Search — Theology Explorer

atonement penal substitutionary atonement

Cross-reference to Mike's full video series on penal substitutionary atonement

Mike directs viewers to deeper content on the topic.

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.

John 19:30 1 Peter 3:18-20 atonement descent into hell it is finished

'It is finished' — full payment was complete at the moment of death; descent to spirits in prison was proclamation, not suffering

Follow-up on the atonement question about whether Jesus experienced the equivalent of hell.

crucifixion atonement shame

Shame and guilt on the cross: Jesus experienced the full weight of all human guilt — an underappreciated dimension of atonement

Mike adds to the physical and death dimensions of what Jesus suffered.

Bible study Blue Letter Bible new believers

Bible study tips for new believers: study Bibles and Blue Letter Bible as foundational resources

Question from Mia Joe, a new Christian of a couple months.

Matthew 8 Mark 5 inerrancy Matthew 8 Mark 5

Matthew 8 two demoniacs vs. Mark 5 one demoniac: narrative selectivity, not contradiction

Question from CM (from Germany) about the apparent discrepancy between Matthew 8 and Mark 5.

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 12:18 Romans 12:18 conflict resolution peacemaking

Living peaceably with a difficult family member: Romans 12:18 — 'as much as it depends on you'

Question from Josiah about conflict with a family member at home.

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.

Acts 2 Acts 2 Pentecost charismatic gifts

Acts 2 Pentecost: the drunk accusation was caused by incomprehensible tongues, not ecstatic behavior

Question from Gringo Nebrasa about whether Acts 2 supports drunk-in-the-spirit or ecstatic charismatic behavior.

Acts 2 Galatians 5:23 Acts 2 self-control charismatic gifts

Three arguments against drunk-in-the-spirit theology: self-control is a fruit of the Spirit; accusers were unsaved; Scripture describes the gifts

Mike's comprehensive rebuttal of drunk-in-spirit theology.

charismatic gifts slain in the Spirit Pentecostalism

Personal testimony: Mike faked being slain in the Spirit at a hyper-Pentecostal church due to peer pressure as a teenager

Mike's personal experience with being slain in the Spirit.

Matthew 10:33 Luke 12:9 evangelism private faith shame of the gospel

Keeping faith private: a private relationship with God signals shame or embarrassment, not genuine privacy

Question from Dusty Matthew about a friend who says faith is a private matter.

Acts Acts persecution bold witness

Book of Acts as counter-example to private faith: the apostles were imprisoned and beaten rather than stop speaking about Jesus

Closing reinforcement of the bold witness argument.

YouTube ministry YouTube Tactics with Mike Winger

Announcement: second YouTube channel 'YouTube Tactics with Mike Winger' for evangelical ministry on YouTube

Closing announcements.

Matthew 18 Brian Simmons Matthew 18 Bill Johnson

Matthew 18 is widely misused on the internet to silence discernment of public teachers

Mike introduces the recurring question about whether he has the right to critique public teachers like Bill Johnson, Todd White, Brian Zond, and Brian Simmons

Matthew 18:15-17 hermeneutics church discipline Matthew 18:15-17

Matthew 18:15-17 is about personal sin resolution, not evaluation of public teaching

Mike reads Matthew 18:15-17 and explains its actual contextual meaning

Galatians 2 Paul Peter Galatians 2

Paul rebuked Peter publicly in Galatians 2 because his behavior impacted the whole community

Mike shows a biblical precedent for public confrontation of a leader

"Touch not the Lord's anointed" means do not murder -- not do not critique

Mike addresses the second common objection to his discernment work

David Saul Old Testament

Mark 16:9-20 textual criticism biblical inerrancy longer ending of Mark

Mark 16:9-20 (the longer ending) is likely not original to the gospel

Responding to a question from Max Bolser about Mark 16:17-18 and signs following believers

Acts Mark 16:17-18 signs and wonders speaking in tongues Acts

If Mark 16:17-18 is original, signs accompanying believers does not mean every believer at all times

Mike gives a conditional interpretation of Mark 16:17-18 assuming its authenticity

Mark 16:18 Psalm 91 Matthew 4 Mark 16:18 Psalm 91 Matthew 4

Snake handling is condemned as tempting God, mirroring Satan's temptation of Jesus using Psalm 91

Mike addresses the serpent-picking clause in Mark 16:18

Acts 28 Paul signs and wonders Acts 28

Paul's snakebite in Acts is a fulfillment of divine protection -- validating the gospel message, not a prescription

Mike gives a concrete Acts example for the serpent-handling promise

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 Paul paradise 2 Corinthians 12:2-4

2 Corinthians 12:2 -- Paul's reference to the third heaven and its Jewish cosmological background

Responding to a question about levels of heaven and whether this relates to the phrase 'seventh heaven'

Mormonism rabbinic literature hermeneutics

In Jewish thought: first heaven = atmosphere, second heaven = space/stars, third heaven = God's presence

Mike explains the consistent rabbinic framework for multiple heavens

John 5:44-47 Genesis 1-11 salvation John 5:44-47 Genesis 1-11

Genesis 1-11 allegorical interpretation does not necessarily violate John 5:44-47 or deny salvation

Responding to a question from Cat Chat about whether allegorical reading of Genesis 1-11 equals rejection of Christ per John 5

salvation evolution creation debate

Francis Collins is cited as an example of a Christian who holds evolutionary creation yet is genuinely saved

