Search — Theology Explorer

Philemon Paul Philemon Slavery in the New Testament

The Bible's trajectory on slavery moves from regulating and humanizing it in the OT to full abolition ideology in the NT (Philemon)

Closing summary of the slavery question.

Romans 9 Isaiah 64:8 Luke 16:8 Romans 9 Divine sovereignty and human responsibility Potter and clay (Isaiah 64:8 / Romans 9)

The Potter/clay metaphor does not eliminate human responsibility — diligence and trust in God operate simultaneously, not in opposition

Question from David Mason about whether God being the Potter means humans are not responsible for their own lives.

Jeremiah Peter Williams Jeremiah Old Testament canon

The shorter Septuagint Jeremiah vs. the longer Hebrew Masoretic Jeremiah — reasons to trust the longer canonical form

Question from Leor about which version of Jeremiah is correct.

Romans 13:1 Romans 14 Hebrews 10:25 Romans 13:1 Romans 14 Hebrews 10:25

Romans 13:1 requires submission to governing authorities, but the command to gather (Hebrews 10:25) creates a potential tension during COVID restrictions

Question from Felicia Claan about Hosea 8:4 vs. Romans 13:1 in the context of COVID restrictions on household gatherings.

Galatians 2 2 Peter 3:16 Galatians 2 Mormonism Joseph Smith

Paul's conversion is credible because it was Apostolically ratified and his gospel was identical to the Twelve's — Joseph Smith fails both tests

Question from Summer Monsoon about apologetics for Paul's conversion vs. Joseph Smith's claimed vision.

Bible translation taxonomy: word-for-word and thought-for-thought are both valuable; paraphrases (Amplified, The Message) are tools, not translations, and are misused when read as straight Bible

Bonus question from Constant (Australia) about the New Century Version, Amplified Bible, and Contemporary English Version.

ESV NASB NIV

Matthew 19:12 marriage divorce celibacy

Matthew 19:12 -- Three categories of eunuchs: from birth, made by men, and self-made for the kingdom

Question from 'dat boy' about whether eunuchs from birth in Matthew 19:12 includes intersex people, and whether the verse advises eunuchs not to marry.

Galatians 3:23-25 typology justification by faith paidagogos

Galatians 3:23-25 -- The Law as paidagogos (guardian/tutor) leading to Christ; distinct from kinsman-redeemer language

Mike evaluates whether Galatians 3:23-25 connects to the Ruth kinsman-redeemer passage.

Revelation Hebrews warning passages Revelation once saved always saved eternal security

Book of Life: names blotted out -- the phrase is too non-specific to resolve the eternal security debate

Question from Paul Redding about how one is written into or blotted out of the Book of Life.

Romans 8:34 1 John 2:1-2 salvation eternal security propitiation

Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1-2 -- Christ's intercession is not ongoing pleading but his perpetual existence as our propitiation

Question from Sephora Ba about why Jesus still intercedes for the elect if they are already saved (Romans 8:34).

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?

Genesis 1 Genesis 1 Adam and Eve creation

Mike discusses Old Earth Creationism and whether it is biblical, arguing that the age of the earth is not clearly specified in Scripture and that he holds a flexible position, though he finds an ancient Adam and Eve much harder to reconcile biblically.

Response to viewer question about Old Earth Creationism

1 Corinthians Galatians 1 Galatians 1:6-10 biblical authority Paul 1 Corinthians

Mike articulates a Sola Scriptura position by arguing from Galatians 1 that the Apostles themselves placed their written gospel above any future authority — including apostles or angels — making all church fathers mere commentators with no binding theological authority.

Response to viewer question about the authority of early church fathers

Mark 14:51-52 Mark the Evangelist Peter Mark 14:51-52 Gospel of Mark

Mike identifies the naked young man fleeing in Mark 14:51-52 as likely the author Mark himself, explaining this was a common ancient biographical convention of embedding the author’s presence discreetly in the narrative.

Response to viewer question about the identity of the young man in Mark 14:51-52

apologetics atheism moral argument

Mike argues it is philosophically irrational to charge God with immorality because God’s character is the very grounding of moral goodness, making the question of whether God could do something immoral logically incoherent, analogous to asking if a circle could be a square.

