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Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike reconciles Colossians 1:13's statement that Christians have been transferred into Christ's kingdom with premillennial teaching by distinguishing between the kingdom as an internal present reality (God reigning in the heart) and the future global, political kingdom established at the second coming.

Response to viewer question about how premillennialism handles Colossians 1:13

Colossians 1:13 Luke 17:21 John 18 eschatology second coming premillennialism
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

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.

John 20:23 Apostolic authority John 20:23 Forgiveness of sins
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q1: Why does Revelation not mention the destruction of Jerusalem if written around 70 AD?

Viewer Doug Bush asks why John would ignore such a major prophetic fulfillment as the destruction of Jerusalem if Revelation was written around 70 AD, as preterists claim.

Revelation Revelation dating eschatology Revelation preterism
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

John wrote Revelation as a vision, not personal reflection — explains silence on Temple destruction; late dating supported by majority of scholars

Mike responds to why Revelation does not mention the Temple destruction.

Revelation Revelation dating John the Apostle Revelation burden of proof preterism
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Belief in Christ's resurrection transforms the believer's relationship to death — to die is to pass into God's presence

Mike continues his counsel on fear of death, drawing on the resurrection and Paul's teaching.

2 Corinthians 5:8 John 11 Paul the Apostle resurrection 2 Corinthians 5:8
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

1 John 4:18 — perfect love casts out fear; fear of punishment stems from insufficient awareness of God's love

Mike addresses the secondary fear connected to death — fear of divine judgment and punishment.

1 John 4:18 assurance of salvation God's love fear of judgment
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

1 John 3:20-21 — God is greater than our condemning heart; confidence before God is the mature Christian posture

Mike continues the fear-of-death answer, noting many Christians are condemned not by actual rebellion but by vague fear.

1 John 3:20-21 assurance of salvation fear of judgment 1 John 3:20-21
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q7: Advice for a young adult starting a theology ministry platform without formal training

Viewer Nathan Johnson asks how to start a ministry platform similar to Mike's without seminary training.

intellectual humility ministry platform theological training
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q12: Are big-name Calvinists arrogant and unloving? Mike pushes back on the generalization while acknowledging a real temptation within Calvinism

Viewer Steve Carruthers claims big-name Calvinists in general are arrogant and unloving and asks if this disqualifies them.

John Piper John Piper ad hominem Calvinism
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

John 8:30-58 — Jesus rebuking those described as believing in him; claim to deity (I AM)

Viewer from the Czech Republic asks why Jesus spoke so confrontationally to those described as believing in him in John 8.

John 8:30-38 John 8:58 Abraham John 8:30-38 John 8:58
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Interpretive options for belief in John 8:30 — salvific vs. surface belief; audience complexity

The theological puzzle: was this salvific belief that was then lost, or was it never salvific to begin with?

John 8:30-38 John 1:11 perseverance of the saints John 8:30-38 belief in John
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

John 3:16-18 — condemnation precedes unbelief; unbelief leaves you in existing condemnation

Scriptural support for the pit analogy.

John 3:16-18 salvation soteriology sin
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Question: How do you interpret Genesis 1-2 given the evidence for evolution?

Viewer Johnny Quick cites the scientific consensus for evolution and asks how Mike interprets Genesis 1-2.

Genesis 1-2 Genesis 1-2 hermeneutics evolution
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Survey of interpretive views on Genesis 1-2: gap theory, day-age, young earth, progressive creation, Walton, Heiser, William Lane Craig

Mike surveys the major interpretive frameworks for Genesis 1-2 without committing to one.

Genesis 1-2 John Walton Genesis 1-2 Michael Heiser hermeneutics
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Advice for a 20-year-old preparing for pastoral ministry: balance seminary education with active local church service, and remove ego.

Question from John Parizzo about preparing for pastoral ministry while in college and seminary.

Pastoral formation Seminary education Humility in ministry
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

How to find scholarly resources for Bible study: use academic commentaries, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and Google Books.

Question from Derek Johnson about finding scholarly articles for a Matthew study.

Matthew commentary Bible study methodology R.T. France Scholarly research tools
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Isaiah 9:6 — "Everlasting Father" as a title for Jesus: representational fullness of God

Leslie Johnson asked why Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus "Everlasting Father" if he is not the Father within Trinitarian theology.

Isaiah 9:6 John 14:16 Trinity Christology incarnation
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Political prophecies, false prophets in 2020, and the antichrist

Joe Burton asked whether the wave of false political prophecies might be setting up the antichrist to appear as a savior.

Deuteronomy 18:22 1 John 2:18 Jeremiah Johnson discernment prophetic accountability eschatology
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4): prioritizing doctrine over teachers

Chip Ludick asked why Paul warned the Corinthians about "another Jesus" in 2 Corinthians 11:4 and how it applies today in light of John 17:3.

