Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Intro 1. 0:19 {About the “Serpent Seed” Doctrine} What are your thoughts about the “Serpent Seed Doctrine” which states that the serpent mated with Eve in the Garden of Eden as the first sin, and that the offspring of their union was Cain? 2. 15:00 {Difficult Passages - Trusting in God’s Goodness} How do you respond to 1 Samuel 15:3 that includes in the command "child & infant"? It doesn't ruin my trust in God's goodness, but it is hard to understand/explain. Any insight you have is appreciated! 3. 21:56 {About Mars Hill / Pr. Mark Driscoll} What are the lessons we all can learn from Mark Driscoll and the “Rise and Fall of Mars Hill”? 4. 24:49 {Are Dating Apps OK?} Should a Christian use Christian dating apps? I don’t see anything wrong with meeting people through these apps, but when I try to use them, I feel guilty. Does the Bible guide us somehow on this? 5. 28:34 {Intellectual Agreement vs. Faith in Christ} I believe I'm trusting in Jesus' death and resurrection for salvation, but I have OCD and can't control my thoughts. So how do I know if I'm really trusting, or just agreeing with facts intellectually? 6. 31:06 {Reaching Difficult Students for Christ} I'm a high school teacher at a school that’s heavily influenced by culture and broken homes. The students lack respect, and hate following rules. How can I reach these students that appear far from God? 7. 33:38 {About Seraphim, Snakes & Satan} If the word “seraphim” is derived from the same Hebrew root word for snake, it is really a stretch to say that Lucifer (who is a seraphim) in the Garden of Eden could have appeared reptilian? 8. 37:34 {Staying in Fellowship While Working} I just moved to a new city, and I work every Sunday. How do I find a church family if I work every Sunday? 9. 38:33 {Encouragement for New Bible Teachers} I'm a recent MDiv graduate who gets questions from friends and family about the Bible. I do a study and answer them, and they respond with "that's what I thought." Any encouragement to keep trying? 10. 41:57 {Watching Inappropriate Content} Do you think it’s a sin to watch movies or shows that make inappropriate jokes and have some language? Or is it only a sin when we personally make crude jokes and use that language? 11. 45:30 {Refuting a Calvinist Interpretation} I am not a Calvinist, but I am having a very hard time finding a non-Calvinist interpretation of Acts 13: 48. 12. 49:45 {Which OT Teachings are for Us Today?} How are some biblical teachings like hair length considered cultural and specific only to ancient times, when other things apply even today, like homosexuality? 13. 52:49 {Theological Disagreements in Marriage} Should a husband refuse to go to a hyper-Charismatic church that his wife wants to attend, and rather attend his own church that emphasizes the Bible? 14. 54:50 {About being “Unequally Yoked”} What does being “unequally yoked” look like? 15. 57:45 {About the “7 Mountain Mandate”} Could you explain why the “7 Mountain Mandate” is wrong theology? It is so popular and, on the surface, seems like such a good idea. 16. 1:01:25 {Do Salvation Numbers = Biblical Practices?} Should we always see new souls coming to Christ as a sign/indicator that the Lord was with us in a particular event, service, or mission field? 17. 1:04:40 {Attending No Church vs. an Unbiblical Church?} Is it better to attend a church you disagree with in theology, rather than not attending church at all? 18. 1:06:41 {Do Sources of Inspiration Matter?} I want my music to glorify God. When I make music with computer though, I worry a lot about the sources of my inspiration. Any tips or principles to ensure that I’m not being influenced by ungodly sources? 19. 1:09:33 {Should We Have “Home Altars”?} What are the biblical parameters for altars in the home. Are they still biblical? 20. 1:13:09 {Desire to Believe, but Still Doubtful?} I am very eager to have a relationship with Jesus. However, I still have doubts about the truth of Christianity, and I don’t have full certainty. But people believe their mom loves them. Advice?
Question 6, even though I can't talk about God at my school, praise the Lord that the kids have figured out I am a Christian. Even those students in the LBGTQ group gravitate toward me, through no action by myself but purely from God, I can only guess. I didn't become a Christian until I was 21 and when I visited my five favorite teachers now and then, I found out that all five of them are Christians. God will find a way!
Hello, idk how old the kids at your school are but you could still ask them questions to get them to think through Spiritual matters, especially if you find they have worrisome or flawed worldviews. The book Tactics by Gregory Koukl taught me about that! 🙂✝️
@@Omegha94zip That book is on my "wishlist" the next time I get back to "civilization." My students are 11 and 12, quite young. As a teacher, I can't ask the questions but I CAN respond to questions they ask. Otherwise, I would be accused of asking leading questions. It's a delicate line. Thank you for responding and keep sending me ideas. They really need Jesus, especially right now, as they are in Ukraine with Russia on the border.
@@sula1529 I try but it just got harder. I teach in Ukraine at an international school. With Russia on the border, we've all been ordered out. Please pray for Ukrainian students who have to stay in the country.
@@billyholly How are you doing with what’s going on? I pray you are safe and prayers will be praying for your students also. If you’re able to, please let us know how you’re doing.
Loved your response to the teacher. I had an English teacher when I was in school (public as well). She was tough and much of my class cheated on tests in her class. One day she came in, sat down, and poured out her heart to us. She cried and was real with us on how much she cared for us. She wanted to see us succeed in the future and she was heartbroken that the class was cheating. She was honest, raw, and real. From that moment forward there was a huge shift in our class. Cheating completely stopped and everyone starting listening and it opened up the door for more conversations in her class. 10 years later I still think of her often. She’s a believer and although she wasn’t able to speak of her faith, she showed it through being real and listening. Loved her!
One of my hardest roles as a parent when my own child had brought his teacher to tears was showing up the next day as his " New Buddy" and saying "Stand up Son ,I believe you have something to say to ☆☆☆ and your class mates for your lack in the prior day ". I said nothing else . He got up ,said he was leaving ,he wasn't apologizing for anything ( as he grabbed his empty book bag ) I ( whimpy mom) placed my hand on the bag which miraculously landed back on his desk and I whispered ever so softly ( cause I was scared!) On your feet OR your knees , You decide now and please be sincere or I'll do it for you . I meant it God put me there ... it was a reflex reaction . I thanked GOD repeatedly . I stayed for the whole class . The look of fear left the teacher's eyes . It was the most attentive class ever . My own son was intimidating a beautiful human being who dedicated her whole life to teaching . I have never forgiven myself for not catching this attitude of " my brain's smarter then yours attitude ' . I still can't . But, it has humbled me so much as I've aged . I loved teaching if there were ears or questions .That's exactly why I appreciate all these Q & A'S Thank you for your research and Your humble and knowledgeable opinion Pastor Mike . Thank you also regarding accessory involvement with a church when we can't make the norm . This meant the world to me . Be so Blessed 🙏🏼 s
What you are doing, Pastor Mike, is not easy, and I commend you; I pray that God guides every word you say so that it builds further those that are in His Kingdom.
