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The connection between Christmas and Saturnalia

2022-12-14 BibleThinker 0

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

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We don’t think gluttony is a sin anymore

2022-12-13 BibleThinker 0

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

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20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 89)

2022-12-09 BibleThinker 0

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.

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Pt. 11: 5 Views on “Women Keep Silent” (1 Cor 14:35-36) – Women in Ministry Series

2022-12-04 BibleThinker 0

Some say we should remove it from the Bible.

Intro – 0:009:26 The Take It Out of the Bible View48:58 The Refutation View1:34:51 The Education or Clatter View2:05:56 The Strict View2:24:44 The Judging Prophecy View3:09:54 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

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20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 88)

2022-12-02 BibleThinker 0

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:Intro – 0:001. 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-

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Pt. 10: All The Head Covering Debates (1 Cor 11) – Women in Ministry Series

2022-11-11 BibleThinker 0

Video map below…
0:00 Intro
DIFFERENT WAYS OF INTERPRETING 1 Cor 1112:05 The Traditional Interpretation47:36 The Hairstyle View1:02:32 The Refutation View1:05:13 The “It Doesn’t Belong in the Bible” View1:06:25 The “Cloth Covering but not Submission” View1:17:15 How we are going to make sense of all this (14 questions)
THE 14 QUESTIONS THAT WILL EXPLAIN THIS PASSAGE1:19:32 #1 Does this passage belong in the Bible?1:27:11 #2 Is Paul refuting, rather than teaching, much of what we read here?1:37:02 #3 What does “head” (kephale) mean in this passage?1:50:41 #4 What were the ongoing cultural customs around head coverings? 3:15:03 #5 What does Paul want men to do?3:17:39 #6 What does Paul want women to do? 3:21:53 #7 What is Paul’s point about the order and purpose in the creation of man and woman in vs. 8-9?3:40:44 #8 What does “nature” mean in vs 14?3:59:50 #9 Is this passage about women and men or husbands and wives?4:06:15 #10 How is woman the glory of man and man the glory of God? And what about the image language in vs 7?4:35:02 #11 Does the woman have a “symbol of authority” on her head or does she “have authority over her own head” in vs 10?5:00:40 #12 What does “because of the angels” man in vs 10?5:24:26 #13 Is this whole thing really based on the ancient medical idea that women’s hair functioned as a testicle?6:10:50 #14 How does it apply today?
6:37:00 Conclusion: What 1 Cor 11 means for the Women in Ministry series.
Here are my notes for today’s video. I’ve included many links and references for you to follow up on while doing your own research.https://biblethinker.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/10-Head-Coverings.docx
This is THE LINK to the playlist of ALL the videos in the Women in Ministry playlist:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuBtpJlwi7F5JYw3N5pKyLC
My website: https://BibleThinker.org

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20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 87)

2022-10-22 BibleThinker 0

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:0:00 – Intro1. 2:14 {“My Yoke is Easy” vs. “Take Up Your Cross”?} I’m confused about why Jesus says “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden” but then instructs us to pick up our cross (of suffering?) and follow Him. That sounds like a heavy burden to me, to try to love and obey Jesus perfectly.2. 11:46 {Trusting God’s Will for our Loved Ones} We are supposed to trust God with all our hearts. But what does it look like to trust God with the free will decisions of others, like our adult children?3. 16:51 {Pastors Teaching Dream Interpretation?} What is your take on Christian pastors practicing and teaching dream interpretation using dream dictionaries, Google, and their own reasoning to interpret?4. 20:11 {Was Christianity Made Up to Control People?} What do you say to a skeptic that thinks Christianity is just a man-made thing created as a means to control people?5. 24:20 {Is Monarchy Unbiblical?} I’ve been thinking about this question a lot since Queen Elizabeth died last month, but I’ve had it for a while. Does 1 Samuel 8:6-7 teach that monarchy is unbiblical?6. 29:49 {Does Satan Think He’ll Win in the End?} How can Satan, an angel much smarter than us, be so unwise as to oppose an all-powerful God? Does Satan think he stands a chance of winning in the end?7. 35:39 {Should Israel be Referred To as Palestine?} Why do you refer to biblical Israel as Palestine when Palestine wasn’t even a country until about 135 B.C.?8. 39:00 {Should I Date a Hyper-Charismatic?} I’ve been on a few dates with a great girl, but I’ve realized she’s in a church that over emphasizes prophecy, tongues, possibly NAR things. Any advice on how to approach this?9. 42:33 {How Could Jesus have been “Perfected”?} Hebrews 5:9 says Jesus was “perfected” when He became the author of salvation to those who obey Him. How can an already perfect Jesus be “perfected”?10. 46:00 {Does God fill the role of Heavenly Father AND Mother?} My 7 year old asked me why we need an earthly father AND mother, but only a Heavenly Father? I started to say God fills both roles, but was hesitant about that in this gender-confused culture.11. 50:11 {Overcoming Difficult & Serious Sins} Do believers eventually overcome big sins like lust? What if we don’t before we die? Does that mean we were never saved?12. 54:40 {Knowing God’s Plan for our Career} How do you know what job/career God wants you to pursue?13. 57:50 {Are Only Men Called to Sacrificially Love?} Can you explain how Ephesians 5:25 is a particularly masculine command? Many verses including John 15:12-13 call ALL believers to love one another sacrificially.14. 1:00:59 {Did Luke Journey With Paul?} I have studied Acts verse-by-verse and I have noticed that in some parts the writer uses “we” and “us” (Chapter 28 for example). Was Luke with Paul on his missionary journeys?15. 1:02:03 {Codex Vaticanus vs. Modern Bibles?} If the Codex Vaticanus is the oldest Bible, how much does it differ from modern Bibles, if at all?16. 1:06:00 {Overcoming a Fear of the Dark} How can I overcome a fear of the dark? Ever since I was young until now (I’m 25 years old), it’s hard for me to fall asleep every night because I’m scared that there might be something evil watching me sleeping.17. 1:09:40 {Does This Verse Justify False Teaching?} How should we understand 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5,14, 3:18-19? Ray Comfort quoted this to say Bible stories are supposed to sound dumb! Can’t this be quoted to justify any dumb-sounding false teaching?18. 1:14:50 {Why didn’t JTB’s Followers just Follow Jesus?} Why did John the Baptist still have disciples after he clearly pointed out Jesus? Shouldn’t they have followed Jesus?19. 1:18:18 {We

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Does Christianity make wives “ripe for abuse”?

2022-10-19 BibleThinker 0

I disagree. More importantly, I can show why Scripture, which would protect wives from abuse, is often ignored. I would go so far as to say that Christianity would protect wives from such abuse and encourage them to take recourse in self-protection if the Bible is applied to their situation. It may be that the problem we often see is not too much Bible, it’s too little Bible.