Search — Theology Explorer

Follow-up to Mike's 200+ hours of research and 3-hour teaching on divorce and remarriage. He combed through 1,000+ comments and selected 29 issues to address — questions, pushback, and scenarios he hadn't covered.

Introduction — divorce/remarriage follow-up

divorce and remarriage

Jeremiah 3:13 Jeremiah 3:13 God divorced Israel Catholic annulment

Jeremiah 3 shows God divorced Israel — this disproves the Catholic position that divorce is ontologically impossible. But Mike's point is about divorce, NOT remarriage. God's response: reconciliation is offered but CONDITIONED on Israel's repentance (Jeremiah 3:13). God requires acknowledgment of guilt before restoration — not unconditional reunion.

Jeremiah 3 — God divorced Israel, conditional reconciliation

repentance repentance unjust divorce and remarriage

Can someone who unjustly divorced, repented, but whose ex has remarried, now marry someone else? Yes — the previous marriage is clearly over both legally and morally once the ex has remarried. The wrongly-divorcing party has repented. The alternatives (permanent singleness as unforgivable punishment, or pretending the marriage still exists) don't make biblical sense.

Unjust divorce + ex remarried = free to remarry after repentance

Leviticus 20:10 John 18:31 Deuteronomy 24 Leviticus 20:10 John 18:31 Mishnah Yevamot 2:8

Leviticus 20:10 objection: if adultery = death, how can it be grounds for divorce (the person would be dead)? Four responses: (1) The death penalty wasn't practiced after 30 AD under Roman rule — John 18:31: "it is not lawful for us to put anyone to death." (2) The Mishnah has rules for divorced adulteresses (can't marry their lover) — proving they weren't killed. (3) Adultery was hard to prove (requires 2+ witnesses). (4) Jesus uses porneia (broader than adultery) to include lesser sexual offenses.

Adultery death penalty objection — four rebuttals

divorce and remarriage porneia pornography as grounds for divorce

Is pornography addiction grounds for divorce? Mike finds this intimidating given modern usage rates. His answer: pornography use IS sexual immorality (porneia), but not every instance should trigger divorce. Factors: scale, pattern, repentance, willingness to get help. A single failure vs an unrepentant lifestyle are very different situations. Mike recommends counseling before divorce in pornography cases.

Pornography as grounds for divorce — nuanced

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

Overview: Responding to an article presenting the "best arguments" of top atheists against God. The first four are circular and self-refuting; the fifth (problem of evil) is genuinely difficult but well-answered.

Introduction to video analyzing Sam Wickstrom article on atheist arguments from Dawkins, Nietzsche, and Epicurus

circular reasoning atheism circular reasoning

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

Four theodicies provide a cumulative answer to the problem of evil: soul-building, free will, natural law, and skeptical theism.

Detailed treatment of theodicies responding to the problem of evil

theodicy theodicy problem of evil

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

The problem of evil is the #1 argument that practically draws people away from God, but Christianity alone offers both intellectual answers and emotional/pastoral hope — atheism offers neither explanation nor solution.

Pastoral conclusion on the problem of evil and summary of all 5 arguments

theodicy atheism theodicy

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-21

Premise 3 defense: if external forces determine your beliefs, you lose justification for knowledge. You become a "bag of beliefs, none of which are up to the bag." The mad scientist thought experiment illustrates this.

Detailed defense of the most attacked premise

determinism determinism consciousness

1 Peter 3:7 Mark 11:25 Matthew 5:23-24 1 Peter 3:7 Mark 11:25 Matthew 5:23-24

Your part in prayer is faith, but GOD does the miracles — the power is not in your words or your belief, but in God's response. Forgiveness of others and repentance of sin are prerequisites for effective prayer.

Analysis of active/passive language in Mark 11 and the forgiveness requirement

Mark 14:35-36 Word of Faith Gethsemane prayer Word of Faith

Mark 14 (Gethsemane) is the intentional counterpoint to Mark 11 — Jesus with perfect faith, no sin, no unforgiveness prays and God says NO. Faith means trusting God both when he says yes AND when he says no.

The missing piece: Jesus' Gethsemane prayer as counterpoint to the prayer promise

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 John 5:19 1 John 5:14 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 John 5:19 1 John 5:14

Faith for miracles is different from saving faith — it's initiated by God (a spiritual gift), not fabricated by the believer. Jesus had a responsive ministry to the Father, not initiatory. You respond to what the Spirit reveals.