Galatians 1:8-9 2 Corinthians 11:4 Jude 3 sola scriptura Galatians 1:8-9 Kenneth Copeland
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-26

Visualizing God in prayer — dangers of anthropomorphism, suggestion to visualize light

Marty Moxie asks how to see God when praying since the mind naturally wants to picture a person.

James 1:17 1 John 1:5 prayer incarnation James 1:17
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-26

How can God love the world and also hate sinners? Psalm 5:5 and Proverbs 6:16-19

Fly Serve Disciples asks how God can love the whole world (John 3:16) while Psalm 5:5 says God hates evildoers.

John 3:16 Psalm 5:5 Proverbs 6:16-19 God's love God's wrath John 3:16
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-05

Forgiveness: will and emotions are separate; you can choose to forgive before your heart feels it

Responding to whether one can say words of forgiveness when the heart has not yet caught up

1 John 3:20 Christian living forgiveness walking by faith
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Universal atonement does not guarantee universal salvation; receiving Christ requires a personal decision.

Response to anonymous question: since Jesus died for all, will all be saved like gravity works on all?

John 1:12 John 1:9-11 salvation free will universalism
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Ephesians 5:25-32 — the mystery of marriage as a typological picture of Christ and the church, rooted in the Adam-Eve narrative.

Discussing the "mystery" Paul refers to in Ephesians 5:32 while addressing the Vulgate question.

Ephesians 5:25-32 John 19:34 Christ and the Church typology Adam and Eve
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Matthew 19:28 — the promise of 12 thrones for those who followed Jesus does not necessarily include Judas; Matthias' replacement and the symbolic nature of the number 12 both resolve the tension.

Robo King asks whether Judas still has a throne since Jesus promised 12 thrones to the Twelve in Matthew 19:28.

Acts 1 Matthew 19:28 Luke 22:28-30 eschatology Judas Iscariot Acts 1
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Isaiah's monotheistic declarations that God alone is Savior and Rock are not contradicted by Jesus being called Rock and Savior — Jesus is God.

Taylor Paris asks why Isaiah declares God knows of no other rock/savior while Jesus is called a rock.

Isaiah 40-48 John 1:3 Colossians 1:16 Trinity monotheism deity of Christ
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Closing exhortation: the Christian calling is impossibly high but entirely sustained by the oceans of grace in Christ; fruit comes through abiding, not striving.

Final blessing to the live stream audience.

John 15 grace sanctification Christian living
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

Intrusive/unwanted thoughts: possible demonic origin and the Philippians 4:8 remedy

Question from Turka Orenzova about horrifying thoughts that pop into her head unbidden.

Philippians 4:8 John 13:2 Ephesians 6 Peter Philippians 4:8 Satan
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

Why was Zechariah punished for his question about John's birth, but Mary was not punished for asking the same type of question?

Question from Terry Defilo about Luke 1:18 (Zechariah) vs. Luke 1:34 (Mary) and the apparent inconsistency.

John the Baptist Luke 1:18 Luke 1:34 Mary John the Baptist Luke 1:18
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

Practical advice for an agnostic seeking to believe

Question from "It's Flawless," an agnostic trying to believe.

Gospel of John Apologetics Agnosticism / seeking faith
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

Can someone be justified without being sanctified? Can habitual sin coexist with salvation?

Question from Kate Channel about justification, sanctification, and habitual sin.

Galatians 5 John 8:36 2 Corinthians 13:5 Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5 Sanctification
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

How to evaluate scholarship that challenges traditional OT interpretation through cultural/linguistic arguments

Question from True West about scholarship that challenges OT translations and cultural understandings.

James 3:1 Galatians (uncircumcision passage) Hermeneutics James 3:1 Biblical scholarship
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-23

John 7:8-10 — Jesus did not lie when he said he was "not going up" to the feast; he meant he would not go publicly/openly as his brothers were urging, and he did go privately.

Q19 from Jody Wainwright: did Jesus lie to his brothers in John 7:8-10 when he said he was not going to the feast but then went anyway?

John 7:8-10 John 7:8-10 Jesus and truthfulness triumphal entry (Palm Sunday)
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

Plato's influence on Christianity: limited and often overstated due to caricatures of ancient thought

Q2 from Tony Oshikonlu: What does Plato have to do with Christianity? Was Plato as influential on Christianity as the Bible?

John 1 Plato Philo of Alexandria John 1
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

Re-baptism: Acts 19 supports being baptized again after receiving fuller gospel understanding; LDS baptism is invalid

Q5 from Stephanie Morse: Are there biblical examples of people being baptized more than once? She was baptized LDS and wants to be re-baptized.

