Search — Theology Explorer

apologetics methodology research method primary sources

Footnotes are the most reliable method for tracking primary sources and objective evidence in apologetics research

Response to question about finding primary sources in a sea of biased online content

N.T. Wright Pauline theology New Perspective on Paul

N.T. Wright's New Perspective on Paul: Winger is mildly opposed but has not read enough Wright to engage substantively

Response to question about N.T. Wright's view on Paul's epistles

Matthew 6:14-15 Philippians 2:13 assurance of salvation forgiveness Matthew 6:14-15

Matthew 6:14-15 has a direct and uncomfortable application; persistent unwillingness to forgive may be evidence of not being in Christ, not a cause of losing salvation

Response to question about applying Matthew 6:14-15 to life situations

John 16 Calvinism soteriology free will

Winger rejects irresistible grace: God's Spirit convicts all people universally but some freely reject him; Winger believes he personally would likely not believe without the Spirit's work

Response to question about whether Winger would believe in the Resurrection without God's testimony

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

119 Ministries praised for affirming grace-alone salvation while still holding Torah-observant views

Winger acknowledges 119 Ministries responded to his previous video

Hebrew Roots movement sola fide grace alone

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

The Hebrew Roots argument: Matthew 5 + Matthew 28 = all nations must obey the Law of Moses

Winger presents the 119 Ministries interpretive framework before critiquing it

Matthew 28:18-20 Matthew 5:17 Great Commission Matthew 28:18-20 119 Ministries

Islam divine inspiration Quran

Why unity argument doesn't work for Islam — Quran vs. Bible authorship

Cameron Bertuzzi's question: if unity of Scripture argues for divine inspiration, why doesn't it work for the Quran?

John 12:1 Mark 11-14 triumphal entry undesigned coincidences Jonathan McLatchie

Undesigned coincidence: John's Passover timeline and Mark's narrative calibrate perfectly

McLatchie's second Gospel-based undesigned coincidence — the precise synchronization of John 12 and Mark 11-14.

undesigned coincidences Lydia McGrew historicity of the Gospels

Lydia McGrew's book on undesigned coincidences

Winger references Lydia McGrew's scholarly work as a resource for deeper study on undesigned coincidences.

Jonathan McLatchie biological fine-tuning intelligent design

Doug Axe's research — probability of functional proteins

McLatchie cites Douglas Axe's research on the ratio of functional to non-functional protein sequences.

1 Corinthians 15 Acts 1 Luke Craig Keener 1 Corinthians 15 resurrection of Jesus

Historical case for the resurrection — basis and overview

McLatchie introduces the historical argument for the resurrection of Jesus, which is the seventh main line of argument.

apologetics cumulative case apologetics Jonathan McLatchie

The cumulative case — power and robustness of multiple converging arguments

McLatchie explains the logic and strength of the cumulative case approach as the seventh and final major point.

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Three expectations if Jesus wanted obedience to Mosaic Law: (1) clear extension to Gentiles in his teaching, (2) Apostles teaching it to Gentiles in Acts, (3) Paul explicitly commanding it

Methodological framework for evaluating Acts

Matthew 28 Paul the Apostle Gentiles Law of Moses

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Two analytical questions for surveying Acts: (1) Did Jewish Apostles feel compelled to stop obeying the law? (2) Were Gentile converts taught to obey the law?

Analytical framework for the Acts survey

hermeneutics Torah observance Jewish believers

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Critique of the alternative view: using the idea that all foods are clean to communicate a message while insisting all foods are not actually clean is logically incoherent

Logical critique of Hebrew Roots reading of Acts 10

Acts 10 hermeneutics Acts 10 dietary laws

Romans Galatians Romans sanctification Galatians

Walking in the Spirit is the new mode of life replacing life under the Law of Moses

Positive alternative to law-keeping as the standard for Christian living

1 Corinthians 9:20-21 Law of Moses law of Christ fulfillment theology

Paul's two caveats in 1 Cor 9:20-21: not under the Law of Moses, but also not lawless — under the law of Christ

Distinguishing freedom from the law vs. antinomianism

Galatians 5:18 Law of Moses under the law Galatians 5:18

Galatians 5:18 — "if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law"

Surveying Pauline uses — eighth/ninth instance

Galatians 1 sola fide Galatians 1 119 Ministries

Is 119 Ministries preaching another gospel? Winger says no, after their clarification on salvation by grace through faith alone

Q&A: Castellanos asks if 119 Ministries teaches another gospel

atonement intent of atonement extent of atonement

Three aspects of the atonement framework: intent, extent, and application

Winger introduces a three-part analytical framework for the atonement, crediting Dr. David Allen for helping him prepare.

D.A. Carson limited atonement elect

Homework challenge: find one verse where kosmos clearly means the elect — D.A. Carson says no such verse exists

Winger issues an exegetical challenge and cites D.A. Carson's agreement.

universal atonement children

Q&A: Did Christ die and rise for all children? — Yes, universally including children

Viewer Q&A: question about whether Christ's death includes children.

resurrection apologetics social construct

Q&A: Formal argument against Christianity being merely a social construct — resurrection, sudden doctrinal appearance, cumulative case

Viewer Q&A: how to argue against Christianity being reduced to a social construct.

