BibleThinker

By Mike WingerReligion & Spirituality Christianity

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BibleThinker episodes

May 15, 2023 When to confront sin vs keep your mouth shut.
Jesus called out sin in others, except when He didn't. This question takes more wisdom than a simple, hard and fast rule will allow. Here are a few thoughts and a relevant passage of Scripture for you to consider. Hopefully it helps you figure out if you should call out sin or keep your mouth shut.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org
4 min
May 13, 202320 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 99)
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:01 {Infinite Punishment for Finite Crimes?} Why does God give infinite punishment for finite crimes? Even from a biblical point of view, not every crime is prescribed the same punishment. So why, then, can a person never serve the entirety of their punishment in Hell?
28:35 {Why Did God Allow Sin?} If God knew that humans would fall into sin, why did He allow us to live in this fallen world and not take us straight to Heaven?
34:36 {Has Christianity Changed Over Time?} How do you know the Christianity you believe is the same they were practicing in the early Church if history says Constantine and the Greeks changed things?
39:06 {Why Won’t Christians Marry Non-Christians?} A woman stopped dating me because of worldview differences. I believe in a higher power and wouldn’t have pulled her away from her faith. It hurt badly. Why do some Christians do that? She seems indoctrinated (“can’t marry a non-Christian”).
43:49 {Is Christianity Itself a Cult?} How is Christianity like (or not like) a cult in either definition and/or practice?
47:46 {Is Every Good Thing an Answered Prayer?} Why are some people so quick to celebrate when God answers “small” prayers, but they overlook the fact that He didn’t answer “bigger” prayers like healing someone of cancer?
53:12 {Why Aren’t Mormons Christians?} Ex-Mormon here. Surely all Christians believe things about God that are incorrect, but they're still saved. What makes the LDS different? How are my misconceptions acceptable when theirs aren't?
1:02:12 {Are Miracles Unreliable?} If Satan and his workers can perform miracles to mislead people, why should I believe Christians when they tell me to look at miracles, or when Jesus says to look at His miracles?
1:07:05{Why Does God Allow Painful Grieving?} Why did God allow My cat to be attacked by a dog if He could have stopped it? We are heartbroken.
1:10:07 {Did Jesus Know He’d be Resurrected?} Did Jesus know He was only going to die for 3 days and it wouldn’t actually be for eternity? And why did the father require a sacrifice if it wasn’t for eternity?
1:14:18 {Did Jesus Exist & Is Scripture Really Inspired?} What proof is there that Jesus really existed, and if the Gospels were written by man, how do you prove they were inspired by God and not by man?
1:20:55 {Why does God Require Prayer?} Why would God require prayer for what He knows He SHOULD heal?
1:25:07 {Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?} Are there any good rules of thumb for atheists attending a church service for the purposes of learning? Assuming they have no intention of conversion, is this considered rude or invasive?
1:27:23 {Is God Egotistical?} Isn’t it egotistical for God to ask us to worship Him?
1:31:14 {Why does God Expect Perfection?} The Bible says, “Be perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect.” Why would God, knowing that we will always be sinful when we are in flesh, expect perfection?
1:34:46 {Is the Bible Just a Storybook?} How can you believe in a storybook (referring to the Bible)? This was actually a question I faced several times when I stayed in Germany for a while.
1:37:21 {Does God Know Every Choice We’ll Make?} Does God already know what choices we will make? Does He just know the outcome of every single option, or are there maybe two or a couple possible options for everyone’s choices? If the first, what's the point?
1:40:48 {Was YHWH a “Storm god”?} I have been hearing atheists & Muslims saying our God YHWH was originally a storm god. Has this been proven archeologically? Any implications on our faith? Any thoughts on that?
1:42:01 {Stumbled by Theological Doctrines?} The different theologies like cessationism & continuationism can be a stumbling block for unbelievers and cause confusion. How can this be explained to them?
1:43:38 {Are Older Texts More Likely to be True?} What about other books like the Vedic texts that are older than the gospels? Should “older” equal more accurate or true?
1:47:35 Bonus Q: Why is he still babbling and not demonstrating his god exists?