Before Christ saved me, I was a devil worshipper. One of the things we believed was the serpent seed doctrine. We believed that we were the "sons of the serpent" here to wage war on Christ and his followers. We believed Cain (spelled Qayin) was the first murderer and our forefather, spilling the blood of Adam's sons. Thank You God for peeling the scales from my eyes! Thank You God for saving me!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Pastor Mike for covering this. It may sound silly but I had a legitimate fear I was accursed because of my blood. I was told anyone Rh negative was serpent seed and no amount of worship and supplication would save me. It didn't set well with me on an intellectual basis, knowing Jesus had mercy for all who asked, but there was this little part of my heart that was truly worried He would reject me for something beyond my control. I was wading through emotion rather than the facts. Thank you!
@@MikeWinger Since you assert that Proverbs cannot be applied to Genesis because Proverbs is poetic, is it your position that Genesis is not poetry and therefore literal and historical?
To be clear: I'm not defending the weird serpent seed doctrine, I'm just curious because I've heard people say that we can't read Genesis like it's a literal account of creation because it's poetic.
Im sorry, im emotional already today but this broke my heart. I cant imagine being told something so awful and having to live my life fearing that could be true.
I always tell people that it would be impossible for God to do something that is evil because the concept of "good" only exists because of God. He is the yardstick by which we measure what is good.
Fruit is the result of our thoughts. Ask and you shall receive. We get the world we have asked in our mind for. The result is the world of evil: guilt, separation, hate, fear, sadness, because we have invented in our minds what doesn't exist. God didn't created evil regardless what it says in Isaiah. The prodigal son did. It's just in our imagination, though, since God didn't create it. We can also ask for the fruit of the Spirit. That is perfection, not just good.
@@Adam-ox6zy The Old Testament has innumerable examples of God acting on the world. Jesus had none. He said God, the Father is in heaven. Never does he say God is on earth. He says that the kingdom of heaven is within you. If you think you are a body, where would that be? You may think you are on the earth, but you are not of the earth.
@@Adam-ox6zy Life is all about choices. So your parents never corrected you as a child? The Bible states “Without correction you are Bastards and not sons”. Extreme lack of knowledge of scriptures in this “shaking”! It definitely shows whose studied their bibles and actually have relationship with The Father and Son.
I remember when I started truly studying God’s Word in 2004 and I prayed for a pastor who taught the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Unfortunately, I found a pastor, Arnold Murray of Shepherd’s Chapel. He taught this offensive doctrine of the serpent’s seed and that Black people were the seed. Thank God for His mercy and wisdom, He, through discernment, showed me how wrong this teaching was/is. I’ve since found an awesome pastor who teaches the whole Bible, like I wanted, in Calvary Chapel, Ontario! I am so grateful to you for answering this question!!!
Miss Johnson, may the Lord forgive you for spreading false witness against Pastor Murray. It is plainly obvious that you were never a student of Shepherd's Chapel because Pastor Murray never taught that Blacks were the Serpent Seed. I hope you'll repent of that sin before it is too late.
Do not bear false witness. You are welcome to disagree with the Serpent Seed doctrine but do not lie. Pastor Murray was categorically against racism and also stood firmly against the idea that blacks are descended from the cursed Canaan. You can disagree with his teachings but do not spit on the dead man's memories with your falsehoods.
Re question 9, about presenting evidence to people who shrug it off: To add to Mike's answer, it's worth remembering that very rarely will anyone change their mind during a debate. However, over time, people do change their minds, and the effort people put in to explain things, even when they still disagreed, is a huge part of that change. I know for myself, that I wouldn't be where I am now without the people who have been willing to disagree with me in the past. So don't ever feel like presenting the truth is pointless, just because it doesn't bear immediate fruit.
Pastor Mike, thank you for your careful and thoughtful answers to these questions. I appreciate your ministry so very much and I learn something new with every Q& A session. You model the love of Christ as you tackle tough questions while showing genuine interest and care for the questioner. You are truly a gifted teacher! Blessings to you!
Hey, Mike. Thanks for answering my question. I said, “However, people are certain their moms love them” because people just take their moms at their word if they say to their child “I love you.” People don’t usually question their mother’s love for them and they can’t prove scientifically that they have their mother’s love. I hope I am making sense. Sorry for the confusion earlier.
When Abraham asked, "Shall not the Lord of all the earth do right?" he only argued for God to spare Sodom if 10 good men were found. What did God actually do? On behalf of the only good man, Lot, he spared an entire small village. He would have spared the sons-in-law, too, if they'd agreed to come. And Lot wasn't that good of a man--he had previously been shown to be greedy, at the least, and he chose terrible friends. His daughters were definitely not good. God was more generous than Abraham dared ask him to be. :)
Just a word of caution, there are a large number of narcissistic mothers and fathers that tell their children this all the time, to the great detriment of the child. There are indeed ways to help determine if a relationship between a child and parent is toxic, and those should be investigated, especially if you have a feeling that something is off. Yes , you could be misinterpreting things, , but you could also be detecting the psychological abuse. A truly loving parent wouldn't mind your questions and concerns. Any parent that requires your unconditional love should raise a red flag. Or punishes you for 'your own good', despite the punishment not equating to the offense, or says something like 'if you would just be good I wouldn't get so mad'. Or tells you to not question them because they know more than you. Or suggesting you owe them something simply because they brought you into existence. These are all signs that something really could be off with the relationship. Love requires mutual action, deeds, and is mutually beneficial. In the end, words are fairly meaningless without evidence to back them up. All I am saying is you have every right to question, and expect some valid answers. If you don't get hem, then be wary.
@@blindvision4703 On the surface that seems pretty good. But perhaps you should read my previous post again and see how that fits with what you just said.
Pastor Mike I recently started following you on UA-cam. I love the way you explain and teach bibilically. You are rooted deep into the word. God bless your ministry it's really blessing alot of people world wide.
Tough questions and the answers were thoughtful as always. Thank you so much for this ministry. I look forward to my latest " 20 Questions with Pastor Mike" more than anything else I do in my "off" times, and I think about your answers until the next one. You're a great teacher and you bless me always. See you in heaven, and may it be soon!!!
Mike, I'm very thankful God has placed you where you are. Even though I'm way over the hill, I still find so much wisdom & practical knowledge in listing to you. You're a true blessing to me, brother
The “Serpent Seed” heresy becomes even more weird when you fit it into the next few verses: Eve takes the fruit to Adam and has him eat of it as well. Edited for grammar.
All Kabbalist are “serpent seed” eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and evil they call the Sefirot. It is the Tree of (Spiritual) death not life! Satan reverses everything! James 3:15
It seemed to be related to the Lilith thing. During the age of Freud, sex was everything, and everything was sex. It was common to hear someone say, as if they were a little too sophisticated to believe the Bible, that even though the Bible talks about original sin (or at least implies something like that), the "real deal",original sin, is sex. That psychologized the Bible, making it not quite true, and all of it coming through natural causes, rather than acknowledging it as spiritually revealed by God. That told people this was someone just a little smarter than the average, since he "saw through" the Biblie's story and connected it to modern psychology. It's like Branham took the "worldly-wise", Freudian explanation of the Bible, and merged it with the kabbalist myths he likely heard through his Masonic ties.
