BibleThinker

By Mike WingerReligion & Spirituality Christianity

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BibleThinker episodes

January 17, 2023 A rising doctrine I currently DON'T agree with: Theonomy
After this rather long chat, I can say that I do have a lot to learn about theonomy to understand it better but that I am currently convinced that the core foundation of the view is not biblical. I consider this an in-house discussion, and one which we could disagree on without demonizing each other.

Special thanks to Joel Webbon of Right Response Ministries for inviting me to have this discussion and being willing to hear some pushback. CLICK HERE to visit pastor Joel's YT channel.

My website: https://BibleThinker.org
1 hr 56 min
January 14, 202320 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 91)
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
1:01 {Yoga Pants & Ripped Jeans?} Ladies on the worship team sometimes wear yoga pants and ripped jeans. I think that goes against the Romans 14 principle of not causing a brother to stumble. What do you think?
21:29 {Did Jesus’ Atonement Require His Divinity?} Why was it necessary for Jesus to be fully divine in regard to our salvation? Wayne Grudem states, “Only someone who is the infinite God could bear the full penalty for all the sins of all those who would believe in Him…" Do you agree, and are there any other reasons stated in Scripture?
25:54 {Daniel: The Iron & Clay Kingdom} What is your interpretation of the 4th kingdom made of iron & clay in Daniel 2?
30:36 {Did God Need to Create Humans?} It may be a simple question, but why did God create humans? I’d be happy to get your insight. He didn’t need to, or did he?
36:35 {Do Tiny Choices Affect History?} Should Christians ever concern themselves with ideas like the butterfly effect (the idea that tiny choices have big impacts on history)?
38:38 {Ministering to LDS Members} I showed some LDS members your Book of Abraham video, but because they believe they heard from the Holy Spirit, biblical arguments haven’t worked. How can I show that they haven’t heard the Spirit?
45:18 {When Were the Apostles Saved?} When were the Apostles saved? They didn't have the full knowledge of what Jesus was doing until His appearance after His resurrection. Could they be considered "saved" before Pentecost?
47:40 {Will God Reveal when our Thinking is Unbiblical?} Philippians 3:15 says God will reveal when our thinking is opposed to His calling. How, then, do so many dedicated Christians get all the way through life still utterly confused about essential moral issues?
52:02 {How to Tell When Love Has Become Idolatry} Have I made my crush an idol? I’ve found myself crushing on a brother in Christ. I’ve also found that sometimes I prefer thinking about him more than God. I don’t want to do this. Any advice?
56:48 {Are Drugs OK if they’re Grown Naturally?} Is Genesis 1:29 allowing us to smoke weed and to eat magic mushrooms because they’re found naturally? Hasn’t sin surely had a big impact after the fall, on vegetation?
1:00:45 {The Bible on Transgenderism} What is the best biblical case against transgender behavior?
1:04:31 {Did God Die / Is Mary God’s Mother?} Can we say God died since Jesus died? And can we say Mary is the mother of God?
1:08:38 {Can We Add Punctuation to Scripture?} A pastor at a local Bible study wants me to add punctuation to a section of Scripture that is just words to see multiple meanings. I feel uncomfortable with this. What are your thoughts on doing this?
1:10:03 {How to Grow in Self-Control} Because it is a fruit of the Spirit, is self-control a teachable skill like in Titus 2, or a gift of the Spirit? What practical advice do you have to get more emotional and verbal self-control?
1:16:11 {Must our Salvation Produce an Emotional Response?} Most Christians have a moment where they break down and weep as they realize what Jesus did for them on the cross. Is it normal to not have experienced this? I'm grateful, but also weirdly indifferent.
1:18:43 {Is Reading the Bible Better than Listening?} I have difficulty reading the Bible, and I think that listening to the Bible (like an audio Bible) might be helpful, but I feel like I'm missing something by not reading it. Any thoughts?
1:20:50 {Is it OK to Correct our Parents?} Is correcting your parents biblical, and what do you do if they do not respect correction?
1:24:32 {About Love in 1 Cor. 13:7} What does it mean practically that “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”?
1:29:10 {How to Tell if a Show or Movie is Appropriate} As Christians, how should we judge whether or not a secular show or movie is OK for us to watch or not?
1:32:37 {Is Hell a Present or Future Place?} What is the best defense or response when defending the position that Hell is not a present place, but instead, a future place?

