Search — Theology Explorer

Acts 2 Acts 2 new covenant gifts of the Spirit

Acts 2 — the inauguration of the Holy Spirit: all present spoke in tongues

First of three Acts passages cited by tongues-required proponents

Jude Jude 1 Enoch canon of Scripture

The Book of 1 Enoch: not Scripture, though it may contain an accurate early portion quoted in Jude

Q&A question from S. M. Hart about the canonical status of 1 Enoch

1 Thessalonians 5:23 anthropology 1 Thessalonians 5:23 trichotomy

In Scripture spirit and soul are sometimes used interchangeably but retain some distinction

Attempting to differentiate spirit and soul

1 John 3:19-20 assurance of salvation fear of judgment 1 John 3:19-20

1 John 3:19-20 — God is greater than our condemning heart and knows everything

Additional passage addressing the fear and self-condemnation of the questioner

church history apologetics Christianity and violence

The Crusades: more defensible than popular narrative but also included real atrocities including use of child soldiers

Specific application of the church-history response to the Crusades

Luke 12:47-48 judgment unevangelized hell

Degrees of judgment in hell: God factors in knowledge when judging — sinning in ignorance vs. sinning with full knowledge results in different severity of judgment

Expanding the Hebrews 10 discussion to address differentiated eschatological judgment

Hebrews 6:4-6 eternal security apostasy Hebrews 6:4-6

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

textual criticism inspiration of Scripture synoptic problem

Q (Quelle) is a hypothetical source document proposed in synoptic gospel studies; its existence is unproven and theologically non-threatening

Question from New Creation Coaching about the scholarly concept of "Q" and its reception among concerned Facebook users

John 3:5 Michael Heiser Nicodemus John 3:5

John 3:5 "born of water and the Spirit": Mike defers to Michael Heiser's podcast work placing this in its Jewish context

Question from Jesse Crocus about whether "born of water" in John 3:5 refers to water baptism, physical birth, or something else

Christian liberty Jehovah's Witnesses Christmas

Christmas and birthdays — Mike changed his mind about pagan origins of Christmas

Question from Rosie A., a recovering Jehovah's Witness, about celebrating birthdays and Christmas

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Complementarianism vs. chauvinism — Paul's teaching on women roles is not male chauvinism

Question from Proverbs 17:11 about family calling him demon-possessed and a chauvinist for holding Paul's teaching

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

Bible study pastoral ministry teaching

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

Further advice on pastoral preparation

calling pastoral ministry servanthood

Serve humbly in any capacity — do not limit ministry to pastoral role; obey calling

Final advice to aspiring pastor Jared

Unconditional Election — Mike partly affirms, partly rejects

Second point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism Molinism TULIP

Calvinism Free Will Election

Corporate view of election and God's foreknowledge conditioned on faith

Mike's alternative to Calvinist individual unconditional election.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Genesis 9 Noah Genesis 9 Ham

Genesis 9 — Noah cursed Canaan for Ham's sin because Canaan was likely complicit, not just punished for his father's actions

Question from Caleb McMurtry about why Noah cursed Canaan rather than Ham.

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.

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.

same-sex marriage sexual ethics biblical marriage

Same-sex marriage distinguished: no biblical mandate exists to support it as a legitimate covenant

Contrasting same-sex marriage with a believer/unbeliever marriage in the context of wedding attendance.

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.

Christology hypostatic union death of Christ

Jesus's death was a real human physical death; the divine nature did not cease to exist

Part of the atonement discussion, carefully distinguishing Christ's two natures.

Romans 1 1 Corinthians 6:9 Leviticus 18:22 biblical interpretation Romans 1 1 Corinthians 6:9

Homosexuality passages: pedophilia reinterpretation refuted — Mike's four-part series using pro-gay Greek scholars

Question from April Stafford about the claim that biblical passages condemning homosexuality are actually about pedophilia.

Romans 14:4 Islam apologetics methodology David Wood

David Wood's apologetics style: Mike declines blanket condemnation, invokes 'who are you to judge another man's servant'

Question from Dimitar Bratov about David Wood's confrontational approach to Islamic apologetics.

fulfilled prophecy Q&A format Rethink Conference

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.

word of wisdom word of knowledge prophecy

Cessationism vs. continuationism — Mike holds continuationism but respects cessationists

A viewer asks what Mike thinks about cessationists.

2 Corinthians 6:14 marriage false gospel Catholicism

Can a Christian marry a Catholic? — Gospel distinction and the unequally yoked principle

A viewer asks whether a Christian can marry a Catholic.

John MacArthur John MacArthur Calvinism gifts of the Spirit

John MacArthur — appreciation as a gospel champion; cautious about Strange Fire conference

A viewer asks Mike's opinion of John MacArthur.

1 Corinthians 7 Luke 14:26 1 Corinthians 7 discipleship Luke 14:26

Luke 14:26 — Forsaking family for Christ: hyperbole and ultimate priority, not literal abandonment

A viewer asks what Jesus meant by forsaking family and hating father and mother.

Bill Johnson charismatic movement Mike Bickle

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.

Calvinism Molinism middle knowledge

Molinism — middle knowledge reconciles divine sovereignty and human free will

A viewer asks about Molinism as a worldview for reconciling sovereignty and free will.

Christian ethics cultural engagement gender identity

Preferred pronouns — Mike cannot use false pronouns because it constitutes dishonest support of a delusion

A viewer asks whether Christians should use preferred pronouns as this becomes a larger cultural issue.

Romans 10:13 election Calvinism soteriology

Does God choose who is saved? — Both election and free will are simultaneously true

A viewer asks how to understand salvation as a gift if God chooses who receives it.

Calvary Chapel sola scriptura theological method

Denominational influence on belief — Mike vets positions through Scripture before teaching them publicly

A viewer asks whether Mike's beliefs come from his denomination.