BibleThinker

Latest Episodes:

The Death Penalty Is Biblical... Obviously Nov 02, 2020

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If I put the Bible first, before politics, I will end up supporting the death penalty. But I think the Bible also answers some of the fears of those who do oppose the death penalty. This will basically be a survey of several key Bible verses that deal with the death penalty. From it's initial inception in Genesis 9 to it's use in the Old Testament Law and the important teaching in Romans 13 on the role of government in enacting lethal punishment. Along the way I'm going to answer a few challenges that I've heard regarding the death penalty. 1) What about those who are innocent but get the death penalty? 2) But didn't Jesus reject the death penalty when He said to "turn the other cheek" or when he wouldn't kill the adulterous woman? 3) But God's justice is restorative and not retributive. And the death penalty ends any chance to restore the person who committed the crime. 4) I just don't trust the government to get it right, therefore capital punishment should be off the table. 5) But we aren't under the Law of Moses any more. I realize there are major ramifications for political issues related to this question but I want us to approach it first as a question of what the Bible teaches. This is my own commitment in trying to think biblically about everything and it's what I hope you will do as well. My website https://BibleThinker.org

20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 10) Oct 30, 2020

Show notes

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:42 How should I approach a friend who does not believe in objective truth? 2. 7:34 Do you think that Melchizedek was was a theophany? How does the writer of Hebrews know so much about him if there's only a few verses in the Hebrew Scriptures about him? 3. 14:44 The Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), but I know that God is sovereign over all things. How do I reconcile these two truths in a biblical way? 4. 17:55 What are your thoughts on "Oneness Pentecostalism"? 5. 19:13 Is marriage a choice? I've heard that marriage is God's will for most people, but I like Paul's argument in 1 Cor. 7: 25-40. If someone desires singleness, could it go against God's will? 6. 22:20 In John 3 where Jesus says "you must be born again," it isn't like you chose to be born, you just were. Any thoughts on that? 7. 23:59 What are your thoughts on attending a wedding between a believer and an unbeliever? 8. 25:40 My church encourages kids to participate in communion. My 4 year old does not participate because we feel she's not ready. Not because of sin, but not fully understanding what she's doing. Any thoughts? 9. 27:01 In regard to our spirit, soul, body, mind, and heart, what does each biblically consist of, and what is their purpose? 10. 29:00 What are your thoughts on this prevalent kind of "repentance-free Christianity" where psychological goals (self-improvement/fulfillment) have replaced pursuing holiness? 11. 32:57 Does Revelation 3: 16 mean that lukewarm Christians will not be in Heaven? ("...because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth.") What does lukewarm mean? 12. 38:36 What happened to Jesus on the cross? What does it mean that He took God's wrath? Was it just pain and death like we deserved, or something more? Was it the equivalent of spending eternity in Hell? 13. 43:51 I got saved a couple of months ago! Any tips on studying the Bible? Where could I look to get background information on different books of the Bible before I begin studying them? 14. 45:39 Could you please explain why there are two demon possessed men in Matthew 8, but only one in Mark 5? 15. 49:01 How do you respond to teaching that says the verses that say homosexuality is wrong are actually about pedophilia, and not about same sex relationships? Do you have a video on this? 16. 51:20 What do you do if you can't live at peace with a family member at home? 17. 52:45 I like David Wood, but do you think his approach is biblical? It is effective, but isn't it too harsh? 18. 54:37 At Pentecost, they were mocked for appearing to be drunk. Does this suggest that we should expect laughing, shaking, or falling when closely sensing the Holy Spirit? 19. 59:12 My friend told me that their relationship with God and religion in general is something they keep private. Is this biblical? How should I respond? Every Friday at 1pm PT Here’s how you get your questions answered in the Q&A 1) Please reread your question before you ask to ensure that it will make sense to me. Clarity is paramount. 2) Wait till we go live before asking. We don’t take questions until then. 3) Put a “Q” at the beginning of your question. 4) Please only ask once, our mods are checking the chat continually. 5) I’m truly sorry if I’m unable to get to your question. I know its a bummer, but I am doing my best. 6) If you arrive late we may have already gathered 20 questions. Please check the live chat to see if we are full on Qs. Thanks! My website https://BibleThinker.org

