20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 79)

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Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 – Intro

1. 0:34 {Are All Pastors Pro-Life?} What is your view on the many progressive “pastors” coming out against the overturning of Roe v. Wade?
2. 19:09 {About God’s Description} God’s description in Scripture is often called anthropomorphic. Is it not true though that we are theomorphic instead? Why, therefore, must the imagery of God standing, etc. be metaphorical and not real?
3. 24:51 {How do the Dead in Christ Rise if they’re in Heaven?} If believers are taken directly to Heaven when they die, then why does 1 Thessalonians 4:16 say the dead in Christ rise at His return? Doesn’t that suggest they are in their graves?
4. 29:32 {About Near-Death Experiences} What do you think about near-death experiences?
5. 35:50 {Does our Evangelism Determine Salvation?} Could our failure to share the Gospel actually determine someone’s salvation? Or will God provide the same opportunity somewhere else? I can’t imagine we have control over each other’s salvation?
6. 40:18 {Why did Some Disciples Doubt?} Why does Matthew record that some disciples doubted the resurrection? Is there some sort of significance to this? How could they doubt if Jesus was right in front of them?
7. 44:56 {Should Incarcerated Parents be Involved?} My 2-year-old adopted son’s birth mom is in prison for 15 years for using/selling meth. Biblically, should we let her be involved in his life? My wife thinks they should have an active relationship.
8. 47:59 {Is “Spiritual Attack” Legitimate?} Is “spiritual attack” really a thing? Is that biblical? (i.e., during some notable season as a Christian, if we have intensified doubt, hopelessness, illness, etc. why’s that not just, y’know, life?)
9. 55:46 {About OT Prophet Credibility} Why were many of the prophets who wrote books included in the Old Testament if they didn’t perform miracles and their prophecies didn’t come true until the New Testament? What made them stand out from false prophets?
10. 58:40 {Why is Abraham our Spiritual Father?} Why is Abraham our spiritual father (Romans 4:16-25) if people before him also had faith in God: Abel, Enoch, Noah, etc.? Were they not “counted righteous” through faith the same way Abraham was?
11. 1:04:15 {What is a “Clear Conscience” Before God?} I’m getting baptized soon, and one of the questions my church asks is basically, “Do you promise to follow God with a clear conscience?” I deal with a condemning conscience. Would this break the promise?
12. 1:06:34 {When did the Holy Spirit Come?} My question is about the Spirit. Jesus spoke of the Spirit coming after Him in John 14, but He is there in Luke 1 before Jesus’ birth. When did the Spirit actually come?
13. 1:13:44 {Does God Need Death to Atone for Sins?} In Isaiah 6, sin is taken away by hot coals. Does God need death to forgive something or atone for sin (i.e. Jesus on the cross)? If so, how was Isaiah forgiven? If not, what’s the point of sacrifices?
14. 1:20:34 {Minimal Facts vs. Maximal Facts Arguments} Is a minimal facts argument or maximal facts argument better in presenting the truth of the Resurrection of Jesus?
15. 1:24:25 {About the Samaritans Receiving the Spirit} How were the Samaritans in Acts 8:14-17 baptized in the name of Jesus, but only received the Holy Spirt when Peter and John came?
16. 1:30:04 {How to Decide What to Read in Scripture} Do you have any advice for reading the Bible? How do I decide what to read?
17. 1:30:40 {About the Difference between Heaven & Eden} What is the ontological difference between Heaven and pre-sin Eden? If Heaven is greater than Eden, then doesn’t it follow that Adam & Eve’s sin led to a greater eternity than they would’ve had otherwise?
18. 1:33:10 {Is Baptism Purely Symbolic?} Is baptism just a symbolic representation of our faith, or does it have a deeper value?
19. 1:35:43 {About Gene Editing Technology} Suppose that a gene editing technology like CRISPR could change the cells of a zygote to change the sex of the individual. Would there or should there be a secular question as to the eventual sex?
20. 1:38:01 {How Do We “Work Out Our Salvation?”} What does it mean to “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” in Philippians 2:12?