Response to non-believer asking whether there is anything God could do that would lead Mike to consider him immoral

Hebrews Paul Apollos Barnabas

Mike addresses the canonicity of Hebrews despite unknown authorship, arguing that inspiration does not require apostolic pen but apostolic teaching, and that the New Testament canon formed organically as first-century texts with apostolic content were recognized by the early church.

Response to viewer question about how Hebrews can be inspired if we do not know who wrote it

Brian Simmons Passion Translation Anti-supernatural bias

Framing the question: Does one fraudulent religious figure (Brian Simmons) justify skepticism about all religious authors, including the Gospel writers?

Question from Robert asks whether Brian Simmons being a "nut" should make us skeptical of Paul and the Gospel authors the same way.

Exodus 4:24 Exodus 4:24 Sanctification Leadership accountability

Application from Exodus 4:24: ministry success does not substitute for personal sanctification; leaders must take heed to themselves.

Personal application of the Exodus 4:24 passage for ministry leaders.

Kenneth Copeland Kenneth Hagin Word of Faith movement

Kenneth Hagin and Word of Faith: extra-biblical systematizing of healing and glory produces a "cartoon image" of Christianity.

Question from Jordan Filler about Kenneth Hagin's "The Authority of the Believer."

Christology Messianic Secret Israel's blindness

The blindness of Israel as a theological theme: Israel had the Messiah in their midst and did not recognize him.

Additional layer of meaning in the Messianic Secret passages.

1 Peter Hebrews 12:3-6 Proverbs on discipline 1 Peter Hebrews 12:3-6 Divine discipline

Divine discipline in Hebrews 12: suffering is God's loving discipline and can be broad — including consequences of sin or trials for character formation.

Question from Jacob Duncan about how God disciplines believers per Hebrews 12.

Genesis Romans 5 Genesis Romans 5 Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve as historical people: consistency as a Christian requires affirming their historicity, but salvation does not depend on this doctrine.

Question from Loretta Taylor about whether Christian faith requires Adam and Eve to be literal historical people.

James 1 Galatians 5 Ephesians 4:26 James 1 Galatians 5 God's wrath

God's jealousy and anger are not sinful because jealousy and anger are not inherently sinful — only their corrupt expressions in fallen humans are.

Question from A.D. Chan about how God can be jealous or angry if these are listed as sins of the flesh in Galatians 5.

John 20:23 Apostolic authority John 20:23 Forgiveness of sins

John 20:23 — the authority to forgive or retain sins: the disciples are declaring what heaven has already determined, not independently granting forgiveness.

Question from Thomas Brownlee about interpreting John 20:23.

Prayer for the dead Purgatory God's relationship to time

Praying for the salvation of the deceased: not immoral as described, but lacks biblical authorization and is questionable in effect.

Question from "Nothing Much" about retroactive prayer for someone who has already died.

Paul the Apostle church authority baptism

Q11: Who can perform baptism? Scripture gives no explicit rule but establishes community precedent; a parent can baptize a child

Viewer 'Skirt Bobcat' asks who is authorized to perform baptism and whether a parent can baptize their children.

1 Corinthians 12 Luke 10 Pentecost spiritual gifts charismatic movement

Q14: Is the authority Jesus gave the 12 and 70 disciples different from spiritual gifts? Mike distinguishes pre-Pentecost authority from post-Pentecost Spirit-enabled gifts

Viewer Silas Bourner asks whether the authority Jesus granted the Twelve and Seventy to heal and cast out demons is different from spiritual gifts.

complementarianism headship marriage

Q16: Is consulting and making decisions cooperatively with your wife permissible? Absolutely yes — the husband's headship is not about excluding his wife's input

Viewer Joel Parks asks whether Mike's past characterization of 'knucklehead' husbands means cooperative decision-making with a wife is wrong.

Romans 8 Exodus 34 Moses Romans 8 Holy Spirit

Q18: Can Christians feel God's presence, or is it just emotion responding to truth? Both are possible — Spirit-generated emotion and ordinary human emotion are both real

Viewer Amelia asks whether feeling God's presence is genuine or just the mind responding emotionally to biblical truth.