There’s a guy on UA-cam who teaches very adamantly that Cain and Abel were twins, with Adam’s seed fathering Abel, and Satan’s seed fathering Cain. He teaches that it was superfecundation that caused it to happen. His followers are as adamant as he is that this is true. It’s very discouraging sometimes to see so much false teaching out there, and how much it harms people.
@@lindajohnson4204 There are religious sects which have a ritual immolating sex with their female Holy Spirit to boost their prayers. It’s called “Davening”!
All of this explains the “Gnostic” feel of it. “We special few have the secret knowledge that allows us alone to interpret scripture correctly and understand its hidden meaning.” It is truly amazing how much error can be avoided by simply taking scripture at face value.
I BELIEVE. HELP MY UNBELIEF: I think of this verse constantly! I think this guy may describe every believer ever. If we truly believed all the Biblical truths, how could we ever sin? If we 100% knew the truth that God loves us even more than we love ourselves, that God is all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful, and always works things together for the good of those who love Him, how could we possibly go against His better plan for our lives? And yet, we all do.
Good response to question #2, Mike. I especially like how you concluded it saying to trust God. I'm glad you talk about how we don't see and cannot see the bigger picture. And I also understand how it is difficult for people to handle this passage. I believe if we approach scripture reading with humility and the heart of really understanding who God is, it's going to help us. Also, the Holy Spirit can help guide us to understand scripture, not just intellectually but he can move our heart in a way only he can. Thank you Mike for all of your time and energy you put into this 🙂.
Mike you’re one of my favourite teachers. I really enjoy and respect how you honestly approach these hard topics. I’ve watched 3 of your Q and A videos today already. Learned a lot. You use gentleness and respect with everyone and I admire that.
Thank you for answering question 5. What a simple yet powerful answer: separate your choices from your thoughts/feelings. I've also got OCD and struggle with my thoughts so this was a real blessing and I hope it was for anyone else going through it. Let me know and I will pray with/for you.
your humidity is admirable brother I learn so much from watching your videos. No disrespect to anyone else in the space but you maintain love and grace very well and thank you for sharing brother!
Regarding question number 7, as a Hebrew native speaker I can say that, no, the word "Seraphim" has absolutely no connection/root to the word snake, as the person submitting the question suggests. The word sheraph is probably derived from the root of "burn/burning/fire". The word snake in hebrew (Nahash) is similar to the word (Nehoshet) which means Copper. So the only possible connection is that Copper is shinny and this way connects to the "fire/burn" of Sheraphim.
Tim Mackie from the BibleProject explains that Seraph as a noun means snake (as a verb - to burn). He refers to 8 other passages in the Hebrew Bible and points out that the word Seraph is always used to describe a snake. Tim also states that all Biblical Hebrew lexicon state/translate the first meaning of Seraph as snake. UA-cam: 'The Satan and Demons Question and Response - BibleProject' (from 06:00min) Would be great if you could watch that video and let us know what you think.
For question #1 Ephesians 2:2 (ESV): “In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.”
In reference to the high school teacher who had a question. I had a student who was a bit of a clown, and i happen to know his father had just left the family. I remember clearly during a lesson when i was emphasizing taking the classwork seriously, someone asked me if that kid was annoying and I defended him. I told the class that i had to deal with inappropriate behavior, but in reality I thought he was a very funny kid. I remember a light coming over his face and that day forward he and I had a good healthy student/mentor relationship. I have always looked back on that day as being an example of how we as Christian teachers have an obligation to be the supportive "parent" figures to our students, in discipline, but also a willingness to meet the students' needs as people.
Hey Pastor Mike, I relate very much to that question of how to know you trust in Jesus. I also deal with OCD and intrusive thoughts. I have found encouragement in the Scriptures. Psalm 27:1 says " The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid." I like how God is described as both light and salvation here. His light guides still though I may feel confused or lost. His light shows salvation and the way to be saved. Ultimately it is important to leave your eternity with Jesus, to trust him with it. It is ok if the fear is still there. Jesus is always going to be there.
Wow that is beautiful I struggled with thoughts of that lately life has given so much and taken more than I have until JESUS fills me enough to get through the minute, then the hours ,then days I just need to keep my eyes on him cause satan always pulling on my steering wheel or trying to derail my forward momentum....love you all god bless you and yours
About being unequally yoked, I absolutely believe that can apply to two believers. If one has been following Jesus for a week, and another has been following Jesus for 15 years, it can definitely be problematic. I do think scripture is mainly talking about unbelievers, but concerning believers, the issue is when one lives like the world but they prayed a prayer one day and think they're "saved." The other is seeking Jesus and living a holy lifestyle. There absolutely can be unequally yoked issues amongst "believers." Not everyone has the same depth with the Lord. For one, giving 10% is a standard and for the other not giving is the standard. These are the things that come up between two "believers." Seasoned believers can have a very difficult time with new or very weak believers. My two cents anyway.
"Nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God." Romans 8:39 God loves you so much more than we could ever imagine. He showed His love for us when He sent Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8). And God's love is unconditional, He loves us the same no matter who we are or what we are doing. And out of thankfulness for that love let us live in obedience to Him. Hopefully this encouraged and blessed you today. God bless you!
I followed a serpent seed doctrine pastor at one time and he taught that in Genesis chapter 3:13 the word found in the NKJ was beguiled from Strong's 5377 which meant to be wholly seduced- not the word deceived which I read in my NIV Bible. At the time I was young and it seemed credible to me at the time. Thank you for clearing up these ideas and pointing us to a true understanding of the Bible.
I don't think he cleared anything up yet, and it's coming to light these days that the NIV is a very deceptive translation. There needs to be more discussion, and more thorough research put into this. It frustrates me because I'm trying to get to the truth, and I don't think we can leave any stone unturned. Someone I listened to has said the term "eat" when referring to the fruit of the tree, means "to lie with" in Hebrew. Not sure if I would be spelling this right, but he said the Hebrew word is "acal". I'm having trouble finding it because when I look at Lexicons and Concordances, it says the Hebrew term for the English word "eat" is 'eat". Anyone knows that can't be the Hebrew root word, so is someone trying to hide the truth?
Hi, Mike! Thanks so much for your ministry! I learn much & also am challenged to know why I agree or disagree with you on an issue. Regarding Christian dating sites... I think it was ?#4 today... perhaps a word of caution is in order? There are many wolves in sheep's clothing who lurk on such sites seeking victims. I think wisdom & discernment need to be at the forefront of a single person's approach. It would be easy otherwise to fall prey to a person using Christianity as a lure.
