Articles by BibleThinker

What’s the point of the prodigal son’s brother? Why is he in the story, upset about the celebration and getting no celebration of his own?
Today’s Time Stamps:
1. 0:47 {About the Parable of the Prodigal Son} Can you please teach us about the Parable of the Prodigal Son, specifically focusing on the obedient son who stays in his father’s house and ends up resenting his prodigal brother? It seems like there’s no real benefit to being the obedient son in that situation. Am I missing cultural context that would enhance my understanding of this parable?2. 13:44 {Did David Not Understand Heaven?} In Psalm 6:5 David asks God to spare his life because “For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?” Does David not have a belief or understanding of Heaven at this point in his life?3. 17:32 {About “The Last Reformation”} Have you heard of a movement called The Last Reformation, started by Torben Sondergaard in Denmark? Now he’s based in the U.S., but it has grown worldwide. Would you consider it a cult?4. 19:09 {About the Devil’s Disguise} The devil, according to 2 Corinthians 11:14, disguises as angel of light, but can’t fight against himself (Mark 3:24) or his kingdom won’t stand. What if in disguising himself, he condemns himself?5. 22:41 {Raising Children with an Unbelieving Spouse} My husband doesn’t believe in God and our 6 year old has started to notice and is asking why daddy doesn’t believe. How should I approach this in a way that’s helpful and honors my husband and God?6. 26:16 {Biblical or Unbiblical Use of a Verse?} Many Christians use “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away” from Job (1:21) to explain difficult things such as the death of a loved one. Is this biblical, or is it a misinterpretation of Job?7. 32:19 {Drawing Near to God on Spiritual Holidays} First Easter being saved! Do you have any suggestions for some God honoring ways to spend Good Friday and Holy Saturday? I’m so excited and want to do whatever is in my power to feel especially close to Christ.8. 36:40 {Strengthening our Faith When Others are Doubting} I have been doubting lately because I know of so many people deconverting even after finding apologetics. It makes me question my reasoning at times. What are your thoughts on this?9. 41:53 {Why Don’t We Have To Obey the Sabbath?} It seems the only commandment of the 10 that we don’t still HAVE to follow is the Sabbath. If it was as important as the other 10, why are they all still upheld without exception and not that one?10. 44:33 {Handling Local Church Concerns} I’m afraid our church is being unknowingly influenced by progressivism. Ex: People love the podcast “the bible for normal people” with Pete Enns. Should we be worried? How do I share my concerns?11. 48:31 {When a Spouse Refuses to Follow Scripture} Can you help a brotha out on what to do if your wife says she will never be a biblical wife for her husband? She is a believer.12. 51:33 {Should We Bring Back Crusades?} Do you think that churches should bring back Gospel crusades? As I was saved at one in the 70s. These days, no one wants to preach the Gospel, but rather, do community works.13. 56:03 {Was Marriage Different in Biblical Times / Premarital Sex} Some say the biblical prohibition against premarital sex no longer applies since marriage then was so different. How was marriage different then, and how should that impact our view of sex now?14. 1:02:09 {Does Scripture Teach Familial Marriage?} 1 Corinthians 7:36-38 seems like Paul is saying someone can marry their own daughter. The translations usually say fiancée but when I looked at the Greek the word used means virgin daughter.15. 1:05:08 {Does John 6 Teach Faith as a Work?} I recently watched your Calvinism series and you didn’t address John 6:28-29 where Jesus calls belief “work.” I don

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:

0:00 – Intro

1:05 {Advice for a Difficult Marital Situation} My husband has joined a “Christian” cult where women are taught they’ll go to Hell if they wear makeup, trousers, jewelry, etc., and I refuse to follow that teaching. He will not listen to the counsel of our pastor. Should I submit to his decision to leave our biblical church and be a part of the cult? He now thinks of me as “not saved” and I’m considering leaving the house.
11:50 {Does Moses Refer to himself as YHWH?} Why does Moses refer to himself as YHWH in Deuteronomy 29:6?
16:34 {The Beatitudes in Luke vs. Matthew} The beatitudes in Luke 6:20-21 seem to have a different emphasis than those in Matthew 5 (physical poverty/hunger in Luke vs. spiritual poverty/hunger in Matthew). Much of the discourse in Luke 6 seems to cover similar teaching points as the Sermon on the Mount, so should the beatitudes in Luke be understood as the same as those in Matthew? If they are different, what is the takeaway from Luke’s beatitudes?
22:08 {Were Adam & Eve Cursed?} When reading Genesis 3:16 (especially in the KJV), I’m under the impression that Adam and Eve were not cursed, but only the Earth. Could you please weigh in on this?
26:28 {Advice for Entering College & Adulthood} I’m turning 18 this year, and have been a Christian for 2 years now. I’m looking at colleges now because I’m a junior in high school. Any advice for looking at colleges and going into adulthood?
31:47 {About 1 Cor. 5 & Banning Abortion} Does 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 mean we shouldn’t pass laws to ban abortion for “outsiders”?
38:26 {Can Pagan Traditions be Redeemed?} Are things with proven or supposed Pagan origins (such as wedding rings or birthday candles) to be avoided, according to Scripture? Or are they able to be redeemed?
43:20 {How Much to Confess Past Sins} I have some past sins that are pretty bad and very shameful. Do I need to confess these sins to my family and friends? I’ve confessed them to God and a personal pastor.
46:53 {Encouragement for a Progressive Friend} My friend has always been a strong Christian and is now struggling with same-sex attraction. He has adopted progressive thoughts on the Bible. How can I encourage him otherwise?
49:35 {Can We Do God’s Will Without Realizing It?} As a kid, my mom taught me to treat others as you would want them to treat you. I remember living by this, but I didn’t know it came from Jesus. Does this show us that we can do God’s will without realizing it?
53:26 {Can We Hear the “Still Small Voice” Today?} Pastors have preached about this “still small voice” that approached Elijah when he was distressed in the caves. Is this something we are supposed to be waiting and staying still to listen to today?
57:50 {How to Be Content While Suffering} God has blessed my life and I know it could be worse, but I’m severely disabled and sometimes I feel so trapped in my body that I want to die, but know that I can’t. How do I learn to be content?
1:04:40 {Understanding Jesus’ Atonement} Is it more accurate to say that Jesus’ death was sufficient for all rather than that He paid for all? Otherwise, wouldn’t there be people in Hell right now for sins that Jesus already paid for?
1:10:35 {About YEC & “Mockers”} How do you interpret 2 Peter 3:4 (in context)?I’ve heard Young Earth Creationists compare the mockers to people who say rates like erosion or radioactive decay are unchanging and deny the biblical creation account.
1:16:58 {How Important is a Church’s Statement of Faith?} How important is a church’s statement of faith? If a church has a basic, correct statement but adds and emphasizes serious errors in their services, wh

I spent months researching the topic of women in ministry so that I could present you with this exhaustive analysis of everything the Bible says about it. Today we are surveying the Old Testament to look for examples of women in positions like leadership.

We’ll see Deborah, an actual “judge” of Israel who definitely exercised real authority in ancient Israel with God’s approval. How does that impact our view of women’s roles? Was Deborah limited in her role in any way?

We’ll look at Miriam and ask if she was a leader like Moses during the time of Exodus.

Many egalitarians claim that there are quite a few women in leadership roles in the Old Testament. Women as civic authorities, royal authorities, prophetesses (and there’s no denying that one!).

While there are more women in roles that carry some degree of authority than many of us have realized, we still need to answer the question of why they were forbidden from being priests in the service of God even though pagan religions had female priests. I’ll tackle both sides and try real hard not to go beyond the text of Scripture.

I want to make sure that whatever my understanding of the New Testament teaching on women in ministry is, it’s consistent with God’s overall revelation and example of how He used women in the Old Testament.

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

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

Video Map for Quick Reference:0:00 Introduction & Part 1&2 Recap

13:49 Miriam as a Leader of Israel
34:54 Huldah the Prophetess
42:42 Isaiah’s Wife
43:54 Noadiah
47:24 Deborah the Judge
1:11:28 Jezebel
1:14:15 Athaliah
1:16:57 Esther
1:35:09 Why Weren’t Women Priests?
1:49:57 Conclusions
1:50:58 Coming Up Next in Part 4

I spent over a week reading and listening to progressive Christian influencers, trying to find some sort of central belief that connects them all together in a way that makes sense. I think I finally understand it. It’s actually pretty simple. And it’s not about Jesus.
The teaching you are watching was given at the Battle for the Next Generation Conference in Palm Springs, put on by DesertApologetics.com in February of 2022, sponsored by World Gospel Mission. Check their website for info on other events they do.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org

Timestamps to help you find what you want:0:00 Intro1:46 Don’t expect the wrong thing5:47 How to navigate when people are angry about politics11:02 Who can I trust on political topics?12:03 Is it biblical to get involved in protests and political debates?19:59 Are people naturally prone to embrace bondage and create tyranny?23:31 What are some things God requires of all governments?24:47 What the NT said to people in governmental roles26:22 Is it a lost cause for Christians to influence culture?34:50 For those struggling to “respect” horrible people in government41:21 Was Jesus a socialist? Nah.49:35 The hijacking of Jesus52:41 Some hope54:12 Progressives and their error56:35 Are things only going to get worse?

