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All (30) Mike Winger (30)

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Jew/Gentile distinctions continued after conversion: Jews kept the law, Gentiles did not

Mike demonstrates that the Jew/Gentile pair retained functional differences in the early church.

Acts 10 Acts 15 1 Corinthians 7:18-20 Peter Acts 10 Jew/Gentile distinctions

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

The Watchtower's three main biblical proof texts for the blood ban are Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:13-14, and Acts 15:29.

Mike transitions from historical/medical arguments to direct biblical exegesis of the passages the Watchtower uses.

Genesis 9:4 Leviticus 17:13-14 Acts 15:29 Watchtower Genesis 9:4 Leviticus 17:13-14

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

Even granting the strongest interpretation of the blood passages (including Acts 15:29), the texts concern eating blood — not intravenous medicine — so neither position on eating blood requires opposing transfusions.

Mike presents a framework argument that transcends the eating-blood debate: even if you believe eating blood is wrong, that does not require opposing transfusions.

Genesis 9:4 Acts 15:29 Genesis 9:4 Acts 15:29 eating blood prohibition

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Preview of next week: Acts 15 and Pauline passages; warning to Hebrew Roots adherents to separate from those who deny salvation by grace

Closing remarks and preview of future videos in the series.

Acts 15 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots Movement 119 Ministries

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

James the brother of Jesus as the leader of the Jerusalem church; Acts 15 and 1 Corinthians 15 as key evidence for his role and resurrection witness

Transition to James as the third focal figure

Acts 15 1 Corinthians 15 James the brother of Jesus Acts 15 1 Corinthians 15 James the brother of Jesus

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Series structure announced: Matthew teachings today, then Acts, then Epistles

Winger lays out his multi-part teaching plan

Acts 15 Matthew 5 Matthew 28 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots movement Matthew 5

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Preview: Book of Acts will be examined next to show how the Apostles actually applied Jesus's commands regarding the Law

Transition to future installments of the series

Acts 10 Acts 15 Acts 10 Acts 15 Gentile mission

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Q&A: Acts 15:21 is used by Hebrew Roots to justify Gentile Torah observance — Winger defers to full treatment next week

Preview of upcoming Acts 15 analysis

Acts 15:21 119 Ministries Gentiles and the Law Jerusalem Council

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Closing: Next week will cover the Hebrew Roots interpretation of Acts, especially Acts 10 and Acts 15

Series summary and next steps

Acts 10 Acts 15 Acts 10 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots movement

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Barnabas and Saul spend a full year discipling the Antioch church; disciples are first called Christians there. This extended discipleship with no mention of Torah observance is a key data point.

Survey of Acts 11:22-26, Antioch discipleship

Acts 11:22-26 discipleship Barnabas Torah observance

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 15:1 -- men from Judea teach that circumcision according to Moses is required for salvation, triggering the Jerusalem Council

Survey of Acts 15:1-2, the Judaizers

Acts 15:1-2 Barnabas false gospel Paul the Apostle

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 15:3-5 -- the Jerusalem Council convenes; Pharisee believers argue it is necessary to circumcise Gentile believers and direct them to observe the whole law of Moses

Survey of Acts 15:3-5, Jerusalem Council opening

Acts 15:3-5 Law of Moses Jerusalem Council Pharisees

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 15:6-11 -- Peter's speech at the Jerusalem Council: God made no distinction between Jew and Gentile, cleansing their hearts by faith; why put on them a yoke their fathers could not bear? Salvation is by grace alone.

Peter's speech at Jerusalem Council

Acts 15:6-11 Cornelius Holy Spirit salvation by grace

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 15:12-18 -- James's speech: endorses Peter, cites Amos 9 as prophetic basis for Gentile inclusion under God's name. His judgment: do not trouble the Gentiles.

James's speech at Jerusalem Council

James (brother of Jesus) Acts 15:12-19 Amos 9:11-12 James (brother of Jesus) Gentile inclusion Acts 15:12-19

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 15:19-21 -- James decrees four abstentions for Gentiles: things contaminated by idols, fornication, what is strangled, and blood. The reason given: Moses has been preached in every city.

James's four-fold decree for Gentiles

James (brother of Jesus) Acts 15:20-21 table fellowship James (brother of Jesus) Acts 15:20-21

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Hebrew Roots claim: Acts 15 is only about salvation, not sanctification. Winger argues the meeting appears to address both and that the claim is artificially restrictive.