CLICK HERE for my Evidence for the Bible playlist (including examination of several of the prophecies in Daniel).

CLICK HERE for the verse-by-verse study through Romans 14.

CLICK HERE for my video about how the Mormon "Book of Abraham" proves Joseph Smith was a fraud.
1 hr 40 min
January 04, 2023 No marriage in heaven
It can seem like your relationship with your believing spouse has been downgraded when you think about there not being marriage in heaven. But I think we should consider it an upgrade. The closeness, unity, and love that we will have with each other, not to mention being "married" to Christ, will be so much more than what we have had on Earth.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org
5 min
December 29, 2022 Examples of modern idolatry and do I worry people will idolize me?
In light of the biblical teaching that covetousness is idolatry, I am deeply aware of how relevant this issue is for my life. My desires can pull me away from God. My desires, unchecked, can become idolatry.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org
7 min
December 21, 2022 I hope you don't believe this myth...
I've tested a lot of myths in my time, but this one is particularly bad.
My website where I don't give away any free cookies. But I've got hundreds of hours of free video content helping you learn to think biblically about everything... bring your own cookies.
https://BibleThinker.org
8 min
December 19, 2022Some concerning facts about Santa
It's difficult but worthwhile to test our own traditions against the principles and values of Scripture.

More Christmas videos here:
CLICK HERE for the full “Is Christmas Pagan?” video
CLICK HERE for my video dispelling other Christmas myths and wrong popular beliefs about Jesus’ birth
CLICK HERE for my video about the theology behind Christmas songs
Does Jeremiah 10 ban Christmas trees? CLICK HERE to find out

My website: https://BibleThinker.org
9 min
December 18, 2022People are still making this stuff up about Christmas trees.
For anyone out there thinking, "But doesn't the Bible specifically say not to decorate a tree and put it in your home in Jeremiah 10?" I have a video showing that the Jer. 10 passage is being distorted when we apply it to Christmas trees. CLICK HERE to watch!
More Christmas videos here:
The full "Is Christmas Pagan?" video: CLICK HERE
Dispelling other Christmas myths and wrong popular beliefs about Jesus' birth: CLICK HERE
The theology behind Christmas songs: CLICK HERE
My website: https://BibleThinker.org
9 min
December 17, 202220 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 90)
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:

0:00 - Intro
0:14 {Bookshelf Tour!} When can we get a bookshelf tour?
11:48 {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?
17:49 {Is Absolution or Absolving of Sins Biblical?} Does John 20:23 and Matthew 6:14 indicate that absolution (the act of forgiving someone for having done something wrong or sinful) is biblical?
23:52 {New Names in Heaven?} Do you have any insight about Revelation 2:17, specifically about the implication of new names in Heaven?
29:07 {Is Changing our Appearance Sinful?} Would changing our appearance in any way be a sin since God has created us in His image? For example, if we wear makeup, is that covering our natural beauty? And if we shave our body, is that destroying the beauty God has given us?
33:53 {Am I Obedient Enough? Repentant Enough?} I have recently been worrying a lot about whether I am obedient enough, repentant enough, or believing enough to be a real Christian. How can I biblically deal with this struggle?
39:55 {Why Does Jesus Conceal the Meaning of Things?} In Luke 9:44-45, why would Jesus tell His disciples this, only to have the meaning concealed? Why tell them if it wasn’t meant for them to understand?
43:52 {Raising Dead & Healing for Today?} Raising the Dead: Should we practice Matthew 10:8 today, or has the command to heal, cast out demons, and raise the dead ceased?
47:53 {Why is Abraham Commended for being with Hagar?} Why is Abraham commended for his faith when he tries to conceive a son through his slave, Hagar? Isn't that an indication that he had a moment where he lacked faith?
50:24 {Can the Deceased Hear/See Us?} Do you think that dead people can hear us and see what’s happening in our world?
55:40 {Discerning God’s Voice} How can I tell when the Holy Spirit is talking to me? Ever since hearing a sermon about a pastor's conviction to spend more time with God, I think I’m hearing God ask for more time when I close my Bible.
59:56 {Encouragement amid Infertility} My husband and I have struggled to have a baby, and I have had Psalm 127:3 on my mind. It makes me feel like there is something I need to do, and a lack of faith. What is the context of the “reward”?
1:04:18 {Why Can I Be Saved, But Not Judas?} Heartbreakingly, I have betrayed Christ for things worth far less than 30 pieces of silver. What is fundamentally different between Judas and me? Why can I still be saved, but he couldn’t?
1:06:36 {Who are the Called According to His Purpose?} Given the way Romans 8:28 is worded, I am wondering: are all people called according to His purpose, or only those of us who love Him?
1:09:27 {Hot? Cold? Lukewarm?} What does Jesus mean in Revelation 3:16 when He says it’s better to be hot or cold than lukewarm?
1:13:50 {Could Cain Still Be Alive?} How do you feel about the Bible conspiracy that Cain is still alive somehow and is wandering the Earth to this day?
1:15:20 {Witnessing to Stubborn Family Members} Does “shaking the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10: 14) ever apply to family? Or are we to always endure in witnessing to family, despite continual rejection?
1:18:15 {Was Jesus’ Analogy Flawed?} Someone's response to Matthew 5:13 was “How can salt lose its saltiness? If it wasn’t salty, it wouldn't be salt.” I understand what Jesus is saying here, but does this mean Jesus’ analogy was flawed?
1:20:43 {Principles for Offering Advice to Others} What are some good steps to giving advice to fellow Christians without coming across as condescending and patronizing?
1:24:06 {How Could Jesus Have Been Tempted?} How can we reconcile James 1 which says God cannot be tempted with evil with the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4?

CLICK HERE for my video on predestination, election, foreknowledge, etc. in Romans 8:28-29

CLICK HERE for my video on how Jesus could be tempted by Satan
1 hr 30 min
December 15, 2022Is it OK to celebrate a holiday that's not in the Bible?
If our Lord could observe a holiday not found in the Old Testament and not instructed in the New Testament, then how can we say that it's automatically wrong to observe a holiday not directly taught in Scripture? We can't. Instead we need to actually consider the quality and meaning of the day along with the method of celebrating it.

More Christmas videos here:
CLICK HERE for the full "Is Christmas Pagan?" video
CLICK HERE for my video dispelling other Christmas myths and wrong popular beliefs about Jesus' birth
CLICK HERE for my video about the theology behind Christmas songs
Does Jeremiah 10 ban Christmas trees? CLICK HERE to find out

My website: https://BibleThinker.org
2 min
December 14, 2022The connection between Christmas and Saturnalia
One thing I didn't mention in the video is the idea that Saturnalia did involve gift giving. At first glance, this might seem to imply that the gift giving of Christmas must be borrowed from the gift giving of Saturnalia. But there are some obstacles to establishing that connection. First, gift giving is a widespread practice across many different celebratory days. It doesn't really mean that much to see the giving of gifts on a holiday of some kind. It's the error of many to presume that similarity = origin, even when they don't have additional evidence to support that it does. Second, gifts were given on the 19th of December in association with Saturnalia, not the 25th. Imagine how clumsy it would be for the early Christians to feel they need to have a festival to replace Saturnalia, only to put it on the wrong date, leaving the people with nothing to replace Saturnalia during its actual events.

More Christmas videos here:
CLICK HERE for the full "Is Christmas Pagan?" video
CLICK HERE for my video dispelling other Christmas myths and wrong popular beliefs about Jesus' birth
CLICK HERE for my video about the theology behind Christmas songs
Does Jeremiah 10 ban Christmas trees? CLICK HERE to find out

My website: https://BibleThinker.org
4 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…