Gerasene demoniac Satan spiritual warfare

Demonic activity in first century as messianic confirmation and spiritual battleground

Jesus's authority over demons served as a sign to the Jews confirming his messianic identity; the concentration of demonic opposition is explained by Satan's forces mobilizing against the Son of God.

Gerasene demoniac spiritual warfare salvation history

First century as the ultimate spiritual battleground for all creation

Summary conclusion on demonic activity question: the first century was uniquely intense because it was the decisive battleground of salvation history.

Genesis 3 federal headship curse reversal Genesis 3

Christ as Second Adam — taking on human form to represent all humanity and reverse the curse

Christ's incarnation was not only to die but to serve as the representative of all humanity, reversing the curse of the first Adam.

2 Timothy 2:20-21 Romans 9:20-23 hermeneutics sanctification Calvinism

The two vessel passages should not be conflated — different contexts, different applications

Mike's conclusion: 2 Tim 2:20-21 and Romans 9 use the same metaphor for different purposes and cannot be merged to make a doctrinal argument about total depravity.

sola scriptura apologetics Catholicism

Question: Confused after debate with a Catholic — how to handle doctrinal confusion

Viewer Katie had a debate with a Catholic and now feels confused about core doctrinal differences.

Ecclesiastes 3:21 Ecclesiastes 12:7 death Ecclesiastes 3:21 Ecclesiastes 12:7

Ecclesiastes passage differentiating the spirit of animals (returns to dust) from the spirit of humans (returns to God)

The only biblical text Mike can identify that directly addresses the distinction between animal and human souls at death.

Proverbs Christian ethics fear of God Proverbs

Question: Is there anything Christians should fear apart from God?

Viewer Omar Barr asks whether there are legitimate objects of fear for Christians beyond fearing God.

Ephesians 6:10-18 spiritual warfare Ephesians 6:10-18 armor of God

Question: Run through the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Viewer Spazzy Jazzy asks for an explanation of the full armor of God from Ephesians 6.

1 Kings 19 spiritual disciplines still small voice listening prayer

The still small voice (1 Kings 19) is not a model for seeking God through hints and whispers

Common proof-text for listening prayer misapplied.

Brian Simmons Passion Translation Tremper Longman

The Passion Translation is not a real translation — scholars hired by Winger unanimously agree it contains fabrications and mistakes, not genuine Hebrew/Greek insights.

Responding to a Twitter question from Jeff Gaitzens about a pastor using the Passion Translation.

Genesis 2:24 Genesis 2:24 Honor your parents Leave and cleave

Responding to an abusive parent who weaponizes 'honor your parents': adult children are not obligated to obey parents, and marriage triggers the leave-and-cleave authority shift.

Question from Enoch about an abusive father who uses 'honor your parents' to demand submission.

Women in ministry Women as elders Church leadership

Women serving as elders is not Winger's current biblical position, but he plans a thorough future research project before finalizing his view.

Question from Patience Kachidza about a mother-in-law ordained as an elder in a church.

Proof-texting Hermeneutics Original audience interpretation

Proper Bible study: identify what the text meant to the original audience before asking how to apply it; context prevents proof-texting.

Question from Natural Glory about how to study the Bible properly.

Genesis 1-2 Genesis as history vs. mythology Genesis 1-2 Young earth creationism Old earth creationism

Genesis 1-2 and the age of the earth: Winger is no longer confident in young-earth creationism based on exegesis alone; plans a full research project.

Question from Ethan Tucker about whether early Genesis is mythology or history.

1 Timothy 3 Galatians 3:28 Matthew 23:8-12 servant leadership overseer episkopos

Ministry titles and the clergy-laity distinction: what Jesus really forbade in Matthew 23

Chris Horn asked whether Matthew 23:8-12 prohibits using ministry titles like pastor or elder.

Hebrews 7:7 spiritual authority Levitical priesthood Abraham

Pronouncing a blessing on others: Hebrews 7:7 and mutual blessing in the body of Christ

Andrej asked whether saying "I bless you" to someone implies a hierarchical superiority that is inappropriate between equals.

discernment false teaching church discipline

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: channeled content, demonic origin, pastoral danger

Rachel joined a church prayer group using the devotional Jesus Calling and found concerning content.