Acts 19 John's baptism Apollos Holy Spirit Acts 19
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

God's forgetting of sins means he will not bring them up again, not literal amnesia — Christians cannot claim sinlessness post-forgiveness

Q7 from Earl Grey: After forgiveness, sin is wiped clean — can a person claim to have never taken part in certain sins since the Lord remembers them no more?

1 John 1 sin divine omniscience forgiveness
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

Mandating church traditions as biblical commands is wrong; Proverbs 22:28 and Matthew 18:18 do not support it

Q8 from John Doe: A church mandates women wear dresses and men be clean-shaven using Proverbs 22:28 and Matthew 18:18 — is it biblical to mandate adherence to tradition?

Proverbs 22:28 Matthew 18:18 church authority spiritual abuse tradition vs Scripture
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

Mary did not remain a perpetual virgin — Scripture clearly indicates she had other children with Joseph after Jesus

Q11 from Lovisa Bengtsen: Did Mary remain a virgin? Were the brothers of Jesus actually cousins? If she had other sons, why did John need to care for her?

James (brother of Jesus) John the Apostle John 19:26-27 James (brother of Jesus) John the Apostle brothers of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

Using secular music in worship: not wrong in principle, but wisdom demands sensitivity to the congregation

Q13 from Rohin John: What are your thoughts on using secular music with half secular and half Jesus-focused lyrics as worship?

worship music secular music pastoral wisdom
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

1 John 3:4-10 does not teach sinless perfectionism — the Greek present tense indicates habitual lifestyle of sin, not single acts

Q14 from Shauna Whitting: Does 1 John 3:4-10 mean you are not a real Christian if you still struggle with sin?

1 John 2:1 1 John 3:4-10 habitual sin limited atonement propitiation
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

The NT reliably narrates events where Jesus was alone — he could have told disciples, and Holy Spirit aided gospel authors

Q19 from Stephen Richeson: How do we know the NT is reliable for events where Jesus was alone, such as the temptation in the wilderness or Gethsemane?

John 14:26 eyewitness testimony Holy Spirit inspiration temptation of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

Kalam leads to God with biblical attributes via conceptual analysis

Continuation of the Kalam answer, explaining the conceptual analysis step.

Genesis 1 Hebrews 11 John 1:1 Genesis 1 Hebrews 11 John 1:1
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

Long ages in Genesis 5 — multiple interpretive views

Listener Ben Johnson asks about the extreme longevity in Genesis 5; his wife takes them literally while he leans symbolic.

Genesis 6:3 Genesis 5 Literal interpretation Genesis 6:3 Genesis 5
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

John 21:24-25 does not support Orthodox/Catholic oral tradition

Listener Adam Duarte's Orthodox friends cite John 21:24-25 as the Bible creating authoritative oral tradition.

John 21:24-25 Roman Catholicism Eastern Orthodoxy Sola Scriptura
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-30

God physically appearing to everyone would not necessarily eliminate unbelief; unbelief is often a heart issue, not an evidence problem.

Question 8 from Amanda about why God does not appear physically and audibly to eliminate all unbelief.

Romans 1 John 5 John 1 apologetics Matt Dillahunty unbelief
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-30

Psalm 82 gods (elohim) most likely refers to earthly rulers ironically addressed as divine beings, not literal supernatural deities.

Question 10 from RaHR17 about who the gods in Psalm 82 are; engages Michael Heiser's divine council worldview.

1 Samuel 28 John 10 Psalm 82 Michael Heiser 1 Samuel 28 John 10
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-30

God chose to redeem through the cross to display his love, patience, righteousness, and desire for relationship simultaneously.

Question 15 from Daniel James about why God chose death and resurrection as the method of redemption.

John 3:16 atonement Incarnation righteousness of God
Mike Winger idea 2020-02-12

Q&A: John 8:1-11 (woman caught in adultery) is very likely a true story/memory of Jesus but probably not originally part of John's Gospel. It appears in different locations in manuscripts. Most translations bracket it.

Q&A — John 8:1-11 textual criticism

Mark 16:9-20 John 8:1-11 textual criticism textual criticism Mark 16:9-20
Mike Winger idea 2020-02-12

Q&A: A sermon claiming that struggling with addiction or fearing hell means you're not a Christian is unbiblical. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for sin without denying their faith; 1 John 4:18 says fear indicates incomplete realization of God's love, not absence of salvation.

Q&A — addiction and assurance of salvation

1 John 4:18 1 John 3:20 assurance of salvation assurance of salvation 1 John 4:18
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-08

Mike Winger introduces a panel response to Genetically Modified Skeptic's video "4 Questions That Could Make You an Atheist," joined by Braxton Hunter, Cameron Bertuzzi, and John McCrae.

Introduction — response to Genetically Modified Skeptic

John McCrae apologetics apologetics Cameron Bertuzzi