When coming closer to Jesus you start to hate inappropriate stuff in books , films ,tv ......naturally. You don’t need to decide whether you should or can . Q 10 .
about question 13. growing up episcopalian, my family took us kids to church out of a sense of propriety, not sincere searching. i felt ZERO about the experience, (with all due respect to episcopalian folks!) yet i always intuitively believed in God. in bed saying prayers as a kid i really felt i was merely talking to the ceiling sometimes, got nothing from the experience. but i stuck with it, not sure why. as a young adult a new (and now lifelong) friend who made his living as a musician and who performed at church services all over the place, invited me to go one evening for a weeknight service he was playing at. he cautioned me, 'this might be strange to you if you've never been to a church like this'. it was charismatic. it was BIZARRE. however! i felt something spiritual i could not deny, it was the first time in my life it actually felt 'real' to me, the experience of knowing you were in the presence of God. so for a few years i did go to services like this. it was a constant struggle to separate my feelings for some of the people who seemed like they were putting on a show, and the tangible feeling of the holy spirit (which i craved) ultimately i stopped attending these sorts of services, and have found a very wonderful church that i love and feel quite comfortable at, yet i'll never goof on anyone who goes to these types of services because i can really see how it helped me to connect with God.
Dear Mike, great Biblical answers on everything (per usual!). I wanted to add one piece of scripture to the very strange Serpent Seed doctrine...., I’m not making sport of anyone,I just never heard of it. Anyway, when you were reading from Genesis that Eve “ate of the fruit”, the verse goes on to say “and she gave it also to ADAM”. I don’t think the serpent was intimate with BOTH of them! God bless and keep you and your work, ALWAYS, in The Mighty Name of Jesus, AMEN!🕊🙏🙋♀️💜✝️✡️🌹
As someone with OCD, I can kind of speak to the question of intellect vs belief in my own experience. OCD is all about finding proof of the horrible thoughts about myself. The proof that you love God is that this question matters so much to you and you worry that you're not living it out and receiving assurance of faith. You have belief and that manifests as reaching out for help, working hard to manage the OCD so that you can love God with all your heart and you are faithful to keep God a part of you mental health journey. At least, that's what I gather from your question. For me, it got worse before it got better. But God is faithful when we are faithless (2 Tim 2:11-13).
I think that this is a good answer to the question. I do not have OCD, but I do know someone close to me who does, I also have college education on mental health.
Another problem with the Acts passage is that in both English and Greek there is another meaning which was more common then than now. In the Greek telagmenoi can mean, yes assigned, but it also mean disposed to. In English a well-appointed ship is one which is well-ordered or inclined to do well. So yes we can say it might mean “As many as were assigned to eternal life believed” but it may also be “As many as were inclined (or disposed to) eternal life believed.” Here I referenced Strongs for the Greek and Webster’s 1828 dictionary for the English.
Also it doesn't say who assigned them. It doesn't say they were assigned by God (before the foundation of the world) They could have been "assigned" by the apostles because it was known they were interested or they could have been assigned by them selves because they were interested and going in that direction(inclined or disposed) especially since a couple verses before he said the Jews judged themselves unworthy of eternal life.
I find the alternative translation unlikely. First, in none of the 7 other uses of tassō in the New Testament does it simply mean inclined (as in disposed toward). Likewise, no English translation (their comities of scholars) uses a form indicative of merely inclined. Regarding who did the appointing, I find it unlikely it was the apostles. Did they have perfect judgement so that _as many as_ (hosoi) they appointed to eternal life believed? Likewise, it doesn’t seem like the people appointed themselves. The verb is passive, which technically makes it possible, but the only time in the New Testament “appointed themselves” shows up, it’s active and with the reflexive pronoun (heautous: themselves): 1 Corinthians 16:15. The wording definitely sounds like God appointed them to eternal life, and as many as were _ones appointed to eternal life_ (tetagmenoi) believed. I do appreciate your note, Linda, that the Jews judged themselves unworthy of eternal life. Verse 48 could be contrasting the concept. However, it also fits well with the idea that God doesn’t prevent people from believing and entering eternal life; people do that themselves, but God does appoint people to eternal life.
Thank you Pastor. In regards to question #8 "...I work every Sunday. How do I find a church family...?" I would add one more suggestion: See if there's a Messianic service meeting on Saturday. (Just like with any church you're visiting, check them out, test their theology. Many are wonderful, I have found).
Thanks again Mike! I really look forward to Friday nights and these videos! To go along with question 11: I just wanted to share Romans chapter 9, which perfectly demonstrates both God’s sovereignty to elect AND our responsibility to respond to God by faith!
RE QUESTION 11 (Calvinist Interpretation) The key to understanding Acts 13:48 lies in the Greek verb τάσσω (tassó), meaning to draw up in order, arrange. In the broader context of Acts 13:46-48, the form of this verb indicates that the converts were _devoting themselves_ to eternal life. One of the problems non-Calvinists face with passages such as this is translation bias. Bible translation committees are dominated by Calvinist and Reformed theologians whose tendency is to translate Scripture in a way that conforms to the theological presuppositions they bring to the text. Other Calvinist and Reformed Christians then use those biased translations to support their doctrine. That's what's going on in Acts 13:48. We see the same thing in Romans 8:29, where προγινώσκω (proginóskó) gets translated with the archaic 'foreknew' instead of 'previously knew', as in Acts 26:5, because the vagueness of 'foreknew' allows them to read the text a particular way. Likewise, the translation of προορίζω (proorizó) as 'predestined' in Romans 8:29 has nothing to do with Calvinistic determinism. With Isaiah 53:11, they've even gone so far as to slip 'accounted' into the text of some translations (e.g. ESV, RSV) in support of their doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us.
For #2: I think it helps to categorize "harsh judgment" of tribes and people with the flood story. Certainly infants were wiped out. I'd be careful to dismiss the language in 1Samuel as hyperbolic. The troble that needs to be overcome is not "killing infants" rather understanding how Holy God truly is.
I think you answered question 2 very well! We don’t understand everything God does but No matter what He is always Good!!! And knows everything we just don’t know all things but one day I’m sure we will understand until then we just trust Him!! !
@arcguardian Not based on what I've read in Genesis as it relates to Noah's genealogy. I think if there was a descendant of Cain in Noah's lineage, it would have been mentioned. 🤔 [Edit] Thinking more on your question, if there was a descendant of Cain's lineage it would be a non-issue since Pastor Mike's response proves Adam as Cain's father. Plus that would just make us all the same race regardless. 🤔
My question always upsets Christians! If all the giants were destroyed in the flood where did Og and his brothers come from Moses contented with? Was there another breech?
Good thoughts on Mars Hill. We listened to the first few episodes but then begin to feel convicted that we didn’t need to listen further so we stopped. If felt like we were eavesdropping on the conversations in another church’s foyer. Or wrongly listening in on meetings that were at one time intended to be private. There definitely is a cautionary tale or two from Mars Hill - outward success does not equal obedience to God, choosing godly elders matters, follow Christ and not your pastor, . But that’s a tale that can be told in a much, much shorter format. The Mars Hill podcast felt like we were watching a train crash in super slow motion and kept rewinding and replaying the video to ogle over all the gory details.
I saw a YT video on the Serpent seed, it was pretty convincing! However the problem I had is we would not belong to God, as over years we would become mixed. Question one was very well explained!