Videos I mentioned:

Playlist on Mormonism - Click Here

Penal Substitutionary Atonement: answering how Jesus' death for us works - Click Here

Michael Heiser's video on if Yahweh was a "storm god" - Click Here

Mike Licona interview on Jesus mythicism - Click Here

Evidence for the Bible playlist - Click Here

Full Gospel of Mark series - Click Here
1 hr 55 min
May 05, 202320 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 98)
0:00 - Intro
0:56 {“Work Out” My Salvation??} What does it mean to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling"? Is that a literal statement?
20:14 {Did Jesus Bodily Rise if He Appeared in the Flesh?} Jehovah's Witnesses claim that Jesus was resurrected as a spirit only (not a bodily resurrection) since He appeared in a locked room, and if He was in the flesh He couldn't have done that. What are your thoughts in response to this?
25:06 {Honoring Parents through Marital Friction} How can I honor and love my parents biblically when they take offense at and criticize my wife and I for every little thing we do? It's making my wife anxious, and we're going to have a baby. We want a relationship with them, but they seem committed to bitterness.
30:44 {Can Non-Believers bear the Fruit of the Spirit?} Can someone who is not a Christian show the fruit of the Spirit?
34:28 {Will Sharing Tough Truth Ruin our Witness?} I'm afraid to talk about issues like abortion, LGBT, etc. for fear that I'll turn people off so much that they won't listen AT ALL when I try to share the Gospel. How can I resolve this?
43:54 {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)?
53:28 {Are there Really Any “Righteous” People?} Do the Righteous live by faith, or is no one Righteous? How do we reconcile these ideas without compromising their original meaning?
58:38 {Does Sincerity = Salvation?} I have a Muslim friend that I speak with regularly about God. I am a firm Christian, but I question how other God-fearing people who have been indoctrinated into a specific religion are not saved.
1:04:17 {Could the HS be Feminine?} Could the Holy Spirit be feminine? A biblically sound, wiser, older Christian in my life is unsure about this. He brings up decent arguments affirming this view, but then there's John 15:26. Thoughts?
1:09:01 {Has God Hidden What We Need to Know?} What are your thoughts on Mathew 11:25? I was raised in the Branham cult where there is a great deal of anti-intellectualism. They also claim that God has blinded most Christians from Branham.
1:14:41 {Will We Receive Anything We Ask of God?} The Bible says, “Ask and you shall receive.” I asked Jesus to save my mother, but He didn’t. Then why did He say, “Ask and you shall receive”?
1:21:03 {Resolving Translational Differences} Why does 1 Corinthians 11:16 seem to have opposite meanings depending on the translation? How should we understand it?
1:24:30 {Missing Verses? Is My Bible Reliable?} I've just learned that some Bibles are missing passages. How should we approach the Bible knowing some verses have been left out?
1:32:27 {Why Is There Still Evil on Earth?} My 10-year-old wants to know, if Satan was defeated, then why is there still evil on the planet? I couldn’t think of a good way to answer her. Help?
1:36:43 {What is “Hyper-Charismatic”?} Please explain what "hyper-charismatic” means. Thank you.
1:39:27 {Why was Achan’s Household Punished?} Ezekiel 18:20 says that the son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father. How do you explain the story of Achan in Joshua 7:25 where he and his household were stoned and burned because of his sin?
1:47:17 {Did YHWH Lose to the “god” of Moab?} Did Yahweh lose to the god of Moab in 2 Kings 3:27?
1:58:54 {Is There a Temple in Heaven?} Is there a literal temple in Heaven, or is that meant to be understood figuratively? I have always understood that the temple/tabernacle on Earth were to represent truths about Heaven.
1:59:54 {Using Time Wisely in Marriage} My husband likes to spend hours on meaningless videos or gaming. How can I talk to him about how he spends his time as a Christian, especially that our young kids see this?
2:02:24 {Why is Bible Reading Important?} How is it important to read our Bibles outside of the church setting? And is there scripture to back this up? Why is it important to you to read your Bible?
CLICK HERE for my video on how Jehovah's Witnesses say that Jesus never physically rose from the dead
Does Acts teach us to follow the Law of Moses? Response to Hebrew Roots teachings: CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE for my teaching on the Serpent Seed Doctrine and the Branham cult
