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All (28) Mike Winger (28)

Mike Winger idea 2018-04-18

Q&A: 666 and the mark of the beast — why any name can be made to equal 666 using flexible math; and why barcodes and microchips are not the mark

Question from 'Bible History Science' about whether 666 is itself numerological.

Revelation 13 mark of the beast numerology 666 mark of the beast Revelation 13

Mike Winger idea 2018-11-14

Romans 12:17-21 — do not repay evil for evil; leave vengeance to God; overcome evil with good, even toward enemies.

New Testament passage on retaliation and the theological grounding for non-retaliation.

Romans 12:17-21 anger Romans 12:17-21 repay evil

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

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

1 Timothy 5 Mosaic law New Covenant tithing

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Tacitus (Annals, 109 AD) as non-Christian confirmation of early Christian persecution, crucifixion of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the movement's origin in Judea

Mike quotes Tacitus as an external, non-Christian source confirming early persecution

crucifixion of Jesus Pontius Pilate early Christian persecution

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

Non-believer "Snoopit" acknowledges double standard: uses "trust" for human faith but "belief without evidence" for Christian faith

Examining skeptic responses to the poll

faith belief without evidence double standard in faith definitions

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Bayesian approach: fine-tuning evidence favors theism over atheism

McLatchie articulates a Bayesian argument: the fine-tuning evidence is far more expected on theism than on atheism.

natural theology Jonathan McLatchie cosmic fine-tuning

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Q&A: tithing -- the tithe is a Mosaic law (10% to Levites/temple) and is not required for believers; Christians should give freely as the Lord directs to the poor, persecuted, and ministers

Q&A on tithing

New Covenant Law of Moses Levites

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Audience Q: Why doesn't anyone reference Tacitus on Christian persecution until the 4th century? — Multiple 1st-century sources confirm early persecution of Christians

Audience question from "Godless Engineer" about Christian persecution attestation

Acts Hebrews Paul Peter Acts

Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

Tithing at 10% is not a biblical New Testament requirement, though generous giving absolutely is

Q&A: whether the tithe is biblically mandated for Christians

New Covenant tithing Old Testament law

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Christians are not required to tithe (give 10%), but are absolutely required to give generously

Opening question from Facebook: are Christians supposed to tithe?

tithing New Testament ethics Christian giving

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

New Testament giving priorities: the poor, the persecuted church, local ministers, and generosity as lifestyle — not limited to 10%

Constructive answer on what Christian giving should look like without a tithe mandate

James 1 Corinthians 9 James 1 Corinthians 9 Christian giving

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Old Testament slavery laws contained extensive humanitarian protections radically superior to surrounding cultures and incompatible with chattel slavery

Continued answer on Leviticus 25 and slavery.

Leviticus 25:44-46 Deuteronomy slavery laws Exodus redemption as theological grounding for humane treatment Leviticus 25:44-46 Slavery in the Old Testament Deuteronomy slavery laws

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Matthew 5:38-42 addresses personal vengeance, not self-defense or courtroom justice — and does not require total pacifism.

Question from Adriano about the Sermon on the Mount passages on non-retaliation and self-defense.

Matthew 5:38-42 Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:38-42 Turn the other cheek

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Matthew 5:42 ('give to him who asks') must be applied with wisdom — naive application would mean giving to every fraudster.

Continued discussion of Matthew 5:42 on generosity.

Matthew 5:42 Kenneth Copeland Prosperity gospel Matthew 5:42

Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Ephesians 5:5 — "impure" (akathartos) refers to moral impurity; the passage warns that a lifestyle of immorality, impurity, or covetousness calls salvation into question.

Nero Manser asks what Paul means by "impure" in Ephesians 5:5.

1 Corinthians Ephesians 5:5 BDAG lexicon 1 Corinthians assurance of salvation

Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

2 Samuel 12:8 does not endorse polygamy; the phrase "I would have given you more" is a figure of speech for God's provision, not a promise of additional wives; God explicitly forbids polygamy for kings in Deuteronomy 17:17.

Joshua Bambrick asks whether 2 Samuel 12:8 refutes the claim that God does not affirm polygamy.

Deuteronomy 17:17 2 Samuel 12:8 David Nathan marriage

Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 — the identity of the Restrainer is uncertain

Listener Louise Sorensen (Denmark) asks whether, when the restrainer of 2 Thessalonians 2 is removed, non-believers will lose compassion and morals.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 Holy Spirit Antichrist Eschatology

Mike Winger idea 2020-05-06

Evidence for early Christian persecution: (1) Multiple attestation across the entire NT — Gospels, Acts, Hebrews, James, 1 John, Peter, Revelation all attest to Christians paying a price for faith. (2) Earliest church fathers (Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp) confirm the theme. (3) Non-Christian sources (Tacitus, Suetonius) confirm persecution under Nero.

Evidence for early persecution — multiple independent sources

multiple attestation Tacitus Clement of Rome

Mike Winger idea 2020-05-06

McDowell responds to Moss's dismissal of Nero persecution: (1) 50-year gap doesn't warrant dismissal — McDowell's father remembers Nixon 50 years ago. (2) Suetonius provides additional support she doesn't cite. (3) Her claim that "Christian" wasn't used until end of first century is false — Acts records the term at Antioch c.47 AD. (4) Tacitus says "great multitude" — not a handful. Nero needed a sufficiently large scapegoat group.

Responding to Moss on Nero — four rebuttals

Acts 11:26 Tacitus Candida Moss Suetonius

Mike Winger idea 2022-02-11

Giving to Different Ministries: If I don't feel edified by the watered-down milk preaching at my local church, it is wrong to give less money to the local church and more money to online ministries that I spend hours listening to?

