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All (22) Mike Winger (22)
Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Q&A: can someone have saving faith yet commit murder? — Mike argues sin is not binary; Jesus elevated even hatred and lust to the level of murder and adultery

Viewer question about faith, repentance, and serious sin

Matthew 5 repentance sanctification salvation and sin
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-11

Reason 1 refuted: Bible organization is not a valid test for inspiration

The skeptic argues the Bible is a 'hopeless mess' that is not well organized and should be arranged by topic (creation, relationships, parenting, prayer, etc.).

Song of Solomon Psalms Proverbs Sermon on the Mount biblical organization anachronism
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-20

Romans 12:17 echoes Matthew 5:39 — do not repay evil for evil / turn the other cheek

Another parallel between Paul's ethical instructions and the Sermon on the Mount.

Romans 12:17 Matthew 5:39 Romans 12:17 Paul echoing Jesus's teaching Matthew 5:39
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Matthew 5:20 — righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees to enter the kingdom

Mike cites another teaching of Jesus directly applicable to Ben's case

Matthew 5:20 righteousness Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:20
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Sermon on the Mount: Jesus internalizes the law — lust equals adultery in the heart

Mike illustrates why outward law-keeping is not sufficient

Matthew 5:27-28 Sermon on the Mount law Matthew 5:27-28
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Matthew 5:17 must be read pre-New Covenant: Jesus is speaking to Jews before the cross

Key hermeneutical frame for interpreting the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:17 hermeneutics Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:17
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Matthew 5:19 (relaxing commandments) is anti-Pharisee polemic, not a universal command to keep the Mosaic Law

Contextual reading of Matthew 5:19 in its Sermon on the Mount setting

Matthew 5:19 Pharisees Jewish audience of Jesus Matthew 5:19
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Matthew 5:20-48 shows Jesus intensifying the Law (anger=murder, lust=adultery) to reveal how far short everyone falls

Winger's reading of the antitheses in the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:20-48 Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:20-48 antitheses
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

The Law functions as a tutor to lead people to Christ—Sermon on the Mount sets up the gospel

Soteriological purpose of the Mosaic Law

Galatians 3:24 Galatians 3:24 Sermon on the Mount paidagogos
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Jesus's ministry was exclusively to Jews (Matt 15:24; Matt 10:5)—the Sermon on the Mount is a Jewish address, not a Gentile one

Contextual argument that Matthew 5 cannot be applied directly to Gentiles

Matthew 10:5 Matthew 15:24 Matthew 6:32 Matthew 10:5 Matthew 15:24 Jewish audience of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

What is the law of Christ? It is walking in love — the heart of the law as Jesus summarized it

Q&A: Josh Kretchmer asks about the law of Christ

Sermon on the Mount walking in the Spirit law of Christ
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-13

Jesus in Matthew 5 intensifies the law — lust equals adultery in the heart, hate equals murder

Jesus's Sermon on the Mount expands the scope of sin

Matthew 5 Matthew 5 Sermon on the Mount universal sinfulness
Mike Winger idea 2019-10-02

Jesus raises the moral standard inward: lust as adultery, hatred as murder — God judges the inner person

Scriptural grounding for total depravity / the inadequacy of external goodness

Matthew 5:27-28 Matthew 5:21-22 lust inner life total depravity
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Matthew 6:14-15 — is forgiving others necessary for salvation, or evidence of it?

Question from David Ellington about whether failing to forgive others means losing salvation.

1 John Matthew 6:14-15 1 John salvation Lord's Prayer
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Matthew 5:20 — Righteousness exceeding the scribes and Pharisees

A viewer asks what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:20 about righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees.

Matthew 5:20 imputed righteousness righteousness Sermon on the Mount
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 2021-03-26

Matthew 7:13-14 — the narrow gate refers to the demanding and counter-cultural teachings of Christ, not to a works-salvation effort; few receive it because most reject it.

Jilly Bean from Finland asks what the narrow gate means in practice.

Matthew 7:13-14 discipleship salvation Sermon on the Mount
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-16

Using Scripture against Scripture is the Sadducee/progressive playbook: Obama used the Sermon on the Mount to dismiss Romans on same-sex marriage; Rob Bell used "God is love" to dismiss hell. The only safe position is believing ALL of Scripture.

The progressive pattern of pitting Scripture against Scripture

Rob Bell Barack Obama progressive Christianity
Mike Winger idea 2021-05-14

Fight sin at its earliest stage — Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount that the beginning state of sin (lust, anger) is already where you've lost the fight. Draw personal boundaries far from the sin, not close.

Q9: How to fight the temptation to lust?

Matthew 5 Matthew Jesus Matthew 5 Matthew
Mike Winger idea 2022-04-01

The Beatitudes in Luke vs. Matthew: The beatitudes in Luke 6: 20-21 seem to have a different emphasis than those in Matthew 5 (physical poverty/hunger in Luke vs. spiritual poverty/hunger in Matthew). Much of the discourse in Luke 6 seems to cover similar teaching points as the Sermon on the Mount, so should the beatitudes in Luke be understood as the same as those in Matthew? If they are different, what is the takeaway from Luke's beatitudes?

Q&A question: The Beatitudes in Luke vs. Matthew

Luke 6 Matthew 5 Matthew Luke 6 Matthew 5 Matthew
Mike Winger idea 2024-06-07

Blasphemy in the Sermon on the Mount?: In The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus refers to God as the audience’s Father. How was this not blasphemous in the way that Jesus claiming to be the Son of God was a big deal in the Passion narrative?

Q&A question: Blasphemy in the Sermon on the Mount?

Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2026-01-02

Hyperbole in Scripture: The Sermon on the Mount has some hyperbole (cut off your hand). How do you know what is hyperbole and what isn't, specifically regarding anger?

Q&A question: Hyperbole in Scripture