20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 107)
BibleThinker
Theological Reflections on Santa and Salvation
This chapter explores the theological implications of Santa Claus in children's lives, comparing it with the foundational beliefs in Jesus Christ. It discusses the potential for children to conflate disbelief in Santa with disbelief in God, along with broader cultural impacts on faith. Additionally, it addresses the nuances of doctrines like Calvinism and Semi-Pelagianism, reflecting on their implications for understanding salvation and grace.
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
1. 0:55 {Greater Works than Jesus?} In John 14:12, Jesus said we would do even greater things than Him. That’s a tough pill to swallow since He died for our sins and created everything. How do I process Jesus’ statement?
2. 23:42 {Did God Endorse Polygamy in the OT?} In 2 Samuel 12:8, God says that He gave David his wives (multiple), and if he had asked for more, God would’ve given him more. This sounds to be directly saying that God would be endorsing polygamy. How should we as Christians feel about one man having multiple wives according to the Bible, specifically this passage?
3. 30:21 {Is Only OT Scripture “God-Breathed?”} In 2 Timothy 3:16, was Paul speaking of ONLY OT Scriptures, since that’s all they had at the time? What about the inspiration of the NT?
4. 37:13 {Relearning Proper Theology} One of your videos gave my fiancé a change of heart. He is a former Jehovah’s Witness and feels like he has to start over and unlearn then relearn everything. Where do you suggest we start studying?
5. 43:57 {Is the Hypostatic Union Illogical?} How can Christ truly be God and man at the same time, infringing upon the laws of logic? If it’s true, I know I can't understand it fully, but I do expect to be able to demonstrate how it isn't illogical.
6. 48:54 {Is it Wrong to Teach Kids About Santa?} What do you tell your kids about Santa? Is there a chance that kids who find out Santa isn't real might think the same about Jesus? Would you spoil Santa for children that aren't yours?
7. 57:18 {Should We Avoid Semi-Pelagianism?} I'm a Calvinist, and recently I have been noticing Semi-Pelagian theology in Arminian churches. Can you distinguish between the two and explain why we should avoid Semi-Pelagianism?
8. 1:06:19 {Can We Give God Too Much Credit?} Is it OK to give credit to God for something He might not have done (like a salary raise, new job, or other material or worldly things)?
9. 1:09:52 {New Command or Old Command?} Why does 1 John 2:7 say that he is not writing a new command, but in the next verse (1 John 2:8) he says that he is writing a new command? What's going on here?
10. 1:14:10 {Hasn’t Jesus Always Been Lord?} Peter said in Acts 2:36 that God has "made Jesus both Lord and Christ." He was already Lord and Christ, so what does this mean? Same with Jesus being “given all authority” in Matthew 28:18.
11. 1:24:33 {Were Christ’s Sufferings Lacking Something?} In Colossians 1:24, what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings, and how is Paul contributing to them?
12. 1:30:12 {Is God Constantly Speaking to Us?} My friend doesn't want to have too small of a view of God, so he sees every small event in his life as God speaking to him, even trivial things. Am I being too stingy, or is he "over-spiritualizing"?
13. 1:36:08 {Examples of Serving God Daily} I’m wondering what discipling others, sharing the Gospel, and service to God looks like in your life day-to-day? Anything you’ve learned over the years?
14. 1:39:38 {How Do We Find Joy in Our Trials?} In James 1, how do we count our trials as joy?
15. 1:45:24 {Does the Devil Persecute Believers?} Is God giving the Devil permission to persecute the lives of certain Christians today, like in the book of Job?
16. 1:47:02 {Does Praising Jesus Exclude the Father & Spirit?} I've been struggling with phrases or lyrics such as "All glory be to Christ" and "All Heaven sings to Christ alone.” Do these incorrectly exclude the Father and Holy Spirit?
17. 1:49:28 {Exploring the Different Words for God’s Law} Every verse in Psalm 119 refers to God's Law, and ten different words are used, including: commandments, precepts, law, testimonies, ways, etc. Why? Does each word have a different meaning?
18. 1:51:58 {How to Prepare Large Study Projects} How do you go about a project like the Women in Ministry series? I want to do something similar with Genesis 1-2 but I don't even know where to begin or what tools to use (other than Logos, of course).
19. 1:54:38 {Remembering the Unsaved in Heaven?} I would like to know, when we are in Heaven, will we just forget about those we loved on Earth that weren't saved? I can't imagine how there could be no sorrow if we remember them.
20. 2:01:18 {What Was Paul’s Goal?} Can you explain to me what goal Paul hopes to achieve in Philippians 3:11-12? What does he have to do?
Every other Friday I do these Q&As, trying to help people learn to think biblically about everything. To ask a question just show up during the beginning of the live stream, wait for it to actually start, and post your question in the live chat.
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