Kira Davis’ podcast “Just Listen to Yourself”:

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My website https://BibleThinker.org

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 – Intro1. 0:35 {How to have More Self Control} You mentioned in a past session the issue of “becoming slaves to our desires” instead of “just doing the right things we don’t feel like doing.” Whether it’s reading Scripture, doing the housework, eating the right things, etc., I struggle with this daily, and my whole house is a disaster. Please, can you offer some advice on how to target this issue?2. 12:27 {Is Marriage Required after Kissing or Sex?} Some say that because my ex-boyfriend and I French kissed, we must marry. We broke up 2 years ago and he didn’t answer when I asked to talk. I want to be free to marry someone else, but I’m scared to sin against God. Help. How can I know I am free?3. 16:34 {Why Isn’t the Greek OT More Authoritative?} Why isn’t the Greek Old Testament more authoritative? Its manuscripts are older and are referenced in the New Testament. E.g., Jesus mentions Greek version of Isaiah 61 with “blind” in Luke 4:18.4. 20:54 {Is it Unfair that Certain People Receive God’s Forgiveness?} People in my life push against “saved by faith alone” asking “How can people like Hitler accept Jesus right before death and then go and sit in Heaven next to Mother Teresa? How do I address that?5. 26:47 {About the Elect & The Tribulation} Can you be saved but not elect? I’m confused by Mark 13:20. Will the elect be taken by the rapture, or will they suffer during the Tribulation?6. 30:35 {Is Self-Forgiveness Biblical?} Any thoughts on self-forgiveness? Do you think it’s biblical?7. 34:33 {Is Contraception Sinful?} Why do people say there is no biblical basis against contraception when God kills Onan for it (Genesis 38:8-10)? And the punishment for that is not death according to Deuteronomy 25:7-10.8. 41:07 {About Parachurch Ministries / CRU} What do you think of parachurch organizations like Cru? They don’t seem biblical to me because they assume the duties of a local church. I would love to know what you think.9. 43:35 {About Conviction of Sin} How can someone know if they are truly feeling convicted about something? I am trying to get right with God, and I sometimes feel everything I do is damning. I don’t want to sugarcoat things – I want to be realistic.10. 48:41 {Will we See the Father & Jesus in Heaven?} Jesus said that no one has seen the Father except Himself. Do you think when we get to Heaven, that we will be able to see the Father, as well as Jesus?11. 50:48 {Did Moses Write in Hebrew or Hieroglyphics?} I am curious about the theory that Moses wrote in Egyptian Hieroglyphics, not Hebrew. Arguing for an oral tradition, not a written text. I had never heard this before, and I’m a little baffled.12. 52:47 {Scriptural Support for Continuationism} Is there Scripture that supports being a Continuationist? I am a “soft-charismatic,” but personal experience is not convincing to a Cessasionist claiming I’m being unbiblical, or even heretical.13. 56:30 {Could a Gentile Become a Jew in the OT?} In the Old Testament, God worked with the Israelites. Could a Gentile become a Jew in the Old Testament and be saved?14. 59:52 {Can Christians Marry Non-Christians?} Would you recommend marrying someone of a different religion? Say, Seventh Day Adventist, for example?15. 1:02:51 {About the Fall of Satan} How could the devil fall, being perfect (moral excellence), knowing the full comprehension of God? How could he even think evil thoughts?16. 1:05:14 {About the “Lying Spirit” in 1 Kings} How do you interpret the lying spirit in 1 kings 22?17. 1:12:26 {Theism vs. Biblical Christianity} I’m a theist, but I am not a Christian. What are some attributes of God? And how does Jesus exhibit them in specific situations in the Bible? Could you please pray that God gives me confirmat

There are some REALLY important debates about Genesis 1-3 and what they say about God’s ideal for men and women and their relationships. Today I’m going DEEP on those issues. Here’s a small sample of what we’ll get into:

Does Genesis 1 giving dominion over the Earth to women as well as men mean that egalitarians are right in their contention that no authority differences based on gender should exist?