Is "Critical Race Theory" Biblical? No. Oct 28, 2020

Show notes

Here's all I want to know. What is Critical Race Theory and is it biblical? We'll answer both questions today with special guest Neil Shenvi. I agree that racism is a serious problem in our lives today. A very serious problem. But real problems can sometimes lead us to bad solutions. The solutions provided by Critical Race Theory (and concepts of "whiteness", "systems of oppression", "internalized oppression", the redefining of "racism" etc.) are actually solutions that involve more racism. It is injustice in response to injustice. It's unbalanced scales in response to unbalanced scales. It's prejudice in response to prejudice. A biblical Christian should recognize that because racism, partiality and injustice are serious issues, we can not embrace Critical Race Theory. This isn't about taking political sides or pleasing crowds, it's about being biblical and pleasing God. Neil Shenvi's web site - https://shenviapologetics.com/ Neil Shenvi on Twitter - https://twitter.com/NeilShenvi My website https://BibleThinker.org

Literally the WORST Bible Translation I've Ever Seen Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

I'm not going to pull punches today. This isn't really a "translation" of the Bible. It is one man's attempt to replace the gospel with his own false teaching. His false teaching is truly heart warming and encouraging. Francois Du Toit is a brilliant man, skilled communicator and as far as I can tell he is absolutely sincere and well-meaning in replacing the gospel with his feel good message that the real problem with people is that they believe the gospel when it says that all have sinned, are deserving of judgment and need to be born again in Christ. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the Mirror Bible is the worst translation I've ever looked into. In today's video we will survey through a number of Bible passages he has mistranslated and explain how he is trying to fight against the clear teaching of the text and how he tries to use Greek to trick people (and himself) into believing his anti-gospel. Yeah, it's really that bad. Wesley Huff's article on Bible translations https://bit.ly/3kzDFHy My NEW YouTube channel teaching you how to be a successful Christian YouTuber. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVKQO2NpUZo My website https://BibleThinker.org

20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 9) Oct 23, 2020

Show notes

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:15 How do the Jehovah's Witnesses mistranslate and misuse John 1:1 in their "New World Translation"? 2. 10:22 What does Matthew 24: 34 mean? What is the "all these things" Jesus speaks of? Would the original audience/early church have thought He was referring to the second and final coming? 3. 20:54 What does Matthew 26: 46 mean? 4. 22:08 Can you explain the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1? It cannot possibly mean that half the Church fails to enter in...or does it? 5. 26:18 I've heard people support abortion using Numbers 5, specifically v. 27. What is your take on that? 6. 30:43 The OT often calls the Old Covenant an eternal or everlasting covenant. If it is eternal and everlasting, how can there be a New Covenant? 7. 32:22 If I don’t read the Bible and pray every day, I feel a huge amount of guilt - like I’ve sinned and am not even worthy to be a Christian. Is this kind of guilty conscience or conviction healthy, or not? 8. 34:57 In Mark 7: 27-28, do you think that this passage is a good way to highlight that the eucharist is specifically spiritual and not physical flesh, or do you think it's not correlated enough? 9. 36:26 What is the "rod" in Proverbs 13: 24? Is it a method of corporal punishment, or does it refer to a rod of truth with which we hold our children/households accountable to? 10. 39:52 As a struggling Calvinist, could you explain the apparent favoritism of God throughout the Bible and why He "chooses" some over others? (ex. Jacob/Esau, Abraham, Prophets, and Moses.) 11. 43:01 In Genesis 9, Noah seems to curse Canaan for the actions of his father, Ham. Do you think Noah cursed Canaan, or is Moses emphasizing Canaan on purpose? 12. 44:26 How do you respond to the claim that Jesus came to dismantle systems of oppression? though He did dismantle "systems" like legalism, it also seems to diminish the Gospel when it becomes the focus. 13. 45:55 My wife and I are wondering if the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15) clarifies Hebrews 6:4-6...We both believe salvation is eternal. Thoughts? 14. 49:32 I don't feel the witness of the Holy Spirit or a love for God. I trust Christ to save me, but I'm not seeing fruit. Does the inward work of God take longer for some people? 15. 52:19 Is "the anointing" a real thing, or is it just another word for the Holy Spirit? And can we get an anointing today? Any verses to support your argument? 16. 53:54 How do we reconcile forgiveness for our sins by His work on the cross with being examined on Judgment Day? If we sin and receive forgiveness, will that be brought up again when we stand before God? 17. 57:03 Would you ever recommend The Message Bible? Any possible problems you see with it? 18. 58:53 Do you think some people focus too much on extravagant mission trips or campaigns instead of evangelizing by acting good in the world? 19. 1:02:13 In 1 Corinthians 6: 12 & 1 Corinthians 10: 22, Paul says all things are lawful. I know he isn't talking about sinful things, but is he talking about the law? I need some clarification. Thanks! 20. 1:06:38 I’ve heard some churches teach the "holy kiss" (1 Corinthians 16: 20) as a commandment. I’m curious about your thoughts on the matter. Every Friday at 1pm PT Here’s how you get your questions answered in the Q&A 1) Please reread your question before you ask to ensure that it will make sense to me. Clarity is paramount. 2) Wait till we go live before asking. We don’t take questions until then. 3) Put a “Q” at the beginning of your question. 4) Please only ask once, our mods are checking the chat continually. 5) I’m truly sorry if I’m unable to get to your question. I know its a bummer, but I am doing my best. 6) If you arrive late we may have already gathered 20 questions. Please check the live chat to see if we are full on Qs. Thanks! My website https://BibleThinker.org

