Search — Theology Explorer

Holy Spirit epistemology faith and reason

Christians have confident, warranted belief in Christianity apart from evidence through the Holy Spirit

Core thesis introduced: knowledge of Christianity's truth comes primarily through the Holy Spirit, not evidence

Romans 8 Romans 8 assurance of salvation epistemology

The witness of the Holy Spirit is the primary means by which Christians know Christianity is true

Application of the knowing/showing framework to Christian epistemology

epistemology faith and reason warrant

The inner witness of the Holy Spirit gives Christians warrant regardless of external evidence

Explaining how the witness of the Spirit functions as epistemic justification independent of external arguments

epistemology fideism faith and reason

When the Holy Spirit's witness conflicts with external evidence, Christians are warranted in trusting God over evidence

Addressing the case where scholarly or empirical evidence seems to contradict Christian faith

evangelism prophecy knowing vs. showing

When showing Christianity to others, only external evidence and arguments are available, not the Spirit's witness

Explaining the asymmetry between knowing and showing in evangelism/apologetics

1 John 5:9-10 testimony epistemology witness of the Holy Spirit

1 John 5:9-10: the witness of God is greater than the witness of men; believers have it in themselves

Biblical grounding for the epistemological framework; key proof text for the witness of the Spirit

1 John 5:9-10 epistemology witness of the Holy Spirit 1 John 5:9-10

God's witness is categorically greater than human testimony because God has all knowledge and cannot lie

Logical grounding for why the Spirit's witness has epistemic priority

epistemology demythologization warrant

The German student scenario: a Christian surrounded by hostile scholarship still has warrant through the Spirit

Thought experiment to test the view's robustness in adverse intellectual environments

atheism epistemology witness of the Holy Spirit

Internet atheism often operates by demanding unanswerable questions rather than engaging arguments honestly

Sociological and spiritual observation about common atheist engagement tactics

Mormonism Book of Mormon epistemology

The Mormon burning-in-the-bosom claim does not undermine the Christian's witness of the Spirit

Responding to the classic objection that the Spirit's witness is unreliable because others claim the same for false religions

Romans 1 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Romans 1 sin witness of the Holy Spirit

Christians who struggle to sense the Spirit's witness still have access to evidence as a support, and doubt often traces to sin

Pastoral application for doubting Christians

John the Baptist John the Baptist faith miracles as evidence

John the Baptist's doubt from prison: Jesus responded with fresh evidence rather than rebuke

NT case study: how Jesus handled the doubt of a believer who already had abundant witness

apologetics spiritual maturity witness of the Holy Spirit

Mature Christians who feel no need for apologetics are spiritually healthy, not deficient

Reframing common apologetics-community frustration with Christians who seem uninterested in evidence

epistemology conversion fideism

This view is not fideism; the Spirit's internal witness is genuine evidence, and the Spirit converts — not arguments

Responding to the charge that elevating the Spirit's witness over external evidence is mere fideism

1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians church discipline fellowship

Gospel-level error requires breaking fellowship; lesser errors require wisdom and church leadership

Q&A: pastoral guidance on when doctrinal disagreement becomes a fellowship-breaking issue

evangelism relational evangelism

When a family member refuses to discuss God, build relational bridges rather than forcing spiritual conversations

Q&A: pastoral advice on evangelism to hostile family members

prophecy witness of the Holy Spirit divine communication

Everything genuinely from God is true; the problem is misidentifying non-divine impressions as God speaking

Q&A: pastoral guidance on how to handle perceived divine guidance that turns out to be wrong

Holy Spirit epistemology faith and reason

Proper logic and reason will never contradict genuine faith; apparent conflicts come from reasoning errors, not from reason itself

Q&A: whether logic can grieve the Holy Spirit

New Covenant tithing Old Testament law

Tithing at 10% is not a biblical New Testament requirement, though generous giving absolutely is

Q&A: whether the tithe is biblically mandated for Christians

evangelism apologetics knowing vs. showing

Closing exhortation: trust the Spirit's witness for your own confidence; use evidence to invite others to seek the Lord

Summary and call to application, including a direct appeal to non-believing viewers

soteriology free will Calvinism

Mike does not hold to full Calvinist total depravity; the key disagreement is whether fallen humans can respond to the Holy Spirit's call

Question from Jason Staub about conditional election, prevenient grace, and total depravity — if Christ dies for all, why must a sinner overcome unbelief on their own?

Romans 1 Holy Spirit conscience soteriology

No one overcomes unbelief "on their own" — God uses general revelation, conscience, and the Holy Spirit to call everyone

Continuing the conditional election question — answering the specific sub-question of why a sinner must overcome unbelief "on their own."

2 Corinthians 5:17 salvation Satan spiritual warfare

A childhood "blood pact with Satan" has no power over someone who trusts in Christ — the cross cancels all such claims

Question about a friend who at age 12 signed his soul over to Satan in a blood pact and now feels he cannot be saved.

discernment charismatic gifts prophecy

Strong feeling is not the same as God speaking — this applies to believers and non-believers alike

Closing comment on the false prophecy / healing question.

Galatians hermeneutics Galatians Sabbath

Christians are not under the Mosaic Law including the Sabbath; they are under the law of Christ and walk by the Spirit

Question from Cetl P about why Christians do not keep the Sabbath even though it is in the moral law and written by God's finger on stone.

1 Samuel 28 1 Thessalonians 4 Mary Roman Catholicism Samuel

Praying to the dead is forbidden — the 1 Samuel 28 (Saul/Samuel) incident is a divine rebuke, not a model; this applies to Catholic prayers to saints

Question from Elizabeth about 1 Samuel 28 (Saul consulting the medium to contact Samuel) and Catholic prayers to Mary and saints.