Regarding the Serpent Seed doctrine. Please tell us why Cain is not listed in Adam's genealogy. It appears that Abel is not listed because he was killed by Cain.
The lineage that you are talking about is the line that would lead to Christ. So, neither Cain nor Abel are listed since Christ came from Seth. There are many names not on the list, as many say, and they had other son's and daughters. Hope this helps. If you want or need more info, let me know, and I'll do my best to answer.
Personally I trust God and I am willing to bet that He has a very good reason for what He ordered. We are talking about the One Who spoke Words and created the entire universe.
I am an ex-Jehovah’s Witness I was in the church since birth and I left the church about 5 years ago, and I still feel that I have a spiritual need, but I also still struggle with a lot of the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine and teachings still embedded in me. So I was wondering if you know of any publications that could help me to convert from Jehovah’s Witness to a true Christian
I'd recommend to first get another Bible use the NIV, NLT, or even NKJV. Start listening to Paul washer, Allen Parr, Charles Spurgeon, Melissa Dougherty-she especially does a lot of work with Jehovah witnesses. May God be with you as you learn the truth of God's word.
Q#17 on disagreement over doctrine in a church-I have to say I’ve personally found it difficult to impossible to find any group of people, or perhaps even one other person, with whom I agree 100% on all doctrine. In fact, as we learn and grow, we often find that we no longer agree with ourselves of a year or two past. Obviously we don’t grow and learn in lock-step with everyone else. Iron sharpens iron is the phrase we often use to describe how brothers (siblings in Christ) help to shape each other properly and encourage good practice in rightly dividing the Word. This would not be the case if we were all in perfect agreement. Fundamental core beliefs, of course.
Regarding hair length in the Old Testament-the Westminster Confession of Faith is very helpful. The law is divided into three areas-ceremonial, civil, and moral. We are still under the law-the moral law. Unfortunately since most churches don’t subscribe to any historic confessions, the law and gospel issue is very confusing. Confessions are helpful :-)
They are. Not infallible, but helpful. But that breakdown really makes sense, too. The ceremonial law (dietary restrictions, sacrifices, ceremonial cleanness/uncleanness, circumcision, etc.) was to point God's people (Israel at the time) to Christ, and he having come, it is fulfilled. The civil law (crime and punishment, rules of evidence, etc.) was the law for the theocratic state of Israel, which ceased to exist in 70 AD. The moral law (summarized in the Ten Commandments) is an expression of God's character, and thus remains for all time.
Hi Mike. I appreciate your not wanting to criticize someone you know nothing about (Mark Driscoll), but the podcast did an excellent job of all the things you implied it might not do. Just like with Ravi Zacharias, tons of peoples voices whom he hurt needed to be heard. Driscoll did the very thing you warned against in this video by leaving the plank in his eye as he ruined the lives of those who had splinters in theirs
As for the 1 Samuel passage I have heard it explained as such: In those days it was common to not just to kill the men but the children as well because you didn’t want the children rising up to seek revenge. If the kids were left alive they later as adults could then come against their attackers. It goes against our sensibilities, but it was practiced.
True, look at what king Saul did, he let the king live which makes you wonder if he left others alive to because Haman in the story of Esther was a descendant of those people
Plus, just like the communists and nazis did experiments on humans and animals trying to combine the gene pools... beastiality was common in that time and in many of those pagan cultures. It's quite possible God commanded they be exterminated because of a contaminated gene pool
@MikeWinger, can I just say you're really wise. You're answering what it means to be unequally yolked and then remember to affirm existing marriages. You also answered my question about Calvinism/Reformed Christianity. And you didn't even know it :D
An altar is a device for offering sacrifices. If you have something that looks like an altar, but you don't use it for offering animals, drink, incense, etc., then it's not really an altar. Many churches refer to the space or a table between the main auditorium and the dais as an "altar", but it's not an altar in the sense that the word is used in the Bible. Maybe that person is actually asking about having a table where he does his praying or maybe he's asking about a shrine? There's no problem with the former, of course, but the latter is a problem.
Don't feel bad. One of my early teachers compared the walk to being a Treasury agent. Our job isn't to know every form of counterfeiting. Our job is to recognize truth.
I wanted to give another possible option for 1Samuel 15:3. If these were remote enclaves, where the men were to be killed as judgement to end their lives/lineage/spread of influence it is possible that God ordered for all of the humans and livestock to be killed because they could have suffered long and miserable deaths without the presence of the men to provide for or protect them from the elements and starvation. What looks cruel and inhumane for us in our current world hyper-connected world isn’t applicable to the harsh and difficult to travel world that existed then.
Well done Mike. Really appreciate your answer on the seed of the serpent doctrine. I think the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman is very important to understand that people of God vs the people of the world. I like how Romans 5:12 and the flood narrative also refute the idea of the seed of the serpent doctrine.
I was on staff in the Childrens Ministry. The leader would not have events unless it produced fruit evangelistically. For example: if we had a fall event and people did not come to Christ we would stop having the event. I disagreed with that. I don’t think we can determine if it was sucessful by measuring results. We don’t know who needs that event. We don’t know how it blessed someone. I think reaching non believers is important but it is also important to care for the church.
For 16, I think the other temptation is that if tons of people are getting saved, what's happening in the church structure or leadership is the Way of Jesus, even if it's not. (Which is what Rise and Fall of Mars Hill explores, BTW 😉) God still made water flow even when Moses disobediently hit the rock with his staff.
In terms of the Seraphim question. There are two words that can mean snake in Hebrew. Seraph is one of them. It literally means burning one and refers to poisonous snakes because their bites burn. This however is not the same word that is used for the serpent in Genesis.
Beyond Fundamentals has a very good explanation of Acts 13:48. The appointment is being carried out by the people not by God. They’ve wanted it, they chose, therefore they appointed themselves.
So, “as many as appointed themselves to eternal life believed”? I find the translation unlikely. In that interpretation shouldn’t it be the belief that appointed them to eternal life, not the appointing to eternal life that preceded the belief?
#18 regarding music sampling/inspiration: Rom 6:19 - "I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification."
Q 15 - 7 Mountain Mandate… more usually goes with this “theology “… Like the four fold ministry, for one. For me the most applicable scripture is when Jesus said to Pilot, “My kingdom is not of this world.“ And then it would be Jesus’s final command, “The Great Commission.” This is what we in the church are to be about doing. Those who follow the New Apostolic Reformation tend to be off theologically when it comes to Eschatology. They believe they have to make the world a better place in order for Jesus to return and take charge.
Regarding Question 7. It's not just the root of the word Seraphim that is connected to Serpent, but the actual word Seraphim itself is translated as "Serpent" three times in the KJV, as "fiery flying serpent" twice (in conjunction with the word for "flying"), and is left untranslated as "Seraphim", twice. cf. Numbers 21:6, 8; Deuteronomy 8:15; Isaiah 6:2, 6, 14:29, 30:6.