Mike illustrates that believing in evolution does not automatically equal rejection of Christ

Genesis 1-11 John Walton William Lane Craig Genesis 1-11 creation debate

John Walton's temple language view and William Lane Craig's archetypal history view are named as options within Christian faith

Mike surveys distinct Christian interpretive positions on Genesis 1-11

1 Corinthians 6 1 Corinthians 6 Christian liberty addiction

1 Corinthians 6 provides key principles for evaluating bodily health choices: lawfulness, helpfulness, and avoiding bondage

Responding to a question from Grayson Fuller about biblical principles for physical health, smoking, piercings, diet, and exercise

Christian liberty bodily stewardship exercise

Bodily stewardship and exercise as a moral issue -- knowingly neglecting physical health can become sin

Mike extends the 1 Corinthians 6 framework to exercise and diet

James John Matthew 16:28 Peter James John

Matthew 16:28 "some standing here will not taste death" is fulfilled by the Transfiguration, not the Second Coming

Responding to a question from Lucas Callahan about Matthew 16:28 and the failed apocalyptic prophet charge

Isaiah 14 Ezekiel 28 biblical theology Satan Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 do speak about Satan, contra the scholarly majority

Responding to a question from Nathanael H about whether these passages reference Satan

John MacArthur John MacArthur repentance salvation

Lordship salvation: repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin, not moral prerequisites for merit

Responding to Sally Richardson's question about what lordship salvation is

apologetics epistemology self-refuting argument

Subjective truth is self-refuting -- every claim for it is itself an objective truth claim

Responding to Arno's question about how to respond to claims that all truth is subjective

Acts 6 Acts 2 John 20 Acts 6 Acts 2 Holy Spirit

All believers are indwelt by the Spirit at salvation, but degrees of Spirit-filling differ among believers

Responding to a question from Sarah P about whether salvation and Spirit baptism are the same event

Acts 16:31-34 hermeneutics salvation Acts 16:31-34

Acts 16:31 does not teach household salvation -- the household's rejoicing proves they individually believed

Responding to Sarah P's report that her Bible teacher taught household salvation from Acts 16:31

Romans Abraham Romans soteriology

Romans teaches that physical descent from Abraham does not save -- only the faith of Abraham counts

Mike extends the Acts 16 argument with a Romans parallel

John 5 mediator salvation Christology

Rejecting the deity of Christ is a salvation issue -- John 5 says dishonoring the Son dishonors the Father

Responding to Isaac Floyd's question about whether denying the deity of Christ is a salvation issue

Luke 23:34 2 Peter 3:9 Numbers typology cities of refuge high priest

Luke 23:34 'Father forgive them' likely refers to delayed judgment / forgiveness offered, not full salvific pardon

Responding to Reid's question about whether unbelievers are forgiven to some degree, referencing Luke 23:34

Christian ethics pastoral care sin nature

Responding pastorally to a parent whose daughter came out as bisexual: distinguish identity from sin, love without approval

Responding to 'Whatever is Lovely' whose daughter was baptized in 2018 then came out as bisexual in 2019

conspiracy theory Noahide Laws anti-Semitism

Noahide Laws conspiracy theory is rooted in anti-Semitism and misrepresents Jewish belief

Responding to John Ernest's question about whether Noahide Laws pose a threat to Christians

Mormonism apologetics pre-mortal existence

Socratic approach for witnessing to Mormons about pre-mortal existence: let them make their case first

Responding to Alexander Duncan's question about addressing Mormon belief in pre-mortal existence

Revelation Isaiah 11 Holy Spirit Revelation pneumatology

The seven spirits of God in Revelation symbolize the Holy Spirit's omniscience and universality, not seven distinct spirits

Responding to Olivia Hartland's question about the seven spirits of God in Revelation

Proverbs Word of Faith Proverbs discernment

Proverbs' paradoxical advice on rebuking a fool applies to confronting Word of Faith in-laws -- danger exists either way

Responding to Jackie Rock about whether to have a doctrinal confrontation with Word of Faith in-laws

Romans 14 Lord's Supper Romans 14 Christian liberty

Unleavened bread at communion is symbolically important (sinlessness of Christ); alcoholic vs non-alcoholic wine is incidental

Responding to Kumbo Munsaka's question about whether alcoholic wine and unleavened bread are required at the Lord's Supper

1 John 1 John 2:1 Peter 1 John perseverance

Habitual sin and salvation: honest uncertainty, but the answer is always to press toward Christ rather than despair

Responding to Adriano's question about whether living in habitual sin from addiction while truly wanting to stop means he is unsaved

biblical ethics abortion pro-life

Pro-life and pro-death penalty are not contradictory positions

Mike addresses pushback from his death penalty video, responding to the charge that being pro-life and pro-death penalty is inconsistent.

1 John 5:16-17 hermeneutics eisegesis salvation

Sin leading to death in 1 John 5:16-17 — interpretation depends on prior theology

Question about whether 1 John 5:16-17 implies one can lose salvation.

epistemology humility biblical scholarship

Epistemic humility in teaching: share conclusions only to the degree of confidence you actually possess

Question about how Mike knows when he has read enough secondary literature to teach a topic publicly.