Critique of Hebrew Roots interpretation of Acts 15

Acts 15 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots movement 119 Ministries

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Three arguments that Acts 15 addresses sanctification, not just salvation: (1) text never limits it to salvation; (2) if future Torah teaching was expected, why not clarify here; (3) they gave four specific sanctification commands, not the whole law

Winger's three-part argument that Acts 15 covers sanctification as well

Acts 15 Acts 15 Torah observance salvation vs. sanctification

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

The four Apostolic Decree commands correspond to Leviticus 17-18, which lists things God judges Gentile nations for -- suggesting these were universal moral standards applicable even outside the law

Analysis of the four commands and their OT background

Leviticus 17-18 Acts 15:20 John Polhill table fellowship Apostolic Decree Leviticus 17-18

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Two interpretations of the four commands: (1) universal moral standards for all Gentile believers, or (2) specifically for Jewish-Gentile table fellowship. Winger favors table fellowship.

Competing interpretations of the Apostolic Decree

Acts 15:20-21 table fellowship dietary laws Acts 15:20-21

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Hebrew Roots response to Acts 15: it was only temporary, with full Torah teaching coming later. Winger demolishes this by pointing to the years of prior discipleship at Antioch.

Response to the Hebrew Roots 'temporary decree' argument for Acts 15

Acts 15 Acts 13 discipleship Acts 15 Torah observance

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 15:22-29 -- The Apostolic letter: the Holy Spirit and the Apostles together impose no greater burden than four essentials. These four are explicitly for sanctification ('you will do well'), not salvation.

Survey of the Apostolic letter text

James (brother of Jesus) Acts 15:22-29 Holy Spirit James (brother of Jesus) salvation vs. sanctification

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 21 addresses the opposite error: not telling Jews to stop obeying the law. Acts 15 covered Gentiles; Acts 21 covers Jews. Both errors must be avoided.

Introduction to Acts 21 analysis

Acts 15 Acts 21 Acts 15 Torah observance Acts 21

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 21:25 -- James reminds Paul of the Acts 15 Apostolic Decree: the Gentiles only need the four abstentions. The Jew/Gentile distinction in the decree is explicitly restated.

Acts 21:25, restatement of the Acts 15 decree

James (brother of Jesus) Acts 21:25 James (brother of Jesus) Apostolic Decree Acts 21:25

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Q&A: strategy for reaching those deeply in Hebrew Roots movement -- speak truth in love, handle one issue at a time, use Acts 13-15 in Bible study format

Q&A response about evangelizing Hebrew Roots adherents

Acts 15 Acts 13 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots movement apologetics

Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Mark 7:14-19 — Jesus declares all foods clean by distinguishing ceremonial uncleanness from moral defilement; the Levitical purity laws were pedagogical, not moral.

Tabitha Littman asks why Jesus seems appalled that Jews believed touching/eating certain things made them unclean given God instituted those laws in Leviticus.

Acts 15 Leviticus 11 Mark 7:14-19 Acts 15 Pharisees Leviticus 11

Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

How to determine transcultural vs. culturally-bound biblical instructions

Anonymous listener (username: "hi pastor mike") asks how to distinguish timeless biblical commands from culturally-specific ones.

Ephesians Acts 15 Ephesians Acts 15 Proof-texting

Mike Winger idea 2023-05-05

How Do We “Abstain from Blood” Today?: How, as 21st century Christians, should we understand the decree for gentile believers to abstain from blood (Acts 15: 20, 28, 29)?

Q&A question: How Do We “Abstain from Blood” Today?

Acts 15 Acts 15

Mike Winger idea 2025-06-06

Paul vs. Barnabas: What are your thoughts on the dispute between Paul and Barnabas over Mark in Acts 15: 37-40? Were either of them at fault? What can we take from it?

Q&A question: Paul vs. Barnabas

Acts 15 Barnabas Acts 15

Mike Winger idea 2026-01-10

James: Works Based Salvation?: In Galatians, Paul says Jews from the sect of James were Judaizers. If the book of James was written before the Acts 15 council, do you think James in his book taught a works-based salvation?

Q&A question: James: Works Based Salvation?

James Acts 15 James Acts 15 salvation

Mike Winger idea 2024-10-21

Andy Stanley's "unhitching from the Old Testament" teaching conflates two different questions: (1) Are Christians under the law of Moses? and (2) Must Christians believe the Old Testament is true? Acts 15 answers question 1 (no, Gentiles need not keep Torah); it says nothing about question 2. Stanley's conflation leads him to suggest that disbelieving the OT is an acceptable option for struggling Christians.