I so value your contribution to the internet, Pastor Mike! I have been wrestling with the questions about rocks/crystals. I’m a devout follower of Jesus and would hate to do anything out of accordance with His word. But can’t find a scripture denouncing the idea of energies in things. Not to see the rock as your source or in anyway “powerful”. But in the same way we use the much more acceptable, essential oils. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Re: Not seeing people saved (question 16) Isaiah 55:8-11 🙏 We may not see it, but as long as we are seeking to do God's will, God's way, He will bring blessings. They may not be the ones we were expecting but they will be there. My experience is that most times He affirms us in some way (like, what others would see as 'coincidences') or sometimes it is a long time after that you see fruit. BUT then part of being a Christian is living by faith, so we may not get to see the outcome of what God calls us to today, but we live being lead by the Holy Spirit, not like the world (not by measurable outcomes, not what feels right, not 'proven methods', or any other worldly way). God is up to something good in us & through us, when He is Lord of our life. ❤ ✝️
Q8, to anyone who's still looking: The connection between the serpents and the seraphim is in Numbers 21:6. The LORD sent "hanchashiym hasraphiym" among the people. So you have NChSh (serpent) and SRPh (burn/shine... I might go with "blaze"). So these are blazing serpents sent among them (maybe a reference to the pain of the venom). The seraphim are heavenly beings that "blaze" in some way, maybe by reflecting the glory of God. But they are separate words with separate roots, and not related except that in this verse they are used together.
I’ve been taught by Dr Andy Woods and Les Feldick that Genesis 3:15 is the first mention of the Messiah Jesus, that he will crush your head (Jesus will destroy satan) and you will strike his heel (satan nip at Jesus’ heel by trying to overcome him) the seed of the woman is Jesus not having an earthly father. I never knew that people thought this way about the serpent/seed doctrine. Glad you dispelled it.
Why we follow only certain Old Testament laws; The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) divides the Mosaic laws into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial.
Movies: it is sinful to enjoy the sin in anything, whether a movie or anything else. There might be a good reason to watch something that's not so great: maybe part of it is good, or it has something in the story that you need or want to see. The sin in it ought to grieve us, because it grieves God. But we can become calloused and enjoy it through our sin nature, rather than our new nature being sensitive enough to care about the sin. If we have trouble with it, we may need to avoid it. Or the reason we thought we should watch, may no longer seem so important. But we also need to uphold the freedom that would allow us to watch it if we need to.
Hebrew scholar, Tim Mackey, addresses the servant/seraphim topic very thoroughly in The Bible Project. He even does a full podcast series on snakes/dragons in the Bible.
Mike, you would do well to reply to the deeper teachings of Swift or Comparet .Heteropaternal superfecundation is a much more complex subject than to be addressed by. 4 or 5 verses as trees frequently picture peoples etc. If you really want to lay the axe to the root of this teaching it will take a deeper study. .My biggest problem with the doctrine is the fruit it produces more often than not does not appear to be born of love. Thanks for your efforts, the truth of Jesus win out.
Also, please consider that only the older son could be a priest and bring an offering. If both Cain and Abel brought an offering to the Lord, they both needed to be considered the older son of whoever their fathers were. And it's interesting that Abel's sacrifice was accepted over Cain's, instead of Abel being told he was just the younger brother and had no right to the priesthood. No, it was imperative to the whole meaning that they had different fathers.
Q18. Very interesting about music. I sing very early church music, from before the the reformation, but I don’t sing music which worships Mary. But the old chant Salve Regina keeps coming up, and is So beautiful. So after the Reformation they tried to ween people off this by changing the words to Hailing Christ as King. The thing is, it didn’t work, for them or for me, because the old version to Mary gets ingrained and makes you still think of the original version. Please beware of this!
Can you do a video on the church fathers? Have been showing your videos on the Catholic Church to my in-laws, and this is a subject you have eluded to several times that I would love have a video to show them on 😃
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Intro
1. 0:19 {About the “Serpent Seed” Doctrine} What are your thoughts about the “Serpent Seed Doctrine” which states that the serpent mated with Eve in the Garden of Eden as the first sin, and that the offspring of their union was Cain?
2. 15:00 {Difficult Passages - Trusting in God’s Goodness} How do you respond to 1 Samuel 15:3 that includes in the command "child & infant"? It doesn't ruin my trust in God's goodness, but it is hard to understand/explain. Any insight you have is appreciated!
3. 21:56 {About Mars Hill / Pr. Mark Driscoll} What are the lessons we all can learn from Mark Driscoll and the “Rise and Fall of Mars Hill”?
4. 24:49 {Are Dating Apps OK?} Should a Christian use Christian dating apps? I don’t see anything wrong with meeting people through these apps, but when I try to use them, I feel guilty. Does the Bible guide us somehow on this?
5. 28:34 {Intellectual Agreement vs. Faith in Christ} I believe I'm trusting in Jesus' death and resurrection for salvation, but I have OCD and can't control my thoughts. So how do I know if I'm really trusting, or just agreeing with facts intellectually?
6. 31:06 {Reaching Difficult Students for Christ} I'm a high school teacher at a school that’s heavily influenced by culture and broken homes. The students lack respect, and hate following rules. How can I reach these students that appear far from God?
7. 33:38 {About Seraphim, Snakes & Satan} If the word “seraphim” is derived from the same Hebrew root word for snake, it is really a stretch to say that Lucifer (who is a seraphim) in the Garden of Eden could have appeared reptilian?
8. 37:34 {Staying in Fellowship While Working} I just moved to a new city, and I work every Sunday. How do I find a church family if I work every Sunday?
9. 38:33 {Encouragement for New Bible Teachers} I'm a recent MDiv graduate who gets questions from friends and family about the Bible. I do a study and answer them, and they respond with "that's what I thought." Any encouragement to keep trying?
10. 41:57 {Watching Inappropriate Content} Do you think it’s a sin to watch movies or shows that make inappropriate jokes and have some language? Or is it only a sin when we personally make crude jokes and use that language?
11. 45:30 {Refuting a Calvinist Interpretation} I am not a Calvinist, but I am having a very hard time finding a non-Calvinist interpretation of Acts 13: 48.
12. 49:45 {Which OT Teachings are for Us Today?} How are some biblical teachings like hair length considered cultural and specific only to ancient times, when other things apply even today, like homosexuality?
13. 52:49 {Theological Disagreements in Marriage} Should a husband refuse to go to a hyper-Charismatic church that his wife wants to attend, and rather attend his own church that emphasizes the Bible?
14. 54:50 {About being “Unequally Yoked”} What does being “unequally yoked” look like?
15. 57:45 {About the “7 Mountain Mandate”} Could you explain why the “7 Mountain Mandate” is wrong theology? It is so popular and, on the surface, seems like such a good idea.
16. 1:01:25 {Do Salvation Numbers = Biblical Practices?} Should we always see new souls coming to Christ as a sign/indicator that the Lord was with us in a particular event, service, or mission field?
17. 1:04:40 {Attending No Church vs. an Unbiblical Church?} Is it better to attend a church you disagree with in theology, rather than not attending church at all?