Theological framework: miracle-faith as God-initiated response, not self-generated belief

Mark 11:22-25 Mark 14:35-36 Kenneth Copeland Word of Faith Kenneth Copeland

Conclusion: Mark 11 teaches new-covenant prayer through Christ, accessed by faith (not works). Real faith believes both for miracles AND in suffering when God says no. The harder path of faith is trusting God's "no."

Summary of the full teaching on prayer from Mark 11 and 14

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-05

The Sanhedrin's question is for intimidation and ammunition, not information. Jesus's counter-question about John's baptism is a standard rabbinic technique that embeds his answer while denying them usable ammo.

Analysis of the Sanhedrin's question and Jesus's response strategy

Mark 11:27-33 Mark 14:61-62 Sanhedrin Sanhedrin Mark 11:27-33

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-05

Jesus's response pattern gives us a template: acknowledge the legitimate role (responsibility to teach) while rejecting the authority claims. The papacy has responsibility to teach God's Word but not the authority to determine truth.

How Jesus's response to the Sanhedrin applies to modern Catholic claims

Roman Catholicism sola scriptura papacy

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-05

The Sanhedrin's "we don't know" answer is pretend agnosticism — they knew what they believed but wouldn't say it. This is a modern plague: people claim not to know as a cover for not wanting to submit to the evidence.

Analysis of the Sanhedrin's non-answer and modern pretend agnosticism

Mark 11:27-33 Sanhedrin Sanhedrin Mark 11:27-33

Mark 12:13-17 Mark series render to Caesar Mark 12:13-17 render to Caesar

Mark 12:13-17 ("Render to Caesar") is one of the most political NT passages — the Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus with a question about the poll tax, and Jesus's answer gives principles for Christian politics.

Introduction to Mark Series pt 47 on the tribute to Caesar

Mark 12:13-17 Acts 5:37 Proverbs 29:5 Josephus Josephus Sanhedrin

The trap: Pharisees and Herodians (sent by the Sanhedrin) use flattery to pressure Jesus into a direct yes/no answer. They want either criminal charges (sedition) or depopularization (alienating zealot followers).

Analysis of the trap question setup in Mark 12:13-16

Proverbs 15:28 image of God image of God papacy

Jesus answers with a PRINCIPLE rather than yes/no: the coin bears Caesar's image (give it back), but YOU bear God's image (give yourself to God). This is a rabbinic "greater to lesser" argument that deflates their trap.

Analysis of "Render to Caesar" as a principled answer

image of God image of God render to Caesar

Jesus redirects from taxes to the image of God — you bear God's image, so you belong to God. For the Christian, there is no separation between religion and politics; being a Christian IS the lens through which you engage all of life.

The image of God as the foundational political principle

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-29

CRT redefines racism as "prejudice plus power" — meaning only the dominant group (whites) can be racist, and systemic racism is the only real racism. This enables dismissing any concern from majority groups while making all disparities evidence of racism.

CRT's redefinition of racism and its consequences

Proverbs 18:13 Robin DiAngelo Ibram X. Kendi prejudice plus power

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-02

Objections answered: (1) Jesus's "turn the other cheek" refutes personal vengeance, not governmental justice; (2) David's pardon is a divine exception, not a rule; (3) John 8 (woman in adultery) was a mob, not a court — and the passage is textually questionable.

Responding to objections against the death penalty

John 8 woman adultery Matthew 5 eye for eye death penalty John 8 woman adultery Matthew 5 eye for eye

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-04

Jesus will not allow a limited Christology — the Messiah is not just the son of David but God Himself. Mark supports this throughout: Isaiah 40:3 applied to Jesus (Yahweh's coming), Jesus walking on water (quoting Job where God walks on water), the demoniac telling what "the Lord/Jesus" did.

Building the case for the deity of Christ from Mark 12:35-37 and the broader Gospel of Mark

Psalm 110:1 Isaiah 9:1-2 deity of Christ Psalm 110:1 Isaiah 9:1-2

Mike Winger idea 2021-05-14

Where was Daniel when the three were thrown into the fire? Unknown — possibly on a trip, ill, or exempt from the order for some reason. The text simply doesn't say.

Q11: Where was Daniel during the fiery furnace?