The Controversy Over "Literary Devices" in The Gospels with Dr. Lydia McGrew Oct 21, 2020

Show notes

Are there what appear to our eyes to be significant, deliberate, factual changes about the life of Jesus in the Gospels? Did the gospel writers seem to fabricate significant details about Jesus? If so, was this an expected and appropriate practice when writing a Greco-Roman Biography? Do "literary devices" exist, which were employed by the gospel authors, which allowed an ancient biographer to add fictional information to historical stories as a kind of "special effects"? Dr. Lydia McGrew joins me to discuss several controversial and important issues related to the reliability of the Gospels. This can be a rather complicated issue but I hope that today's interview will be enlightening and bring some clarity. Even if you don't agree with my guest (I'm not entirely sure what all my own views are on this issue) I think it's valuable to hear what she has to say because she has gone to such great lengths to bring clarity to a pretty fuzzy area of scholarship where I am genuinely concerned that some well-meaning, wonderful Christian scholars are making some significant mistakes. Get Lydia McGrew's book "The Mirror or the Mask: Liberating the Gospels from Literary Devices" https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Mask-Liberating-Gospels-Literary/dp/1947929070/ Lydia's new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSwhBk0vUSg_6prKkR82IDQ Dr. Mike Licona (a genuine Christian who I respect) has a series of videos responding to Dr. Lydia McGrew's book which you can watch on this playlist on his YT channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpPGCP1zKznR06Jxb5RaQYrNIiH7xR7ZR Lydia McGrew did a series of videos in response to Mike Licona's series and you can watch that playlist on her YT channel at this link https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe1tMOs8ARn0S9CsFG47bKjcYxsnHujhg

Being More Biblical About Politics: The Mark Series pt 47 (12:13-17) Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

Jesus taught people to pay taxes. I think that most of us know that. But I think there is a lot more going on here and it helps us answer some of our tough ethical questions about how to deal with current issues in politics. If my understanding of the Bible is accurate on this then I think many Christians really need to have something of an overhaul on the way they deal with current political issues. This is part 47 of a verse by verse study through the Gospel of Mark. See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF

