Search — Theology Explorer

Romans 1:19-20 evidence-based faith cosmological argument Romans 1:19-20

Romans 1:19-20 — creation itself is the evidence through which God is perceived; not faith without evidence

Mike addresses the second counter-passage sometimes used to support faith-without-evidence.

John 20:24-27 Jehovah's Witnesses resurrection body Thomas

Thomas's demand to see the nail marks refutes Jehovah's Witness teaching that Jesus rose in a different body

Side point made while explaining the Thomas narrative.

personal testimony evidence-based faith comparative religion

Evidence for Christianity spans multiple disciplines: Scripture, philosophy, history, science, and personal experience

Mike summarizes the scope of Christian evidential resources before moving to Q&A.

James 2:14-26 faith James 2:14-26 faith and works

James 2:14-26 — faith without works is dead; Mike references his dedicated video on Catholic vs. Protestant interpretations

Part of Jacob Englet's question on faith and obedience.

Romans 1:19-20 personal testimony Romans 1:19-20 natural theology

Q&A: Personal testimony — Bradley Wilcox found God through science and history; Mike shares friend Travis's conversion testimony

Viewer comment on creation as evidence; Mike illustrates with a personal conversion story.

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

119 Ministries' Pauline Paradox series analyzed; its pre-Pauline argumentation is the real persuasive engine

Mike explains his analytical approach: the movement's rhetoric and philosophy before getting to Paul is what actually hooks people.

Hebrew Roots Movement 119 Ministries Pauline Paradox

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

119 Ministries opens by appealing to an "unsettling feeling" — Mike critiques this as emotional manipulation, not theological argument

Mike plays and critiques the opening rhetorical move of 119 Ministries' video, which begins by affirming that many Christians feel something is missing.

Hebrew Roots Movement 119 Ministries Rhetorical manipulation

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Dispensationalism: Mike rejects the label but holds a modified view — national Israel has a distinct future in God's plan; he rejects full replacement theology

Q&A: questioner asks about dispensationalism and kingdom of heaven vs. kingdom of God.

Romans (series) Kingdom of God Dispensationalism Replacement theology

Philippians 4 John 16:33 abortion anxiety and prayer Philippians 4

How a Christian should deal with consuming grief over abortion

Response to a viewer involved in pro-life ministry feeling overwhelmed by abortion rulings

Mark 13:32 second coming Trinity Mark 13:32

Mark 13:32 — Jesus not knowing the hour does not threaten his deity

Viewer question about the Trinity and whether Jesus' limited knowledge in Mark 13:32 undermines his divinity

Luke 2:52 kenosis omnipotence omniscience

Luke 2:52 — Jesus grew in wisdom, demonstrating genuine human limitations on omniscience

Continuing answer on Mark 13:32 and Jesus's limited knowledge

Acts 1 resurrection kenosis omniscience

Acts 1 implies Jesus's limitations were lifted after resurrection and glorification

Continuing discussion of Jesus's limited knowledge before vs. after resurrection

Job Job suffering and theodicy Elihu

Job's friends argued he deserved his suffering; God rebuked them at the end

Viewer asking for help understanding Job's friends in the book of Job

Psalm 119 Mosaic law Torah law vs. commandments

Torah (law) vs. commandments: the words overlap but depend on context

Viewer asking how to differentiate between the law and the commandments

Islam Jehovah's Witnesses Trinity

Defending the Trinity against Jehovah's Witnesses: Mike's teaching video addresses their specific objections

Viewer asking for Bible verses to defend Trinity against JW challenges

Genesis 1 Genesis 9 dominion mandate Mormonism Genesis 1

Image of God (imago Dei): grounds human value, authority over creation, and raises questions about communicable attributes

Viewer asking what it means to be created in the image of God

resurrection Gospel of Mark Trinity in Mark

Planned Gospel of Mark series to cover theology, apologetics, and resurrection debates

Response to viewer question about where the Trinity is in Mark

Genesis Psalm 6 hermeneutics Genesis genre

Literal vs. plain-sense biblical interpretation: read as intended, not mechanically literal

Viewer asking how literally to read the Bible, especially Genesis and Old Testament

Islam resurrection apologetics

Why Christianity and not other religions: incompatible truth claims require choosing

Viewer asking how to respond to someone asking why they should believe Christianity and not another religion

repentance Nicene Creed Apostles' Creed

Nicene and Apostles' Creed: Mike affirms them but would add content on repentance

Viewer asking about the Nicene and Apostles' Creed

Romans 6 discipleship obedience salvation

Baptism is required for obedience but not for salvation

Viewer recently baptized asking whether baptism is essential to becoming a disciple

Daniel 11 Jehovah's Witnesses Daniel 11 fulfilled prophecy

JW interpretation of Daniel 11 king of the north as Russia is old Cold War theology they borrowed

Viewer asking about JW teaching that the king of the north in Daniel 11 represents Russia