Daniel Daniel NAR

Mike Winger idea 2021-05-14

Would Jesus have died of old age if not crucified? Probably yes — physical death entered through the Fall affecting all humanity, not just individual sinners. But Winger acknowledges he hasn't fully worked this out.

Q18: Would sinless Jesus have died of old age?

Romans 5 Romans 5:12 Romans 5 Jesus Romans 5:12

Mike Winger idea 2021-06-11

Winger walks through 1 Timothy 3 elder qualifications, acknowledging real-life churches (especially small ones) struggle to find people who meet all criteria. Lists: blameless, husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy, gentle, not quarrelsome, rules his own house well, not a novice.

Q&A: How literally should we follow the qualifications for pastors/elders in 1 Timothy and Titus?

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 elder qualifications 1 Timothy 3 elder qualifications

Mike Winger idea 2021-06-11

Encouragement when we feel Empty: I struggle with emotional emptiness, abandonment issues, & having low self-worth. This makes my walk hard because my cup is always empty. God won’t answer my prayers. Any advice?

Q&A question: Encouragement when we feel Empty

prayer

Mike Winger idea 2021-06-25

Assurance of God’s Love & Salvation: Does God really love me, and am I really saved? I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but I am still sinful and I struggle with sin. However, it seems that God answers my prayers. Am I really saved?

Q&A question: Assurance of God’s Love & Salvation

Jesus salvation prayer

Mike Winger idea 2021-08-06

Was Jesus Created? Answering JWs: How would you respond to a JW who says that Revelation 3: 14 proves that Jesus was created when it says He is the “beginning of Creation”?

Q&A question: Was Jesus Created? Answering JWs

Revelation 3 revelation Jesus creation Revelation 3

Mike Winger idea 2021-08-13

Refuting Catholic “Queenship” of Mary: How would you answer a Catholic who uses Revelation 12 to argue Mary's queenship?

Q&A question: Refuting Catholic “Queenship” of Mary

revelation Roman Catholicism revelation

Mike Winger idea 2021-05-07

Should we Ask Qs while Reading Scripture?: Does God want us to ask Him questions and look for the answers in Scripture, even if the Bible does not specifically deal with the question?

Q&A question: Should we Ask Qs while Reading Scripture?

Mike Winger idea 2021-09-10

Responding to Mormon Arguments: What is your best answer to a Mormon responding to "There is only ONE God" by saying "Yes, only one God for US. Only one God we are to worship & that’s OUR Heavenly Father but there are others elsewhere"?

Q&A question: Responding to Mormon Arguments

worship Mormonism

Mike Winger idea 2021-10-29

About the Curse in 2 Kings: How should we explain 2 Kings 2: 23-25? I had somebody bring it up to me and was unsure of how to answer them. On the surface, it seems problematic. What can I say to them?

Q&A question: About the Curse in 2 Kings

2 Kings 2 2 Kings 2

Mike Winger idea 2021-11-05

Is Baptism Required?: Why does the Bible sound like baptism is required for salvation in some places (eg. Mark 16: 16)? Does Acts 1:5 answer what KIND of baptism IS required (Holy Spirit baptism)? And what did Jesus mean by “to fulfill righteousness”?

Q&A question: Is Baptism Required?

Mark 16 Acts 1 Jesus salvation baptism

Mike Winger idea 2021-11-05

About Doubt, Truth, & Bias: My friend is doubting his faith and reality because he claims there's no way to discern truth objectively without some sort of bias. How would you answer him?

Q&A question: About Doubt, Truth, & Bias

doubt and faith

Was the Temple Ever Cleaned?: Blood was sprinkled around the altar in the Tabernacle and Temple. Did the priests ever clean up all the blood splatter? Or just let it accumulate? I cannot find the answer in Scripture.

Q&A question: Was the Temple Ever Cleaned?

NAR

Genesis Genesis 1 Jesus Genesis Genesis 1

What is the Light in Gen. 1?: What is the light in Genesis 1:3? Some say the light is a spiritual force, Jesus, stars, the Big Bang, etc. I know it’s not Jesus, but I’m getting a lot of feedback in a group without any real solid answers.

Q&A question: What is the Light in Gen. 1?

Should We Pray Once or Repeatedly?: I’ve heard several teachings about prayer and I’m a bit confused. Are we to pray once, believe we have it, and walk in faith? Or should we pray repeatedly until God gives us an answer?

Q&A question: Should We Pray Once or Repeatedly?

prayer