20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 8) Oct 16, 2020

Show notes

~Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: ~ 0:00 Introduction 1. 0:12 Do you agree with any of the 5 points of Calvinism? And what is the one “point” you see as the hardest to reconcile? 2. 16:17 Jesus cast out many demon-possessed people on Earth. With the explosion of the human population and religions, one would think this phenomenon would be more prevalent today, but it’s not. Any insight? 3. 18:31 What's your response to the idea that Isaiah was written by multiple authors? 4. 20:06 Do you believe that God is a matchmaker for Christian couples? The idea of waiting on “the one” whom God has chosen as your spouse? Some pastors say this is a waste of time, or unrealistic. 5. 24:49 Is it biblically o.k. for a trinitarian Christian to marry a Oneness Christian? 6. 25:41 In constructing a biblical theology, where do we start? How do we construct a biblical method for doing theology? 7. 28:00 Any advice for a Christian who lives with parents that are always swearing, drinking, and watching vulgar things? Whenever I give them my opinion, they think I'm being judgmental. Am I? 8. 30:09 My country, Armenia, a Christian Nation since 301AD, is defending their lives from genocide by Turkey & Azerbaijan. What are some actions I can take as a Christian? That is, can I go to war if it is to defend? 9. 32:04 What separates us from an angel? They had (have?) free will too, right? Is it still possible for them to fall from grace/Heaven if they choose? 10. 33:52 Have you heard of the Berisheet Prophecy in Genesis 1:1 regarding end times? It is something I've run into a lot recently and wanted to know if you have any thoughts on it. 11. 34:46 My JW friend says the Greek for “soul” just refers to any living being (person or animal) and that the “immortal soul” is taken from the Greeks and was not a Jewish belief. How would you respond? 12. 36:22 Do you plan to do more verse-by-verse studies of other books of the Bible? (Mark is great!) 13. 36:59 Is it a sin for a Christian not to vote in elections? Will not voting negatively affect one's relationship with God? Thoughts or advice? 14. 38:44 Is it better not to give if you can't do it cheerfully/lovingly, or would it be better to give even if reluctantly in order to pick up your cross and try to imitate Jesus? (I don't mean just money.) 15. 40:39 What is the purpose of a church service? Should it primarily be for believers, or should it be intentionally inclusive of those in attendance who are not saved? 16. 43:00 How do you respond to people who use verses like 1 John 3:6 to say that, as they mature in the faith, Christians come to a point where they will completely stop sinning? 17. 46:05 I’ve been told by Christians that their relationship with God is personal and they don’t wish to discuss anything in regard to religion. Is this biblical? 18. 48:18 What is your favorite Bible verse? (A verse that you would look at daily that gives you courage and strengthens you…or multiple?) 19. 50:07 Where is God's help when fighting a porn addiction? Why does it seem that crying out in prayer yields little help, and even when resisting the temptation, I'm left exhausted? 20. 54:54 Should Christians follow OT dietary laws? Many people point to Acts, but I'm stuck on the prophecy in Isaiah 66: 16-17 where eating pork still seems to be detestable to God, even in the end times.Every Friday at 1pm PT A biblical survey of the doctrine of divine hardening, which seem incompatible with Calvinism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMuiT_R0zFQ&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHu8PlY0J-G2B9Pyp59S0pLZ&index=4 My video on how faith is not a work and how this relates to Calvinist teaching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxakEl8BYBE&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHu8PlY0J-G2B9Pyp59S0pLZ&index=1 After my first video on Limited Atonement I got a rebuttal video from Dr. James White and I did a MUCH more in depth response to the Calvinist reasoning and to Dr. White in a second video (both are linked below and you can find Dr. White's video in the description of the second) 1st on Limited Atonement: https://youtu.be/DAKyQrAO3ps 2nd (deeper theological discussion) on Limited Atonement: https://youtu.be/shpZMRhr4uM For the question on obeying dietary laws here is my playlist on the Hebrew Roots movement. Lots of really good info here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR7xTYhXEbo&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuOD_BytSxbejzCnGPOcgFw

Does Mark 11:26 Belong in Your Bible: The Mark Series pt 46 Oct 15, 2020

Show notes

Why is this verse missing from the ESV translation? Why does it have brackets in the NASB? Here's a summary of the reasons why this verse may not be original and how I think we should think about it. This is the shortest video in the whole Mark series so far and I'm just tossing it out there in the middle of a bunch of other content but I thought it was worth taking some time to discuss. Here's the playlist to my three videos on manuscript issues and translations of the Bible (which I mentioned in the vid) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WclIZwBFhq0&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuzJhPtmrgqpVoXhjvqiIjW Here's the entire Mark series playlist. I am absolutely LOVING this series and hope it blesses you tremendously. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c7jWg60N_0&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF

The Parable of the Vineyard: The Mark Series pt 45 (12:1-12) Oct 12, 2020

Show notes

This was an "in your face" moment between Jesus and the leaders of the Jews. But what strikes me the most isn't just Jesus' rebuke of the leaders, or how cleverly He does it (so that they cannot charge Him with a crime), or how Jesus integrates Isaiah 5 into this parable of the vineyard. What strikes me the most is how they could be totally aware of the failures of their forefathers and totally blind to those same issues when they were to be found in themselves. God help us to see our lives clearly, for we can all be just like they were. This is part 45 of a verse by verse study through the Gospel of Mark. See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF My website https://BibleThinker.org

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