BibleThinker

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I hope you don't believe this myth... Dec 21, 2022

Show notes

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

Some concerning facts about Santa Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

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

People are still making this stuff up about Christmas trees. Dec 18, 2022

Show notes

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

20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 90) Dec 17, 2022

Show notes

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

Is it OK to celebrate a holiday that's not in the Bible? Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

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

The connection between Christmas and Saturnalia Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

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

We don't think gluttony is a sin anymore Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

Here's the big red flag that I see. The Bible seems to make a way bigger deal out of gluttony than we do. That's all we need to know that something very concerning is going on in our very affluent culture.

My website: https://BibleThinker.org

20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 89) Dec 09, 2022

Show notes

0:00 - Intro

0:40 {Are Soul Ties Biblical?} What are “soul ties,” and are they biblical?
18:00 {Has Jesus Always Been God?} Our pastor said on Sunday that Jesus wasn’t God here on Earth until the baptism of John and descending of the Holy Spirit. It sounded really bad to my ears. Can you comment, please?
22:46 {Honoring God Regardless of Feelings} When I feel "good" I find myself doubting less, being more loving, and sinning less. How do I know if I'm growing in the spirit or if it's just my antidepressants making me nicer?
26:44 {Witnessing to Muslims} How do you convince a Muslim that Jesus is more than just a prophet?
30:31 {Did Jesus Overturn the Tables Twice?} Why is Jesus overturning the money tables in John 2 and not later when He enters Jerusalem (around John 11 or 12)? Did He do this 2 times and not just in His last week (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15)?
35:06 {Did God Foretell Something that Didn’t Happen?} In 1 Samuel 23:11-13 (ESV), the Lord says David will be handed over to Saul at Keilah, then David leaves town before Saul gets there, so he was not. Why did the Lord foretell a future event that didn't happen?
40:28 {About the Cruciform Hermeneutic} What are your thoughts on the cruciform hermeneutic or cruciform theology?
45:20 {Advice for a Tough Marital Situation} If my wife committed adultery against me and a child resulted from the affair, am I bound to care for the child? Why or why not, and how would I go about handling the situation after finding out?
46:48 {Should Couples Promise “Till Death Do Us Part”?} In many modern weddings, people promise before God "till death do us part,” or something similar. Doesn't that biblically preclude the option of even a biblical divorce?
50:16 {Why was the Cross Necessary if God is All-Powerful?} I have an agnostic friend who can’t accept that the cross was necessary. They believe God was not all powerful if He could not find another way of saving humanity without sacrificing Jesus. Thoughts?
52:59 {About Jacob’s Wrestle with God} How do you interpret Genesis 32, when Jacob wrestles with God?
58:50 {Having Insurance = Lack of Trust in God?} What are your thoughts on having insurance and medical aid? I've heard it said that these things are rooted in fear and keep us from truly trusting God. Is that a biblical/wise perspective to have?
1:01:25 {What Kind of Jokes Fall Under “Jesting”?} I'm confused about “eutrapelia” and I don’t know if it is just crude joking or all jokes that word speaks of in Ephesians 5:4. I use the KJV and it just says "jesting."
1:06:47 {Can We Rebuke the Enemy Ourselves?} Can we rebuke the enemy?
1:08:38 {Are Flashy Lights Inappropriate for a Church?} My church recently renovated our hall to be more upbeat and have flashy lights. I'm extremely disheartened by this. Do you have any advice?
1:13:25 {Slavery in the Old Covenant} How do we reconcile the treatment of foreigner slaves (not Israelite servitude) under the old covenant (bought as property, handed down to children, etc. – Leviticus 25:44-46)?
1:19:36 {Should we Only Have One Teacher?} Please, can you talk about what we should do when a spiritual leader wants you to only take advice from them and no one else, especially when the Bible says to have a “multitude of counselors”?
1:20:55 {Why did Some Men in the Bible Have Multiple Wives?} Most of the men in Bible had multiple wives. Can’t you then say they lived in sin their entire lives? Many people say that continual sin doesn’t equate to being a true Christian.
1:24:32 {Respectfully & Effectively Witnessing to a Boss} My boss is a leader in the LDS church. He is a good and friendly boss but calls himself a Christian. Do I have a responsibility to confront him, and if so, how do I do this respectfully since he is my boss?
1:27:16 {Does 2 Kings 2 Challenge God’s Goodness?} My brother brought up 2 Kings 2:23-25 to challenge the goodness of God. He saw an imbalance of justice when bears came to maul 40 boys for making fun of Elisha. How would you respond to this?

The Desert Apologetics conference is coming up again (Feb 9-11, 2023).
Promo Code for BibleThinker Listeners, 50% off Live Stream Ticket: 50Winger23
Promo Code for Missionaries, 100% off Live Stream Ticket: DAmissions100
Website: https://desertapologetics.com

How the "Angel of the Lord" is Jesus in the Old Testament - CLICK HERE
My 3 hour teaching on divorce and remarriage. THIS is a link directly to the time stamp in the video on the question of whether marriage is unbreakable or not.
CLICK HERE for my videos related to the topic of slavery.
CLICK HERE for my video on what to do if a polygamist gets saved.
CLICK HERE for my video about how Mormons have their own language when it comes to theology.

Pt. 11: 5 Views on “Women Keep Silent" (1 Cor 14:35-36) - Women in Ministry Series Dec 04, 2022

Show notes

Some say we should remove it from the Bible.