Does Genesis 2 have indications that before the fall, Adam had a leadership role in his relationship with Eve? Lots of debate on this issue!

Does Genesis 3:16, which says the husband will rule over his wife, actually mean that he will have control of her sexual desires? Dr. Linda Belleville argues for this.

Can we say that male leadership in a marriage is only the result of the fall, and we should therefore try to overturn it as much as possible just like we try to overturn other elements of the curse?

Was Adam a sexless being until after Eve was made? Dr. Phyllis Trible thinks so.

Does Adam show leadership of Eve by giving her a name?

Why is Adam made before Eve?

Why does Satan tempt Eve first?

Why does Adam seem to bear greater responsibility and consequences for the fall?

Was Eve meant to be Adam’s “savior” and not his “helper”?

Today’s video will be longer than usual, but I’m going to plow through a ton of content and I think it will give you simple clarity at the end, so don’t feel overwhelmed by all the issues and debates. I’m going to do my best to make it as clear as I can and help you walk away with solid understanding of the nature of men and women in the image of God and their relationship to each other, both before and after the fall.
Here are some resource links you might be looking for:

CLICK HERE for the first video in this series discussing how many people bypass the Bible completely on this topic.

CLICK HERE for Dr. David Freedman’s paper saying “ezer kenegdo” (helper fit for him) actually means “power equal to him.”

CLICK HERE for Dr. Mark Steven Francois’ video which gives the closest thing to a skilled breakdown of that paper that laymen can mostly follow.

CLICK HERE for Dr. Ramsay’s paper on “Is Name-Giving an Act of Domination in Genesis 2:23 and Elsewhere?” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, vol. 50, no. 1, Catholic Biblical Association, 1988, pp. 24–35.

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

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

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 – Intro1. 0:24 {Should we Follow our Hearts?} “Follow your heart” is a popular mantra, but is not encouraged in some Christian circles. I understand that Jeremiah 17.9 says “the heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick,” but Proverbs 4.23 says “the springs of life” flow from our hearts. Also, since God’s word is written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31.33), shouldn’t we follow our hearts?2. 15:36 {Will We Have Memories in Heaven?} I recently heard people at my church say that when we get to Heaven our memories will essentially be wiped, and we won’t have any knowledge of our friends/family who are in Hell. Thoughts?3. 23:25 {Are Job and Jonah Historical?} My pastor says Job and Jonah are probably not historical events, but more poetic lessons. How do I decide true stories from parables in the Old Testament without questioning everything?4. 28:04 {Does Regeneration Precede Faith?} Is it first that you are born again and by that you confess Jesus as Lord and get Salvation, or you confess Jesus as your Lord first, and by that you get born again and will be granted Salvation?5. 32:45 {Comparing Paul & Joseph Smith} Compared with Paul, is Joseph Smith such a novelty? E.g., they both had a vision of Jesus only they reported on, introduced new teachings, weren’t prophesied of by Jesus, and were martyred as result of ministry.6. 42:53 {About Aggressive Countries/Leaders} Can you please explain what the Bible says we should do about an aggressor like Putin, and should other countries intervene to help Ukraine?7. 46:19 {Pastor Mike’s Favorite Attributes of God} What is your personal favorite aspect/quality of each member of the Trinity?8. 47:45 {Deconstruction vs. Deconversion} Is deconstruction just another term for deconversion? Why can’t we deconstruct deconstructionism?9. 52:25 {Does God Sometimes Not Know Things?} Why does God ask, “Who told you that you were naked?” in Genesis 3:11? Does He not know?10. 53:37 {Help for a Tough Marital Situation} What do you do when your spouse, who claims to be a Christian, has separated/said they want a divorce when they don’t have biblical grounds, and the church that married you won’t confront them?11. 57:47 {Why did Paul Preach to the Jews?} Why did Paul go to Jerusalem to preach to the Jews in the temple when it seems he knew very clearly he was called to be an apostle to the Gentiles? He chose Jerusalem before he went to Rome.12. 1:01:18 {Does God Forgive “Extreme” Sins?} A loved one is struggling with the idea that God would forgive an abuser or a murderer if they started following God after their evil actions. What can I say to help them through this doubt?13. 1:04:57 {About Harry Potter & Lord of the Rings} Biblically thinking, are The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter different regarding sorcery? Lots of Christians disapprove of Harry Potter, yet admire LOTR. Is this distinction biblically justified?14. 1:09:55 {Should we Desire to Read Scripture Daily?} Shouldn’t a truly born-again believer desire to read the Scriptures regularly (even daily)? How should I approach and encourage a “Christian” who doesn’t?15. 1:12:21 {Reformed Theology vs. Calvinism} What’s the difference between “Reformed theology” and Calvinism? It seems like the two are different, but also the same. Just curious to know all the different groups within this body of believers.16. 1:14:07 {How to “Carry our Cross”} How should we carry our cross in a practical sense?17. 1:17:28 {Reconciling the Accounts of Jesus’ Birth} How can the accounts of Jesus’ birth in Matthew and Luke be reconciled when Josephus says that Quirinius didn’t become governor until after the banishment of Archelaus?18. 1:21:44 {About Gog & Magog} I thought Gog & Ma