18. 1:06:41 {Do Sources of Inspiration Matter?} I want my music to glorify God. When I make music with computer though, I worry a lot about the sources of my inspiration. Any tips or principles to ensure that I’m not being influenced by ungodly sources?
19. 1:09:33 {Should We Have “Home Altars”?} What are the biblical parameters for altars in the home. Are they still biblical?
20. 1:13:09 {Desire to Believe, but Still Doubtful?} I am very eager to have a relationship with Jesus. However, I still have doubts about the truth of Christianity, and I don’t have full certainty. But people believe their mom loves them. Advice?
Glad you are better, Sarah!!!!
@@toomanymarys7355 Thank you so much!
17) Amen the core belief grace and love.
Luke 10:27💝
Colossaian 1:13-14
Ephesians 1:13-14
@@toomanymarys7355 love your name, memory issues ATM, I think I said before. It's very memorable 💖
Hello Mike .
How to understand the voice is from The Lord or by our Minds that tells appropriately Bible Verse ?
Question 6, even though I can't talk about God at my school, praise the Lord that the kids have figured out I am a Christian. Even those students in the LBGTQ group gravitate toward me, through no action by myself but purely from God, I can only guess. I didn't become a Christian until I was 21 and when I visited my five favorite teachers now and then, I found out that all five of them are Christians. God will find a way!
Hello, idk how old the kids at your school are but you could still ask them questions to get them to think through Spiritual matters, especially if you find they have worrisome or flawed worldviews. The book Tactics by Gregory Koukl taught me about that! 🙂✝️
@@Omegha94zip That book is on my "wishlist" the next time I get back to "civilization." My students are 11 and 12, quite young. As a teacher, I can't ask the questions but I CAN respond to questions they ask. Otherwise, I would be accused of asking leading questions. It's a delicate line. Thank you for responding and keep sending me ideas. They really need Jesus, especially right now, as they are in Ukraine with Russia on the border.
Maybe you are just a good person And a good teacher
@@sula1529 I try but it just got harder. I teach in Ukraine at an international school. With Russia on the border, we've all been ordered out. Please pray for Ukrainian students who have to stay in the country.
@@billyholly How are you doing with what’s going on? I pray you are safe and prayers will be praying for your students also. If you’re able to, please let us know how you’re doing.
Loved your response to the teacher. I had an English teacher when I was in school (public as well). She was tough and much of my class cheated on tests in her class. One day she came in, sat down, and poured out her heart to us. She cried and was real with us on how much she cared for us. She wanted to see us succeed in the future and she was heartbroken that the class was cheating. She was honest, raw, and real. From that moment forward there was a huge shift in our class. Cheating completely stopped and everyone starting listening and it opened up the door for more conversations in her class. 10 years later I still think of her often. She’s a believer and although she wasn’t able to speak of her faith, she showed it through being real and listening. Loved her!
There’s also a great documentary for teachers dealing with students who have high levels of trauma called “Paper Tigers”
One of my hardest roles as a parent when my own child had brought his teacher to tears was showing up the next day as his
" New Buddy" and saying
"Stand up Son ,I believe you have something to say to ☆☆☆ and your class mates for your lack in the prior day ".
I said nothing else .
He got up ,said he was leaving ,he wasn't apologizing for anything ( as he grabbed his empty book bag ) I ( whimpy mom) placed my hand on the bag which miraculously landed back on his desk and I whispered ever so softly ( cause I was scared!)
On your feet OR your knees , You decide now and please be sincere or I'll do it for you . I meant it God put me there ... it was a reflex reaction . I thanked GOD repeatedly . I stayed for the whole class .
The look of fear left the teacher's eyes . It was the most attentive class ever .
My own son was intimidating a beautiful
human being who dedicated her whole life to teaching . I have never forgiven myself for not catching this attitude of " my brain's smarter then yours attitude ' . I still can't .
But, it has humbled me so much as I've aged . I loved teaching if there were ears or
questions .That's exactly why I appreciate all these Q & A'S
Thank you for your research and Your humble and knowledgeable opinion Pastor Mike .
Thank you also regarding accessory involvement with a church when we can't make the norm . This meant the world to me .
Be so Blessed 🙏🏼
s
What you are doing, Pastor Mike, is not easy, and I commend you; I pray that God guides every word you say so that it builds further those that are in His Kingdom.
I met my husband on a Christian dating website. We’ve been married for going on 13 years now and are very happy.
I don't believe you
Glad to hear it!
Before Christ saved me, I was a devil worshipper. One of the things we believed was the serpent seed doctrine. We believed that we were the "sons of the serpent" here to wage war on Christ and his followers. We believed Cain (spelled Qayin) was the first murderer and our forefather, spilling the blood of Adam's sons.
Thank You God for peeling the scales from my eyes! Thank You God for saving me!
We thank God for your salvation. Stay steadfast in your pursuit of him. May God be with you and keep you.❤
Thank you, thank you, thank you Pastor Mike for covering this. It may sound silly but I had a legitimate fear I was accursed because of my blood. I was told anyone Rh negative was serpent seed and no amount of worship and supplication would save me. It didn't set well with me on an intellectual basis, knowing Jesus had mercy for all who asked, but there was this little part of my heart that was truly worried He would reject me for something beyond my control. I was wading through emotion rather than the facts. Thank you!
I’m so glad I could help you deal with that abusive and false teaching about blood types.
Thankfully, Acts 17:26 says we are all of one blood.
@@MikeWinger Since you assert that Proverbs cannot be applied to Genesis because Proverbs is poetic, is it your position that Genesis is not poetry and therefore literal and historical?
To be clear: I'm not defending the weird serpent seed doctrine, I'm just curious because I've heard people say that we can't read Genesis like it's a literal account of creation because it's poetic.
Im sorry, im emotional already today but this broke my heart. I cant imagine being told something so awful and having to live my life fearing that could be true.
@@briannehill7583 It's horribly abusive, like Mike said, and I'm so glad he made it clear, straight from the Word--we are all one blood!
I always tell people that it would be impossible for God to do something that is evil because the concept of "good" only exists because of God. He is the yardstick by which we measure what is good.
Fruit is the result of our thoughts. Ask and you shall receive. We get the world we have asked in our mind for. The result is the world of evil: guilt, separation, hate, fear, sadness, because we have invented in our minds what doesn't exist. God didn't created evil regardless what it says in Isaiah. The prodigal son did. It's just in our imagination, though, since God didn't create it. We can also ask for the fruit of the Spirit. That is perfection, not just good.
Exactly, that’s why The True God of God’s in Deuteronomy 10:17 could never condone favoritism and Respect of Persons because both are SIN!
If you mean evil to mean sinful, then yes, God cannot do that. But evil as in those punishments God may bring such as Sodom then God can do ‘evil’.
@@Adam-ox6zy The Old Testament has innumerable examples of God acting on the world. Jesus had none. He said God, the Father is in heaven. Never does he say God is on earth. He says that the kingdom of heaven is within you. If you think you are a body, where would that be? You may think you are on the earth, but you are not of the earth.