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

1 Peter 3:3-4 reinforces 1 Tim 2:9: true adornment is the gentle and quiet spirit, not external appearance

Reading and brief exposition of 1 Peter 3:3-4 as a parallel to 1 Timothy 2:9.

1 Peter 3:3-4 1 Timothy 2:9 Sarah Abraham gentle and quiet spirit

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

God gives wisdom primarily through Scripture, secondarily through the word of wisdom gift and through other believers

Q from Will Kozab about how God replies when you ask him for wisdom—does he send thoughts?

Proverbs 1 Corinthians 12 word of wisdom wisdom prayer

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Michael Heiser: highly commended as a scholar-communicator; divine council theory (Deut 32, Ps 82) personally rejected but engagement required

Q from David Hinnebog asking for comment on Michael Heiser and his divine council theory.

1 Samuel 28 Deuteronomy 32 Psalm 82 Michael Heiser monotheism 1 Samuel 28

2 Corinthians 12:10 spiritual disciplines spiritual warfare doubt

Counsel for Christians experiencing unexplained spiritual doubt and attack

Response to a viewer (Christian Regal) who is experiencing doubt that does not seem to stem from any intellectual problem — it feels like an attack.

discernment Enneagram mysticism

The Enneagram lacks true ancient origins and was developed by a modern mystic with dangerous theology

Response to Katrina asking about the Enneagram and its origins (desert fathers vs. Catholic origins).

Ephesians 2:8-10 sola fide assurance of salvation sanctification

Saved by faith alone; works are evidence of salvation, not the means of it — applied to homosexual lifestyle

Response to viewer Tegunbai asking: if we are saved by faith alone not works, how can living a homosexual lifestyle indicate one is not saved? Isn't that mixing faith and works?

Trinity deity of Christ Son of God

Why the Father is typically called simply God in the NT while Jesus is called the Son: guarding against modalism

Response to Deke Liu asking why God the Father is typically just called God in the NT while Jesus is called the Son and the Spirit is called the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 13:10 spiritual gifts second coming cessationism

1 Corinthians 13:10 does not teach cessationism — the perfect refers to seeing Christ face to face at the second coming, not the completion of Scripture

Response to Brandy Medved asking about 1 Corinthians 13:10 and whether the perfect means the Bible, therefore ending spiritual gifts.

evangelism Islam Christian liberty

Christians may read and study the Quran for education and evangelistic purposes; avoid it only if it causes personal spiritual instability

Response to Sarah Nordberg (Denmark) who feels convicted reading the Quran for a required university religion class.

Isaiah 53:5 hermeneutics healing Word of Faith

Isaiah 53:5 interpretation — "by his stripes we are healed" in context

Question from Cindy Johanneson about Word of Faith use of Isaiah 53:5 to support divine health and the claim believers should never be sick.

Isaiah 53:5 1 Peter 2:24 healing sin atonement

1 Peter 2:24 quotes Isaiah 53:5 in a spiritual/relational healing context, not physical

Continuing the Isaiah 53:5 / healing-in-the-atonement discussion.

Matthew 8:16-17 Isaiah 53:4 healing atonement messianic prophecy

Matthew 8:16-17 applies Isaiah 53 to Jesus's physical healings — physical healing is in the atonement

Continuing Isaiah 53 / healing discussion; a complicating text for those who deny physical healing in the atonement.

healing eschatology Holy Spirit

Timing argument: blessings purchased at the cross are not all present realities — healing is partially now, fully later

Disagreement with hyper-charismatic "claim healing now" theology, despite agreeing healing is in the atonement.

Mark 9:49-50 Old Testament typology discipleship

Old Testament sacrifices seasoned with salt — salt as covenant symbol and godly character

Question from Molly Thompson about the spiritual/messianic meaning of salting OT sacrifices.

Luke 17:5-6 faith discipleship mustard seed

Faith as small as a mustard seed — the call is to use existing faith, not to manufacture more

Question from Lavell Martinez about the tension between being told to have great faith and Jesus saying mustard-seed faith moves mountains.

Acts 3:6 prayer spiritual gifts healing

Should we command healing (like Peter in Acts 3:6) or pray to God for healing? — Pray with faith; commanding is not a universal prescription

Question from Lasik's 97 about whether Christians should speak authoritatively over the sick rather than asking God.

James 1 prayer healing Holy Spirit

Confidence in prayer for healing vs. fabricating certainty — suffering can be within God's will

Continuation of healing/prayer question; preview of upcoming Kenneth Copeland study.

Romans 8:16 Romans 8:15 Holy Spirit Romans 8:16 assurance of salvation

The witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16) — an internal truth-awareness of being God's child, not an emotion

Question from John Butterfield about what the witness of the Spirit is and how to obtain it.

Mark 16:17-18 Acts 28 textual criticism healing prosperity gospel

Mark 16:17-18 — the signs follow believers as a community/historically, not as individual mandates for every Christian

Question from Chretienis about Mark 16:17-18 and helping people escape the prosperity gospel.

election Calvinism soteriology

Calvinism, Arminianism, Molinism — Mike identifies as a Molinist

Lightning-round question from Kyle about Mike's soteriological position.

false teaching heresy discernment

Avoiding heresy-tracking burnout — know your realm of responsibility in the body of Christ

Question from Judah Matthews about discernment without anxiety over every false teaching.

1 Peter 3:19 eschatology descent into hell intermediate state

Where was Jesus's spirit during the two days between death and resurrection?

Brief lightning-round answer (no questioner name given).