Q&A question: Giving to Different Ministries

generosity

Mike Winger idea 2022-12-16

Should Churches Keep Records of Giving?: My church requires all employees to give to the church (in general; any amount is fine). They pulled me aside to ask why I haven’t been giving, and when I told them I was, but that I felt better giving anonymously in the offering plate rather than having a record attached to my name, they told me it needed to be tracked. Am I wrong for feeling weird about this, or are they?

Q&A question: Should Churches Keep Records of Giving?

tithing generosity

Mike Winger idea 2022-12-16

Principles for Offering Advice to Others: What are some good steps to giving advice to fellow Christians without coming across as condescending and patronizing?

Q&A question: Principles for Offering Advice to Others

tithing generosity

Mike Winger idea 2023-09-15

Does the Devil Persecute Believers?: Is God giving the Devil permission to persecute the lives of certain Christians today, like in the book of Job?

Q&A question: Does the Devil Persecute Believers?

generosity

Mike Winger idea 2024-04-19

Do We Give Off “Energy”?: Is “energy” in the esoteric form of the word biblical? I was recently told in a Christian forum that I was “giving off [blank] energy.” Is this biblical?

Q&A question: Do We Give Off “Energy”?

generosity

Mike Winger idea 2024-05-17

Led by the Spirit vs. our Own Feelings: My mom changed her name recently. She felt God was giving her a new name. She often feels led by the Spirit where I don't agree. Any advice for those times, and should I introduce her by new name?

Q&A question: Led by the Spirit vs. our Own Feelings

generosity

Mike Winger idea 2024-08-16

The Changing Morality of the Bible?: Why does God seem more wrathful in the Old Testament and more forgiving and loving in the New Testament? Does the Bible have changing morals?

Q&A question: The Changing Morality of the Bible?

generosity

Mike Winger idea 2024-11-08

What is a Heart of Flesh?: What does giving us a heart of flesh mean, when flesh is usually negative?

Q&A question: What is a Heart of Flesh?

generosity

Mike Winger idea 2024-11-15

Investing in Rental Properties – Sin?: I would like to start investing in rental homes. Is this flat out a sin and should I be just giving my excess to the needy people, or is it OK to invest to earn more, and just give then?

Q&A question: Investing in Rental Properties – Sin?

generosity

Q&A: 666 and the mark of the beast — why any name can be made to equal 666 using flexible math; and why barcodes and microchips are not the mark

Romans 12:17-21 — do not repay evil for evil; leave vengeance to God; overcome evil with good, even toward enemies.

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

Tacitus (Annals, 109 AD) as non-Christian confirmation of early Christian persecution, crucifixion of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the movement's origin in Judea

Non-believer "Snoopit" acknowledges double standard: uses "trust" for human faith but "belief without evidence" for Christian faith

Bayesian approach: fine-tuning evidence favors theism over atheism

Q&A: tithing -- the tithe is a Mosaic law (10% to Levites/temple) and is not required for believers; Christians should give freely as the Lord directs to the poor, persecuted, and ministers

Audience Q: Why doesn't anyone reference Tacitus on Christian persecution until the 4th century? — Multiple 1st-century sources confirm early persecution of Christians

Tithing at 10% is not a biblical New Testament requirement, though generous giving absolutely is

Christians are not required to tithe (give 10%), but are absolutely required to give generously

New Testament giving priorities: the poor, the persecuted church, local ministers, and generosity as lifestyle — not limited to 10%

Old Testament slavery laws contained extensive humanitarian protections radically superior to surrounding cultures and incompatible with chattel slavery

Matthew 5:38-42 addresses personal vengeance, not self-defense or courtroom justice — and does not require total pacifism.

Matthew 5:42 ('give to him who asks') must be applied with wisdom — naive application would mean giving to every fraudster.

Ephesians 5:5 — "impure" (akathartos) refers to moral impurity; the passage warns that a lifestyle of immorality, impurity, or covetousness calls salvation into question.

2 Samuel 12:8 does not endorse polygamy; the phrase "I would have given you more" is a figure of speech for God's provision, not a promise of additional wives; God explicitly forbids polygamy for kings in Deuteronomy 17:17.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 — the identity of the Restrainer is uncertain

Giving to Different Ministries: If I don't feel edified by the watered-down milk preaching at my local church, it is wrong to give less money to the local church and more money to online ministries that I spend hours listening to?

Principles for Offering Advice to Others: What are some good steps to giving advice to fellow Christians without coming across as condescending and patronizing?

Does the Devil Persecute Believers?: Is God giving the Devil permission to persecute the lives of certain Christians today, like in the book of Job?

Do We Give Off “Energy”?: Is “energy” in the esoteric form of the word biblical? I was recently told in a Christian forum that I was “giving off [blank] energy.” Is this biblical?

Led by the Spirit vs. our Own Feelings: My mom changed her name recently. She felt God was giving her a new name. She often feels led by the Spirit where I don't agree. Any advice for those times, and should I introduce her by new name?

The Changing Morality of the Bible?: Why does God seem more wrathful in the Old Testament and more forgiving and loving in the New Testament? Does the Bible have changing morals?

What is a Heart of Flesh?: What does giving us a heart of flesh mean, when flesh is usually negative?

Investing in Rental Properties – Sin?: I would like to start investing in rental homes. Is this flat out a sin and should I be just giving my excess to the needy people, or is it OK to invest to earn more, and just give then?

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