20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 45)
BibleThinker
Faith, Authority, and the Complexity of Belief
This chapter examines the relationship between questioning God's authority and the importance of humility in faith. It discusses the complexities of medical decisions, such as the COVID vaccine, and the tension between governmental obedience and divine commandments. Additionally, it explores scriptural preservation, the fulfillment of the Old Testament by Jesus, the doctrine of the Trinity, and offers insights on navigating emotional struggles while maintaining faith.
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:37 {Conscience before the New Covenant?} Based on Jeremiah 31: 33-34, did people before the New Covenant not have a conscience (innate knowledge of God and the ability to know right from wrong as we do now)? Based on the radical changes that Jesus and the Church brought to the world, and God seemingly needing to give people constant special revelation in the OT, could there be a case for this? Could the need for the cycle of sin-judgement-repentance/cry for help-deliverance be connected to this?
2. 8:16 {Help for Maintaining a Godly Attitude} The Lord has blessed me tremendously in life. I love Him & want to please Him! But for some reason (& I have no excuse) I find it really hard to have a calm, grateful, God-honoring attitude. I'm easily irritated & find myself complaining about little things constantly, especially when I don't get my way or experience a minor inconvenience. I'm ashamed of this & don't want my attitude to be this way but I can't seem to change.
3. 12:31 {Covenant vs. Dispensational Theology} What's your thought on the reformed perspective of Covenant Theology vs. the dispensational view?
4. 15:46 {Jesus – “Forgive them, for they know not…”} Why did Jesus say “Forgive them, for they know not what they do” if Jesus knew they had to do it to save us at the cross?
5. 17:59 {About the Vanishing & Glass Seas – Revelation} In Revelation 21:1, it describes the "sea vanishing." Is this sea the same as the "sea of glass" in Revelation 4:6 where some have suggested it symbolizes the barrier that separated God from man?
6. 20:51 {Discussing Theology Without Focusing on Death} My 14 y.o. does not like the subject of death (her father/my husband died suddenly 4 years ago). How can I talk about salvation and other biblical things in a way that doesn’t make her anxious?
7. 23:37 {About the Paraclete} John 16:7 says Paraclete is the Holy Spirit, and 1 John 2:1 says it is Jesus Christ. I cannot believe this is a mistranslation, so what is 1 John 2:1 talking about?
8. 28:16 {Did Moses Write the Pentateuch?} Do we have evidence that Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible? My atheist friend is questioning this.
9. 31:14 {Does the Man Sin when an Abortion is Done?} Is it a sin for the man if a woman decides to get an abortion? With or without his consent (does that make a difference?)
10. 34:00 {Are We Obligated to Obey God’s Standards?} My friend asked me: If we didn't choose to exist or come into existence, why do we have to follow what God says or His "standards"? Why does He have standards anyways? How do I respond?
11. 37:45 {About the Covid Vaccine} How should Christians respond to the push to get the Covid vaccine (especially here in LA)? Is it our Christian duty to put others above ourselves, even if it betrays our own conscience?
12. 40:41 {About the Doctrine of Preservation} Does Matthew 5: 18 teach the doctrine of preservation? What are your thoughts on this doctrine?
13. 46:37 {About the Trinity & God’s Attributes} How can the three persons of the Trinity be distinct if they all have the same attributes (Omni-s) and their wills are the same?
14. 50:22 {Is Depression Ever a Sin Issue?} Is there ever a point where depression can be a sin issue? How should I view it in light of what Scripture says about worrying, while being charitable toward those who are struggling?
15. 54:23 {How to Evangelize at Work} What’s the best way to share the Gospel in the workplace? Is there a guide to sharing the Gospel that you keep to?
16. 56:56 {About Exodus 4 & Zipporah} Please explain Exodus 4: 20-26, especially Zipporah's part in it.
17. 1:02:46 {When Married Couples Disagree on Theology} What is your view of a husband and wife having differing opinions on eschatology or matters of salvation and particular biblical verses? Is it best to just agree to disagree?
18. 1:04:41 {Can a Person be Beyond Repentance?} Can someone be beyond repentance as Esau was?
19. 1:06:13 {Should our Faith Make Sense?} Is Christianity a faith that should make sense, or is it just having the faith to believe? How can we believe if one person interprets the Bible this way and another the other way?
20. 1:13:15 {Why did God Punish ALL Snakes?} Why did God punish all snakes for what Satan did in the Garden of Eden?
Taking your questions from the YT live chat! Every Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific time. While I don't pretend to know all the answers, I hope to offer some thoughts that will help you in the direction of thinking biblically about things.
Here's my teaching (from 6 years ago) on a biblical view of the conscience, if you want more on that: https://youtu.be/xYjSxiTQtdY
The BibleThinker mugs can be found here. I don't make any profit from these, they are made by a third party and $5 per mug will go to support different ministries I choose. https://www.zockollpottery.com/product-page/new-bible-thinker-mug
My website: https://BibleThinker.org
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