CLICK HERE for my study of the "name-it-and-claim-it" verse
CLICK HERE for the 6 hour "head covering" video
CLICK HERE for my 3 video playlist on all things related to how we got our NT and how reliable it is
2 hr 9 min
April 28, 2023 When to be scared you're NOT a genuine Christian.
I'm hoping and praying that God would use this to comfort those who need comfort and to shine a light on those who are living dangerously, so they can make a true faith commitment to Jesus.
Trust in Jesus, follow Jesus, be real about it.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org
6 min
April 21, 202320 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 97)
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Intro
0:56 {Self-Loathing vs. Self-Love?} As Christians, how do we deal with self-loathing without indulging in and practicing too much self-love?
26:19 {Evolved from Monkeys?} From a biblical standpoint, is there any reason that Christians believe we evolved from monkeys? I'm confused why some Christians believe that, and I’m curious if it’s purely a worldview standpoint?
37:50 {Who Are God’s Chosen People?} I had a debate with a friend about Israel still being God's chosen people. Doesn't Romans 9:6-8 and Galatians 3:28-29 communicate that God's chosen people are anyone who places their faith in Jesus?
48:20 {Do Animals Sin?} Are animals able to sin? They kill for food and sometimes it appears this may be likened to murder, but what does the Bible say about this?
51:28 {Should our Main Focus be Evangelism?} John Wesley says, “You have one business on this earth: to save souls.” Is Christlikeness or spiritual maturity chiefly a means to an end – of bringing people to Christ (Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Peter 3:18)?
55:00 {Setting Biblical Boundaries as Parents} I had a domestic violence upbringing, and I now have a son of my own. I have fears of family telling me how to parent my son. How do I set healthy biblical boundaries that protect my son and honor Christ?
59:19 {Bored in the OT!} How do I read the Old Testament without getting bored and distracted 2 minutes in?
1:02:13 {How to be a Worthwhile Servant} What makes a servant worthwhile to Christ? It seems like in Matthew 25, the servant was cast into outer darkness because he did not DO enough.
1:09:29 {Understanding a Difficult Passage} I'm struggling to interpret Judges 19:2, 25 on why the concubine suffered abuse. Some have said God was punishing her for adultery. How do I understand this without reading into the text?
1:23:18 {Who Sinned First?} I have been asked, "Was Adam's sin the first sin?" Something along the lines of: “Wasn't Satan the first one that sinned?” Thoughts?
1:25:00 {How to “Work Out Our Salvation…”} What does it mean to "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling"? Is that a literal statement?
1:28:07 {Is Nepotism Sinful?} Is nepotism a sin? My church was founded by my grandpa, my dad is the senior pastor, and my brother is a youth leader. I do believe they legitimately earned these roles, but others at my church don’t.
1:35:16 {Repentance After Death?} Can someone repent after death? Hebrews 9:27 seems to say “no,” BUT Revelation 2:21-27 seems to suggest “yes” for it is the “unwillingness” to repent that condemns. I really hope the latter is true.
1:41:23 {Did Adam Know Right from Wrong?} I was talking to an atheist and they asked, “If Adam had not yet eaten of the tree of knowledge, therefore not knowing disobedience, how can God hold him accountable and judge him for it?”
1:46:09 {The Waters “Above the Expanse”} What do you think the waters “above the expanse” are in Genesis 1:6-8?
1:49:01 {How to Biblically Process Grief} How do we deal with grief in the right & biblical way? I lost my dad months ago by sudden death. I feel worried, I’m angry, and I cry. I’m so tired of the rollercoaster feelings.
1:53:07 {About Foul Language} What makes language foul? Is it the words themselves, or the context? Like if I use a word in a friendly way, is it still considered foul language?
1:57:37 {Can Evolution be Plausible?} Do you think evolution is plausible theologically? I have never heard a good response to how there would have been death before the fall.
2:01:39 {How Could Satan Stand in God’s Presence?} If sin cannot enter God's presence, how could Satan present himself before God in the book of Job?
2:06:12 {Witnessing to Strangers} What’s your favorite way to witness to strangers?