James White textual criticism James White Bart Ehrman

James White tweet: respectful but firm disagreement; White acknowledged for textual criticism work and Ehrman debate

Winger shows the James White tweet that prompted deeper preparation for this stream.

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-13

Romans 3:19-23: The purpose of the law is to close every mouth and make all the world accountable

The true purpose of the OT law

Romans 3:19-23 knowledge of sin Romans 3:19-23 purpose of the law

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-13

The Christian message is not targeting homosexuality but all behavior against God

Clarifying that Christian ethics are universally applied, not targeted

repentance homosexuality universal sinfulness

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-13

Anderson teaches that preaching repentance is a false gospel

Another major doctrinal error of Anderson

repentance false gospel Steven Anderson

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Guest introduction: Dr. Mike Licona, historical Jesus scholar with PhD from University of Pretoria

Guest credentials and background

Lee Strobel Mike Licona University of Pretoria

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Bart Ehrman is in a small minority who deny Jesus was known as a miracle worker during his lifetime; most scholars disagree

Noting limits and minority positions within the broader consensus

scholarly consensus Bart Ehrman historicity of Jesus

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Paul's eschatology: 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:20-22 show an intermediate disembodied state after death, before the final bodily resurrection

Paul's two-stage eschatological framework

2 Corinthians 5:8 Philippians 1:20-22 Paul eschatology intermediate state

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-26

Teresa Dedmon / Bethel: selling art as a vehicle for "spiritual impartation" and prophetic clothing that enhances God's presence is false teaching and commercial exploitation.

Second specific example from Bethel: the creative arts director's website claims her paintings and clothing impart heaven's presence.

Bethel Church false prophecy discernment

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-26

The cure for hyper-charismatic abuse is not cessationism but the biblical regulative norms already given in 1 Cor 12-14 for how gifts function in the church.

Winger resists the reactionary move of becoming cessationist in response to charismatic excess.

1 Corinthians 12-14 1 Corinthians 12-14 cessationism continuationism

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-26

Resource recommendation for documented modern miracles: Craig Keener's two-volume work "Miracles" provides medical/testimonial evidence catalogued by a respected scholar.

Q&A — viewer asks for visible evidence that gifts of healing are active today.

Craig Keener spiritual gifts healing

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Three biblical causes of natural evil: divine judgment, spiritual warfare, and the greater good

Mike surveys biblical reasons for calamitous suffering

Job John 9:1-3 spiritual warfare Job problem of evil

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Christian response to suffering: trust God's sovereign goodness despite not knowing the outcome

Pastoral application regarding suffering and theodicy

theodicy suffering faith

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Q&A: Proverbs 16:33 and divine sovereignty — layered sovereignty model, not hard determinism

Audience question about whether God meticulously controls all things

Proverbs Job Proverbs 16:33 Proverbs free will Job

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-17

Tuesday livestream purpose: Meeting online-specific needs rather than local church needs

Winger explains the distinct function of the Tuesday livestream format within his overall ministry strategy.

verse-by-verse teaching Tuesday livestream Bethel Redding

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-17

Funding model: Donation-supported free content

Winger explains how the ministry sustains itself financially and his commitment to keeping all content free.

BibleThinker ministry funding free content

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-17

Closing exhortation: Be the tortoise, not the hare

Winger closes with a personal reflection and encouragement about long-term faithfulness.

repentance perseverance faithfulness

1 John 2:2 John Owen limited atonement 1 John 2:2 Trinitarian harmony in the atonement

Overview of five Calvinist objections to be addressed

Mike previews the full agenda for the video before working through each objection.

James White James White limited atonement Trinitarian harmony in the atonement

Trinitarian harmony used as a theological trump card to override clear Scripture texts

Mike plays clips from White's video to demonstrate how Trinitarian harmony functions rhetorically in Calvinist argumentation.

Trinity election limited atonement

Response to Trinitarian harmony #1: it assumes a single, limited intention for each person of the Trinity without scriptural proof

First of Mike's in-principle objections to the Trinitarian harmony argument.

Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2 limited atonement Romans 10:21 genuine offer of salvation

Romans 10:21 — God holds out his hands to a disobedient people; implies genuine offer of salvation

Evidence for the Father genuinely desiring the salvation of non-elect Israel.

faith unlimited atonement extent vs. application

Extent vs. application: atonement intended for all, applied to those who believe

Mike's synthesis of the Father's intent in the atonement.

Ephesians 2:1-3 divine justice limited atonement double jeopardy / double payment

Double jeopardy objection answered: Ephesians 2 proves the elect were under wrath after the cross, i.e., already "double payment" on limited atonement

Mike turns the double payment argument against limited atonement.

faith imputation unlimited atonement

Christ's work is not applied until belief; payment and application are two distinct moments

Positive resolution to the double payment problem.