Search — Theology Explorer

violence Old Testament ethics self-defense

Christians have a biblical duty to protect others — pacifism taken to its logical extreme is evil

Question from Spazzy Jazzy about the extent to which Christians should protect and retaliate against abuse

violence discernment self-defense

Balance principle: being armed and ready for self-defense is healthy; preemptive strikes from anger or against God's will for martyrdom are not

Synthesizing the sword/Gethsemane discussion into a practical principle

Hebrews 10:26-27 judgment apostasy Hebrews 10:26-27

Hebrews 10:26-27 "sinning willfully" refers specifically to rejecting the gospel after knowing its truth, not to any deliberate sin

Question from Caleb McCurdy about Hebrews 10:26-27 and whether it implies differentiated judgment for those who never heard the gospel

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

Sinning in dreams: only requires repentance if you yielded your will to it in the dream; involuntary dream content is not sin

Question from Christian Liang about whether to repent for sins committed in dreams

repentance sin dreams

Calvinism soteriology total depravity

Calvinism: regeneration precedes faith — the Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner first, making belief inevitable

Question from Jason Staub about whether faith from a fallen nature is "fruitful" faith, touching on the Calvinist doctrine of regeneration preceding faith

Galatians 2 Romans 11:6 Genesis 15:6 Galatians 2 Abraham Romans 11:6

Mike's anti-Calvinist argument: faith is not a work regardless of its source; the Calvinist objection tries to smuggle faith into the "works" category

Mike's response to the Calvinist framing of faith as a "good work" that requires prior regeneration

Galatians 5:23 John 18:6 Anaheim Vineyard self-control charismatic gifts

"Slain in the Spirit" is not taught in the Bible and is inconsistent with the Spirit's fruit of self-control

Question from Steph T about whether being slain in the Spirit is biblical and how to distinguish it from demonic possession

1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14:32 1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14:32 prophecy

Paul's instructions on tongues and prophecy require self-control, proving the Spirit does not override the person's will

Continuing the argument against slain in the Spirit using 1 Corinthians 14 as evidence

Romans 14 Romans 14 faith and works Christian liberty

Romans 14: do not violate your conscience — if you cannot do something in faith before God, do not do it, even if it may be permissible

Question from Only in Antarctica about whether a Christian can work in the cannabis sector

theodicy Calvinism problem of evil

Calvinist theodicy: God is not guilty for decreed sin because he is perfect goodness; skeptical theism is the strongest available path for Calvinists

Question from Matt Bach about whether the Calvinist claim "God is not guilty for sin he decrees because his purposes are good" is a form of ends-justify-the-means reasoning

Acts 5:29 Romans 13 Acts 5:29 Romans 13 COVID-19

Grace Community Church COVID decision: Mike is on the fence — neither fully endorsing nor opposing their refusal to close

Question from Teonbay about Grace Community Church defying California government COVID gathering restrictions

1 Corinthians 6:12 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 sexual immorality 1 Corinthians 6:12 body as temple

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 is about sexual immorality in context, not primarily about diet/exercise/tobacco — but the moderation and mastery principles within the passage do apply broadly

Question from Grayson Fuller about whether 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 establishes a biblical basis for maintaining bodily health

1 Corinthians 6:18 sexual immorality body as temple fornication

Sexual sin is uniquely grave — it is a sin against one's own body in a way other sins are not

Expounding on 1 Corinthians 6:18 within the broader passage study

Proverbs 1 Peter 4:8 Kenneth Copeland Proverbs accountability

Gossip is unnecessary information that tears people down without justification — not merely sharing personal information without permission

Final question from Woolpack about the definition of gossip

Philippians 1 Paul soul sleep intermediate state

Paul's tension between ministry and being with Christ only makes sense if death means immediate presence

Logical argument from Philippians 1 structure

Philippians 1 Roman Catholicism eisegesis intermediate state

Roman Catholic purgatory interpretation uses Paul as an exception case rather than normative

Addressing the Roman Catholic counter-reading of Philippians 1

Exodus Moses typology Exodus

Moses going up and down Sinai — theological meaning vs. comedic treatment

Illustrating the danger of humor that replaces theological depth

Christian liberty Easter Ishtar

Easter/Ishtar connection is largely false — inflammatory but inaccurate

Continuing the holidays discussion — addressing Easter's alleged pagan origin

Christian liberty Jehovah's Witnesses biblical interpretation

Birthdays: Jehovah's Witness argument from bad birthday examples in the Bible is fallacious