This is merely a snippet from 2 years ago when I did my 3 hour teaching on “Divorce and Remarriage: Everything the Bible says about It” back in May of 2020. This video may raise more questions than it answers for some people, but I promise I’ve got the answers to those questions and more in the big video. Here’s a link to the FULL VIDEO with time stamps to help you find just what you need:https://youtu.be/N2pC6ZikbYo
I’m Mike Winger and my goal is to help you learn to think biblically about everything. I’ve got a free, searchable database of over 600 videos on my website here:https://BibleThinker.org

For years, I’ve refused to answer the question about women in ministry. Because I worried I might be wrong, and was fearful of how big of an impact my teaching can have in the life of another. I take that issue very seriously.
I spent the last few months doing an in-depth research project on women in ministry. My goal was to read the best egalitarian scholars on the topic and see if I might change my position. To be totally open with you, I actually WANTED to become egalitarian. That may sound strange to some, but I’m just being honest about my own motivations. Now that my research is close to done, I’m going to present you with the “Women in Ministry” series; a thorough and systematic study of the topic, looking at all relevant biblical passages, historical research, linguistic studies, and philosophical concerns, interacting with the most recent scholarship on the issue (and there is a lot of it). This will be a somewhat exhaustive series to go over everything the Bible teaches on the topic and engage in all the important debates you will want to know about. Each video will cover different issues/passages of Scripture, and I’ll try to present the content in a way that helps you make informed decisions for yourself, and not just to parrot me.
But I’m not interested being one of those people who pretends they don’t have their own opinions on the topic. So, after months of focused research, here are my general conclusions, which I will go on to support with great detail over the next 10 videos. I think egalitarian views (which hold there are simply no role differences related to authority between men and women in the government of the church) are obviously false. I mean that I went into this study hoping I’d see really strong and thoughtful cases for egalitarian views from top scholars and I saw, over and over again, insufficient evidence, poor reasoning, inconsistent positions, and bad Bible study practices. I don’t say ANY of that as a way of slapping at the sincerity or good will of those scholars. I think many of these scholars are strongly committed to Jesus and are my genuine brothers and sisters in Christ. But, as a result of studying this topic in detail, hoping to change my own mind and focusing on the work of egalitarian scholars, I am actually far more confidently complementarian than I was before.
However, I have changed my mind on some important issues, and would consider my self a “soft complementarian” who holds that the biblical role of “elder” is reserved for men but that women have been FAR too restricted in other ways because of clumsy and incomplete views of complementarians, and sometimes simply because Christians aren’t quite sure where to draw the lines so they are overly cautious and unnecessarily limiting to women (and often to themselves). What I’m saying here is that I agree with many egalitarian complaints about abuses, restrictions, and general disrespect toward women that has been too common in complementarian circles. I’ve seen it firsthand many times, and I think Scripture offers us needed correction.
So, I am rather firm in saying egalitarian interpretations are generally flawed, but that complementarians have much to refine and even remove from their own views, though the biblical core remains quite sound. I offer the above explanation as I introduce this series simply because I respect your intelligence and want to be as open as possible with you all.
In today’s video, I’ll walk through the biggest reason why I’m not egalitarian as I discuss philosophical beliefs that egalitarians often bring into the debate which make it impossible for them to be open to following the Bible if it leads toward complementarian views. I’ll try to apply this standard fairly on both sides and set a tone for the debate that refuses to use polemics,