Intro - 0:00
9:26 The Take It Out of the Bible View
48:58 The Refutation View
1:34:51 The Education or Clatter View
2:05:56 The Strict View
2:24:44 The Judging Prophecy View
3:09:54 Conclusions

Others say the Bible is rejecting these statements about women, not endorsing them.

Others say this is why women shouldn't speak in church in any way, perhaps singing in the congregation is ok though.

Others say this is a prohibition on women as teachers during regular all-church services.

Others say this passage is about prophecy and who is supposed to participate in the judging of prophetic gifts, discerning whether those messages are from God.

It's hard to get around the idea that this passage seems to endorse complementarian or patriarchal views of gender roles. But we will explore various attempts to do so.

"As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak." 1 Corinthians 14:33-35

We'll examine all sides and dig deep to get as much clarity as I am able to offer on not only 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 but also how it applies to the topic of Women in Ministry.

After years of being a bit confused about the topic of women in ministry I set out to spend months researching the topic in great detail to produce this exhaustive teaching series on the topic. This is part 11.

CLICK HERE for the playlist of ALL the videos in this series (more will be added as I make them).

CLICK HERE for my teaching notes from today’s video. You can find footnotes there, as well.

CLICK HERE for my two part series on "How to Understand the Old Testament Law"

CLICK HERE for my three videos explaining manuscript differences and how reliable the New Testament is.

You can also find more videos freely available on my website:
https://BibleThinker.org

20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 88) Dec 02, 2022

Show notes

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
Intro - 0:00
1. 1:05 {Our Reign With Christ & Purpose of Authority in Eternity} What does it mean that we will reign with Christ in Heaven? What use will there be for any kind of authority in a sinless universe where our righteousness and wisdom are perfect?
2. 9:54 {Study Resource Recommendations} Are there any non-Calvinist Systematic Theology books you recommend?
3. 11:50 {Biblical Hair Length of Movie Characters?} In Lord of the Rings, would you consider the hair length too long for some characters, such as Aragorn or Legolas? How do I apply 1 Corinthians 11 when designing characters for my own projects?
4. 16:35 {How Was the “Thief on the Cross” Saved?} How was the “good thief” in Luke 23:42 saved? He died without knowing Jesus' resurrection. Jesus tells him, “Today you will be with me in paradise,” but Christ doesn’t rise for 3 days. Confused!
5. 22:35 {Should We Hate Evildoers?} How do you talk to someone who claims the Christian faith but hates people groups because they are “haters of God and denied Jesus”? My friend won’t talk to me because I don’t hate evil people enough.
6. 26:24 {Meaning of the Leftover Miracle Food} What is the meaning of the 12 and 7 baskets left over from the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000?
7. 28:31 {Should I Leave My Job if I’m Kept from Church?} Due to work, I’m not able to go to church. should I look for another job so I can maintain fellowship, or should I just continue with the job I have now?
8. 31:36 {Why is the NAR Unbiblical?} Please explain why the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is unbiblical.
9. 38:32 {Is Heaven a Choice?} Does Revelation 22:17 mean that we have a choice to stay in Heaven (the last sentence specifically)? Would we be able to blink out of existence? Would this offend God?
10. 41:05 {How Would Adam & Eve Know Disobedience was Wrong?} If Adam and Eve didn’t have knowledge of good and evil, how would they know it is wrong to disobey God and eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
11. 43:54 {Can We “Declare” things in Prayer?} What are your thoughts on “declarative prayer” or “positive confession” (e.g., “I declare revival for this city,” “I declare that this day is blessed,” etc.)?
12. 46:59 {About Boycotting Businesses} Should Christians boycott businesses paying for abortion travel?
13. 51:24 {How Deep in Theology to go while Evangelizing} How much of the doctrine of the Trinity do we need to explain while sharing the Gospel (especially when it comes to the hypostatic union)?
14. 52:34 {Was Jesus’ Second Coming Prophesied?} Is it clear in Old Testament prophecies that Jesus will come not only once, but twice?
15. 54:59 {Should We Settle On a Religion that “Feels Right”?} If a friend says they're looking for a religion that "feels right," how do I approach them if they’ve already left Christianity?
16. 59:22 {Will We Remember Unbelievers in Eternity?} After a believer dies, will they remember their loved ones who were unbelievers? I understand "perfect peace," but that doesn’t answer the question.
17. 1:04:29 {Why Do Two Peoples’ Prayers Yield Different Results?} Why do some people have a gift of healing that works when they pray for people, but I can’t do the same? If we are praying to the same God, why do two peoples’ prayers give different results?
18. 1:07:50 {Choosing Biblical Homeschooling Resources} We homeschool, and one of the most popular "Christian" curricula happens to be from a Mormon. I keep going back and forth over if I should use it because it's very solid academically. Advice?
19. 1:09:27 {Handling our Emotions Biblically} What's the difference between suppressing our emotions vs. having self-control over our emotions? I struggle to show positive/negative emotions to God/others, and I seem to distrust God/others with my emotions.
20. 1:13:15 {Did God Rest for More than 1 Day?} In the beginning of Genesis, it says God rested on day 7, but considering no creation happens beyond day 7, didn't He technically rest for more than 1 day, or am I misunderstanding something? Also, is it possible to ask you to pray for me? I'm getting baptized on Sunday and I hope my unsaved friends and family turn to Christ when they watch.

I take questions from the live chat. Start your question with "Q" and try to include one or two specific verse references if you have them. Due to the number of questions we get I can't possibly answer them all so I apologize if you send one in that doesn't get an answer.

My website, with countless hours of free, searchable content: https://BibleThinker.org

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