CLICK HERE for my video showing the Bible does not teach a flat Earth.

CLICK HERE for my Romans playlist. The entire book, verse-by-verse.

CLICK HERE for the video I mentioned on replacement theology.

Here are my quick rules for questions:
1) We take questions from the LIVE chat, but only after the stream has actually begun.
2) Please include one or two Bible verse references if they are relevant to your question. I may have a hard time finding them depending on how you word your question.
3) It helps if you put a capital Q at the beginning of your question. That way we can easily spot it in the live chat, which can move rather quickly.
4) Please don't spam your question multiple times as everyone doing that makes the live chat hard to deal with.
2 hr 11 min
April 18, 2023 Who will Jesus reject? It might not be what you think.
Learn to think biblically about everything. Countless hours of free content available here or at my website, https://BibleThinker.org
4 min
April 13, 2023 I’m embarrassed I ever said, "I'm spiritual but not religious."
If you don't know what's wrong with the phrase, please take a moment to think it through with me.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org
23 min
April 08, 202320 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 96)
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:14 {Feminism’s Impact on the Church} What’s your opinion on how feminism is impacting the modern Church?
16:30 {Is Ordination Necessary?} What are your thoughts on the necessity to be ordained into ministry? Can I turn my home Bible study into a church?
19:33 {Heaven or Earth During 2nd Coming?} Will we be taken to Heaven during the second coming, or will God’s Kingdom come to Earth to reign? Seems odd to create Earth for Him to just destroy it and bring us to His domain.
24:59 {Relationship Dynamics Before Divorce} I was wondering, if a couple is married and one of them is seeking an unbiblical divorce, does that give them the right to start dating other people before the divorce is finalized?
27:34 {Witnessing to Muslims} I'm 15, and my best friend at school is a Muslim. Do you have any advice for trying to evangelize Muslims who are intelligent and rational but very set in their ways?
35:43 {Should Men Move Out Before Dating?} Looking at Ephesians 5:31, Should a Christian man move out of his parents’ house before trying to date, to prove they can provide an income and a house?
40:07 {If God Seems Silent, Does He Still Care?} My sister walked away from God because she begged for direction in her life and she says she heard nothing from God. This led her to believe God doesn’t care about her. How do I respond to this?
45:48 {Slave to Sin?} In Romans 7:14, is Paul describing his experience before or after he became a Christian? He’s just shifted to the present tense, but says he is sold as a slave to sin. Does this differ from Romans 8?
52:45 {How Should We View Extrabiblical Books?} With extrabiblical books such as Enoch or 1 & 2 Maccabees, how do you discern within these books if they're true accounts, if they don't contradict our canon?
55:59 {Earthly Rulers vs. Spiritual Rulers?} In 1 Corinthians 2:8, is Paul referring to earthly rulers (i.e. Pharisees or Romans) or spiritual rulers as he does in Ephesians 6:12?
1:01:08 {Forgiveness while Guarding Against Abuse} In 1 Corinthians 13:1, we are told that love "keeps no record of wrongs.” But how do we reconcile this with setting boundaries to protect us from abusive behaviors?
1:03:11 {Should we Pray for Specific Gifts?} What do you think about praying expectantly for a very specific gift of the Holy Spirit? I see people blessed with certain gifts teaching classes. For example, I've seen classes on how to prophesy.
13.1:10:02 {Thoughts on the Anglican Church} Any thoughts on the Anglican Church? I found a church I like, but I have never been a part of a proper denomination before, so I’m worried about bureaucracy.
1:12:05 {Was Jesus Really Buried for 3 Days & Nights?} If Jesus died on a Friday and rose on a Sunday, then He was not in the grave for three days and three nights. Why is it that this seems never to be addressed?
1:18:33 {About Theistic Evolution} Can you explain your understanding of Theistic Evolution? I saw a video by InspiringPhilosophy and have a hard time accepting this viewpoint.
1:25:37 {Was Abel a Prophet?} Does Luke 11:50-51 mean that Abel was a prophet?
1:30:04 {Who Can Baptize People?} Can anyone baptize? Or must one be a pastor?
1:32:40 {Communicating with God} How can we have a relationship with God when He doesn’t talk back?
1:34:54 {Was Saul Justified in Ending his Life?} Could we say that Saul killing himself in 1 Samuel 31:3-5 was justifiable for the same reason 9/11 jumpers were justified?
1:41:51 {Holy Week Reflections} With Easter coming up, what is something that we might overlook but shouldn’t, considering that celebrating Easter might just become a yearly habit or tradition to people?
CLICK HERE for my video on 21 different ways that Jesus fulfilled Passover (so awesome!)
CLICK HERE for my video on how to explain that "three days and three nights" is an idiom for Friday to Sunday.
CLICK HERE for my extensive Women in Ministry series.
CLICK HERE for my video on different Christian views of Revelation

Here are my quick rules for questions:
1) We take questions from the LIVE chat, but only after the stream has actually begun.
2) Please include one or two Bible verse references if they are relevant to your question. I may have a hard time finding them depending on how you word your question.
3) It helps if you put a capital Q at the beginning of your question. That way we can easily spot it in the live chat, which can move rather quickly.
4) Please don't spam your question multiple times, as everyone doing that makes the live chat hard to deal with.
1 hr 48 min
March 24, 2023Calling out false teachings.
Videos referenced in this episode:
Todd White "miracles" examined
Bill Johnson's theology examined
(I was genuinely too soft on Bill in this video, so please also consider watching the recent follow-up video HERE)
Brian Zahnd's teaching examined

A project with several credentialed scholars examining Brian Simmons' problematic new translation of the Bible: CLICK HERE

My website: https://BibleThinker.org
9 min
March 22, 2023 Happy, Smiley, Heresy.
According to his website, Salvatore Sapienza is an ordained minister serving as pastor of the UCC church in Saugatuck/Douglas, Michigan, where he lives with his husband, Gregg.

Listen carefully and see if you can spot how this one Progressive Christian pastor twists John 3:16 to reject the Gospel.

Note the rhetorical move of pretending that those who don't agree with him are mean-hearted and delight in condemning people.

Note how he isolates one part of one verse from its full context so that he can more easily pretend it teaches something very different than it really does.

Note, most of all, how a thoughtful reading of Scripture in context will protect you from nice-sounding, false doctrines.

Do you want to see the whole video this is from? It's a full analysis of this pastor's sermon on John 3:16. Deeply troubling. CLICK HERE to view.

My website: https://BibleThinker.org
6 min

About BibleThinker

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Learn to think biblically about everything! Teaching theology, apologetics, and verse-by-verse Bible studies. Mike Winger teaches with clarity, doesn't shy away from controversial topics, and always…