and remarriage BibleThinker ministry

Mike announces BibleThinker is now its own incorporated ministry organization, separate from his local church (while still attending). Also previews follow-up to his marriage/divorce/remarriage study — longest teaching he's ever done (3 hours), nearly 1,000 comments in one week.

Announcements — BibleThinker incorporation, divorce study

Galatians 6:1 Romans 12:21 imago Dei Galatians 6:1 Good Samaritan

Mike addresses the George Floyd protests and racism from a biblical perspective: (1) All humans are made in God's image — foundational to human rights. (2) Race as commonly discussed doesn't fit the Christian worldview — skin color is irrelevant to human value. (3) Romans 12:21: don't let others' sin trigger your sin. (4) Galatians 6:1: restore in gentleness, keep watch on yourself lest you be tempted. The key warning: don't justify rebellion against God in the name of righteousness.

Biblical response to George Floyd and racism

1 Peter 2:24 physical resurrection 1 Peter 2:24 healing in the atonement

1 Peter 2:24 ("by his wounds you have been healed") does refer to physical healing in Mike's view, but the TIMING is the issue. Many benefits of the cross aren't received now — we still die, still have corruptible bodies. Full physical healing comes in the resurrection. It's theologically inconsistent to demand healing for the common cold while accepting death from old age. The "healing in the atonement" teaching overreaches on timing, not content.

Healing in the atonement — timing issue

apologetics apologetics new believers

Advice for new believers encountering militant anti-theists: (1) Don't spend most of your time with them — get grounded in biblical truth first. (2) Many militant atheists repeatedly ask the same questions, get good answers, and ignore them — they want to stump, not learn. (3) If your good answers only generate more questions with no acknowledgment, you may be wasting your time. Focus on learning truth before combating error.

New believers and militant atheists

1 Corinthians 6:19 James 4:7 spiritual warfare spiritual warfare 1 Corinthians 6:19

Can a Christian be demon-possessed? Mike distinguishes possession from influence/oppression. Christians have the Holy Spirit indwelling them — demon possession (ownership/control) seems incompatible with the Spirit's presence. But Christians can be oppressed, influenced, and harassed by demons. The demoniac in Mark 5 was fully controlled; Christians may experience lesser forms of spiritual attack but not total possession.

Demon possession vs oppression in Christians

expository preaching expository preaching finding a good church

How to find a good church: (1) Sound biblical teaching is #1 priority — does the pastor handle Scripture correctly? (2) Genuine community — not just Sunday performance. (3) Don't expect perfection — you'll bring your own imperfections too. (4) Be willing to serve, not just consume. (5) Size doesn't determine quality. Visit several, ask questions, look for fruit.

Finding a good church