Critiquing Andy Stanley's conflation of applicability of OT law with the truthfulness of the OT

Acts 15 Moses Acts 15 Andy Stanley

Jew/Gentile distinctions continued after conversion: Jews kept the law, Gentiles did not

The Watchtower's three main biblical proof texts for the blood ban are Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:13-14, and Acts 15:29.

Even granting the strongest interpretation of the blood passages (including Acts 15:29), the texts concern eating blood — not intravenous medicine — so neither position on eating blood requires opposing transfusions.

Preview of next week: Acts 15 and Pauline passages; warning to Hebrew Roots adherents to separate from those who deny salvation by grace

James the brother of Jesus as the leader of the Jerusalem church; Acts 15 and 1 Corinthians 15 as key evidence for his role and resurrection witness

Series structure announced: Matthew teachings today, then Acts, then Epistles

Preview: Book of Acts will be examined next to show how the Apostles actually applied Jesus's commands regarding the Law

Q&A: Acts 15:21 is used by Hebrew Roots to justify Gentile Torah observance — Winger defers to full treatment next week

Closing: Next week will cover the Hebrew Roots interpretation of Acts, especially Acts 10 and Acts 15

Barnabas and Saul spend a full year discipling the Antioch church; disciples are first called Christians there. This extended discipleship with no mention of Torah observance is a key data point.

Acts 15:1 -- men from Judea teach that circumcision according to Moses is required for salvation, triggering the Jerusalem Council

Acts 15:3-5 -- the Jerusalem Council convenes; Pharisee believers argue it is necessary to circumcise Gentile believers and direct them to observe the whole law of Moses

Acts 15:6-11 -- Peter's speech at the Jerusalem Council: God made no distinction between Jew and Gentile, cleansing their hearts by faith; why put on them a yoke their fathers could not bear? Salvation is by grace alone.

Acts 15:12-18 -- James's speech: endorses Peter, cites Amos 9 as prophetic basis for Gentile inclusion under God's name. His judgment: do not trouble the Gentiles.

Acts 15:19-21 -- James decrees four abstentions for Gentiles: things contaminated by idols, fornication, what is strangled, and blood. The reason given: Moses has been preached in every city.

Hebrew Roots claim: Acts 15 is only about salvation, not sanctification. Winger argues the meeting appears to address both and that the claim is artificially restrictive.

Three arguments that Acts 15 addresses sanctification, not just salvation: (1) text never limits it to salvation; (2) if future Torah teaching was expected, why not clarify here; (3) they gave four specific sanctification commands, not the whole law

The four Apostolic Decree commands correspond to Leviticus 17-18, which lists things God judges Gentile nations for -- suggesting these were universal moral standards applicable even outside the law

Two interpretations of the four commands: (1) universal moral standards for all Gentile believers, or (2) specifically for Jewish-Gentile table fellowship. Winger favors table fellowship.

Hebrew Roots response to Acts 15: it was only temporary, with full Torah teaching coming later. Winger demolishes this by pointing to the years of prior discipleship at Antioch.

Acts 15:22-29 -- The Apostolic letter: the Holy Spirit and the Apostles together impose no greater burden than four essentials. These four are explicitly for sanctification ('you will do well'), not salvation.

Acts 21 addresses the opposite error: not telling Jews to stop obeying the law. Acts 15 covered Gentiles; Acts 21 covers Jews. Both errors must be avoided.

Acts 21:25 -- James reminds Paul of the Acts 15 Apostolic Decree: the Gentiles only need the four abstentions. The Jew/Gentile distinction in the decree is explicitly restated.

Q&A: strategy for reaching those deeply in Hebrew Roots movement -- speak truth in love, handle one issue at a time, use Acts 13-15 in Bible study format

Mark 7:14-19 — Jesus declares all foods clean by distinguishing ceremonial uncleanness from moral defilement; the Levitical purity laws were pedagogical, not moral.

How to determine transcultural vs. culturally-bound biblical instructions

How Do We “Abstain from Blood” Today?: How, as 21st century Christians, should we understand the decree for gentile believers to abstain from blood (Acts 15: 20, 28, 29)?

Paul vs. Barnabas: What are your thoughts on the dispute between Paul and Barnabas over Mark in Acts 15: 37-40? Were either of them at fault? What can we take from it?

James: Works Based Salvation?: In Galatians, Paul says Jews from the sect of James were Judaizers. If the book of James was written before the Acts 15 council, do you think James in his book taught a works-based salvation?

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