Addressing the JW teaching that birthdays are pagan/forbidden

Luke 23:43 soul sleep intermediate state Luke 23:43

Survey of Jesus's use of "today" (semeron) supports the standard reading

Additional lexical argument for Luke 23:43 standard reading

Galatians 3:23-24 Paul paidagogos covenant theology

Galatians 3:23 — the Law as guardian/nanny: imprisoned under law until Christ

Question from Jesse Jack about Galatians 3:23 and being confined/imprisoned by the law

Galatians 3 justification by faith atonement imputed righteousness

Freedom from the law through Christ — justified by faith, law's penalty absorbed by Jesus

Completing the Galatians 3 explanation

1 Corinthians 15 1 Corinthians 15 Jesus resurrection

Jesus appearing in the locked room — glorified body explanation from 1 Corinthians 15

Question from Connor Robinson about Jesus appearing in a locked room after the resurrection

John 16:24 Gospel of Mark Jesus as mediator intercession

John 16:24 — praying in Jesus's name: Jesus as the access point replacing the temple

Question from Danada Morin about what it means to pray in Jesus's name

discernment Word of Faith pastoral care

Empathy as a tool for helping others leave false teaching — remembering your own exit

Additional counsel for Mimi on reaching her sister in Word of Faith

Matthew 6:7 Luke 18 prayer vain repetition persistent prayer

Persistent prayer vs. vain repetition — the biblical balance

Question from Lunggail Zandi about wrestling with God vs. vain repetitions in prayer

Bethel Church discernment Bill Johnson

Feel-good phrases like "you are enough" and "Jesus came to bring a piece of heaven to earth" — ambiguous theology

Question from Ben Johnston about a pastor using feel-good slogans

Bethel Church discernment false doctrine

Approaching a pastor using feel-good theology — gracious challenge, define the terms

Practical advice for Ben on speaking to a feel-good theology pastor

discernment false doctrine pastoral correction

Using a book or resource as a proxy for delivering correction to a defensive pastor

Alternative strategy for Ben Johnston

Calvinism R.C. Sproul TULIP

Introduction to TULIP as a summary of Calvinist theology

Mike opens the Q&A by addressing a Facebook question from Paul Rem about the five points of Calvinism.

Genesis 6:3 Holy Spirit Calvinism TULIP

Total Depravity defined as "total inability" — Mike rejects it

First point of TULIP addressed in detail.

Calvinism Arminianism Total Depravity

Regeneration precedes faith — the core of Calvinism, which Mike rejects

Mike identifies what he sees as the single unifying point underlying all five TULIP points.

Unconditional Election — Mike partly affirms, partly rejects

Second point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism Molinism TULIP

James White John Owen James White Calvinism TULIP

Limited Atonement — Mike firmly rejects it

Third point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism TULIP Free Will

All five TULIP points are ultimately one point: denial of free will

Mike summarizes his overarching critique of Calvinism.

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.

Proverbs Genesis 24 Proverbs Marriage The One

God as matchmaker — Mike rejects "the one" theology applied universally

Q from Haruhi Anderson about the doctrine that God has one divinely chosen spouse for every Christian.

Proverbs 18:22 Marriage Guidance Proverbs 18:22

Proverbs: "He who finds a wife finds a good thing" — find a good one, not the one

Mike applies Proverbs to marriage decision-making.

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.

Evangelism Holiness Family Relationships

Living with non-Christian parents who swear, drink, and watch vulgar content

Q from Soul about navigating holiness when living with ungodly parents.

Genesis 1:1 bereshit Genesis 1:1 False Prophecy

Bereshit Prophecy in Genesis 1:1 — Mike strongly dismisses as fabricated

Q from Enigma about the "Bereshit prophecy" in Genesis 1:1 regarding end times.

Government Voting Civic Responsibility

Voting as a Christian moral obligation in a democracy

Q from Woolpack about whether it is a sin for a Christian not to vote.

Revelation Galatians 6 1 John 3:6 Revelation Galatians 6 Salvation

1 John 3:6 — "keeps on sinning" does not mean Christians reach sinlessness

Q from Nat Atheist about Christians who use 1 John 3:6 to argue for progressive sinlessness/perfectionism.

Mark 16:15 Evangelism Mark 16:15 Great Commission

"My faith is personal" — Mike says this is unbiblical and reflects spiritual deception

Q from Proverbs 17:11 about Christians who refuse to discuss religion because it is personal.