1 Corinthians 15 2 Peter 1 Corinthians 15 Greg Koukl glorification

Free will in heaven: believers will have genuine free will but no desire to sin

Viewer asking whether we will have free will in heaven

Ephesians 1-3 Hebrews 6 perseverance of the saints eternal security once saved always saved

Once saved always saved: Mike withholds judgment due to genuine biblical tension

Viewer asking about eternal security / once saved always saved

Mormonism evangelism Jehovah's Witnesses

Strategy for protecting college students from JWs and the Mother God cult (World Mission Society Church of God): inoculate, don't isolate

Viewer on a college campus encountering JWs and World Mission Society Church of God

Catholicism Molinism middle knowledge

Luis de Molina and Molinism: middle knowledge reconciles divine sovereignty and human free will

Viewer asking about Molinism and Luis de Molina

Proverbs 2 Corinthians 6:14 marriage sanctification Proverbs

There is no single "the one" person to marry — biblical principles guide spouse selection, not divine designation

Viewer asking whether there is only one possible spouse and how that relates to free will

Matthew 22:30 Christ and the Church eschatology resurrection

Marriage does not exist in heaven; relational bonds persist but are not exclusive spousal bonds

Second part of viewer's marriage question about afterlife

1 Corinthians 11:16 head coverings 1 Corinthians 11:16 women in worship

1 Corinthians 11:16 head coverings: Mike does not believe it is binding today but acknowledges difficulty

Viewer asking whether women should still cover their heads based on 1 Corinthians 11

nominalism aseity abstract objects

Aseity (divine self-existence) and abstract objects: Mike denies abstract objects truly exist, resolving the problem

Viewer asking about God's aseity and how God can exist prior to abstract objects like the number one

John 3:13 Moses divine authority Elijah

John 3:13 — "No one has ascended" does not necessarily contradict Elijah's translation

Viewer asking about John 3:13 and its apparent contradiction with Elijah ascending

Mosaic law Sabbath New Covenant

Sabbath observance: Mike does not believe Christians are required to keep the Sabbath

Viewer asking about proper Sabbath observance

salvation sanctification forgiveness

Mike's personal testimony: heard the gospel at 12, found relief in forgiveness

Viewer asking about Mike's salvation experience

Revelation 2 2 Corinthians 7 Ephesus repentance justification

Repentance functions in both justification and sanctification

Viewer asking whether repentance is part of justification or sanctification

healing spiritual warfare authority of Christ

Authority over evil spirits and sickness comes from Christ's authority, not the believer's own

Viewer asking about Christians' authority over evil spirits and sickness

Christian worldview abortion Christians and politics

Christians should engage in politics as salt and light; political views must be biblically tested

Viewer asking whether Christians should get involved in politics, referencing Martin Luther King Jr.

1 Peter 2 Peter Jude 1 Peter 2 Peter descent into hell

Did Jesus go to hell? Mike does not think he was tortured there; references 1-2 Peter and Jude on descent

Viewer asking whether Jesus went to hell between death and resurrection

Job apostolic authority biblical canon Job

Books like Job belong in the canon because Jesus accepted the Old Testament, and apostles were commissioned to teach

Viewer asking why books like Job are in the Bible if we don't know the author

1 Timothy 5 Mosaic law New Covenant tithing

Tithing is an Old Testament concept; Christians are required to give but not mandated to a 10% figure

Viewer asking Mike to reconcile his teaching that the tithe is not required with the obligation to give

pastoral ministry church and denomination integrity in ministry

A pastor considering a church of a different denomination should front-load doctrinal disagreements before accepting the role

Viewer who is a young preacher considering pastoring a church with doctrinal differences from his own convictions

John 14:9 Trinity John 14:9 Jesus and the Father

Question: Did Jesus claim to be the Father in John 14:9?

Jacob Seiler asks why Jesus said he was the Father in John 14:9.

John 14:9 Revelation vs. Identity distinction Trinity Philip John 14:9

John 14:9 context: Philip asks to see the Father; Jesus responds with a revelation claim, not an identity claim.

Mike walks through the narrative context of John 14, noting the Last Supper setting and Philip's request.

Hebrews 1:1-3 Trinity Hebrews 1:1-3 Radiance of God

Hebrews 1 supports the distinction: Jesus is the radiance/imprint of God, not God the Father himself.

Mike cross-references Hebrews 1 to reinforce that seeing Jesus reveals the Father without Jesus being the Father.

John 14:10 John 14:13 Trinity John 14:10 John 14:13

John 14:10 reinforces Trinitarian distinction: Jesus is "in" the Father, not identical to the Father.

Continuing the John 14 exposition.

1 Peter 1 Peter False prophets Prosperity gospel

Prosperity preachers and false prophecy: prophets whose utterances focus on wealth and success are false prophets.

Question from "First Last" about whether God wants believers to be wealthy and whether to trust wealth-focused prophets.

1 John 2:16 Prosperity gospel Lust of the eyes Lust of the flesh

Prosperity gospel critique: misappropriates OT promises to Israel, ignores Jesus's teachings on suffering and cross-bearing.

Continuing the prosperity gospel discussion.