@@Adam-ox6zy Life is all about choices. So your parents never corrected you as a child? The Bible states “Without correction you are Bastards and not sons”. Extreme lack of knowledge of scriptures in this “shaking”! It definitely shows whose studied their bibles and actually have relationship with The Father and Son.
i cant wait for you to get to 1M subscribers Mike! UA-cam needs more people like you in the forefront. You're my favourite pastor!
I remember when I started truly studying God’s Word in 2004 and I prayed for a pastor who taught the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Unfortunately, I found a pastor, Arnold Murray of Shepherd’s Chapel. He taught this offensive doctrine of the serpent’s seed and that Black people were the seed. Thank God for His mercy and wisdom, He, through discernment, showed me how wrong this teaching was/is. I’ve since found an awesome pastor who teaches the whole Bible, like I wanted, in Calvary Chapel, Ontario! I am so grateful to you for answering this question!!!
Those sucked into this evil heresy are bypassing The Throne of Grace and Jesus Christ for DNA salvation. 🙄
He does teach the serpent seed doctrine,but not that black people are the seed.He's not a racist.✝️
Miss Johnson, may the Lord forgive you for spreading false witness against Pastor Murray. It is plainly obvious that you were never a student of Shepherd's Chapel because Pastor Murray never taught that Blacks were the Serpent Seed. I hope you'll repent of that sin before it is too late.
Do not bear false witness. You are welcome to disagree with the Serpent Seed doctrine but do not lie. Pastor Murray was categorically against racism and also stood firmly against the idea that blacks are descended from the cursed Canaan.
You can disagree with his teachings but do not spit on the dead man's memories with your falsehoods.
@@SteliosMusic Arnold Murray mislead many many people . He was also caught saying he was a PHD while not being able to provide proof .
Re question 9, about presenting evidence to people who shrug it off:
To add to Mike's answer, it's worth remembering that very rarely will anyone change their mind during a debate.
However, over time, people do change their minds, and the effort people put in to explain things, even when they still disagreed, is a huge part of that change.
I know for myself, that I wouldn't be where I am now without the people who have been willing to disagree with me in the past.
So don't ever feel like presenting the truth is pointless, just because it doesn't bear immediate fruit.
Thank you Mr. Winger, beloved of Christ,
for the hard work you have done and continue in. The Lord bless you and keep you.
Enmity between your offspring and her offspring. Pretty much sums it up right there.
Pastor Mike, thank you for your careful and thoughtful answers to these questions. I appreciate your ministry so very much and I learn something new with every Q& A session. You model the love of Christ as you tackle tough questions while showing genuine interest and care for the questioner. You are truly a gifted teacher! Blessings to you!
Hey, Mike. Thanks for answering my question. I said, “However, people are certain their moms love them” because people just take their moms at their word if they say to their child “I love you.” People don’t usually question their mother’s love for them and they can’t prove scientifically that they have their mother’s love. I hope I am making sense. Sorry for the confusion earlier.
Hey, you said that you still had doubts about the veracity of Christianity. Is there something in specific? Im sure I can help clarify:)
When Abraham asked, "Shall not the Lord of all the earth do right?" he only argued for God to spare Sodom if 10 good men were found.
What did God actually do? On behalf of the only good man, Lot, he spared an entire small village. He would have spared the sons-in-law, too, if they'd agreed to come. And Lot wasn't that good of a man--he had previously been shown to be greedy, at the least, and he chose terrible friends. His daughters were definitely not good.
God was more generous than Abraham dared ask him to be. :)
Just a word of caution, there are a large number of narcissistic mothers and fathers that tell their children this all the time, to the great detriment of the child. There are indeed ways to help determine if a relationship between a child and parent is toxic, and those should be investigated, especially if you have a feeling that something is off. Yes , you could be misinterpreting things, , but you could also be detecting the psychological abuse. A truly loving parent wouldn't mind your questions and concerns.
Any parent that requires your unconditional love should raise a red flag. Or punishes you for 'your own good', despite the punishment not equating to the offense, or says something like 'if you would just be good I wouldn't get so mad'. Or tells you to not question them because they know more than you. Or suggesting you owe them something simply because they brought you into existence. These are all signs that something really could be off with the relationship. Love requires mutual action, deeds, and is mutually beneficial. In the end, words are fairly meaningless without evidence to back them up.
All I am saying is you have every right to question, and expect some valid answers. If you don't get hem, then be wary.
@@leob3447 The best part is is that we have both words and actions confirming that God loves us: namely, the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
@@blindvision4703 On the surface that seems pretty good. But perhaps you should read my previous post again and see how that fits with what you just said.
I ❤️ your videos Mike....The way you sift through topics and help understanding scriptures...Much Respect!
Pastor Mike I recently started following you on UA-cam. I love the way you explain and teach bibilically.
You are rooted deep into the word. God bless your ministry it's really blessing alot of people world wide.
Tough questions and the answers were thoughtful as always. Thank you so much for this ministry. I look forward to my latest " 20 Questions with Pastor Mike" more than anything else I do in my "off" times, and I think about your answers until the next one. You're a great teacher and you bless me always. See you in heaven, and may it be soon!!!
Mike, I'm very thankful God has placed you where you are. Even though I'm way over the hill, I still find so much wisdom & practical knowledge in listing to you. You're a true blessing to me, brother
Mike is an absolute blessing
The “Serpent Seed” heresy becomes even more weird when you fit it into the next few verses: Eve takes the fruit to Adam and has him eat of it as well.
Edited for grammar.
All Kabbalist are “serpent seed” eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and evil they call the Sefirot. It is the Tree of (Spiritual) death not life! Satan reverses everything! James 3:15
It seemed to be related to the Lilith thing.
During the age of Freud, sex was everything, and everything was sex. It was common to hear someone say, as if they were a little too sophisticated to believe the Bible, that even though the Bible talks about original sin (or at least implies something like that), the "real deal",original sin, is sex. That psychologized the Bible, making it not quite true, and all of it coming through natural causes, rather than acknowledging it as spiritually revealed by God. That told people this was someone just a little smarter than the average, since he "saw through" the Biblie's story and connected it to modern psychology. It's like Branham took the "worldly-wise", Freudian explanation of the Bible, and merged it with the kabbalist myths he likely heard through his Masonic ties.
There’s a guy on UA-cam who teaches very adamantly that Cain and Abel were twins, with Adam’s seed fathering Abel, and Satan’s seed fathering Cain. He teaches that it was superfecundation that caused it to happen. His followers are as adamant as he is that this is true.
It’s very discouraging sometimes to see so much false teaching out there, and how much it harms people.
@@lindajohnson4204 There are religious sects which have a ritual immolating sex with their female Holy Spirit to boost their prayers. It’s called “Davening”!
All of this explains the “Gnostic” feel of it. “We special few have the secret knowledge that allows us alone to interpret scripture correctly and understand its hidden meaning.” It is truly amazing how much error can be avoided by simply taking scripture at face value.
I BELIEVE. HELP MY UNBELIEF: I think of this verse constantly! I think this guy may describe every believer ever. If we truly believed all the Biblical truths, how could we ever sin? If we 100% knew the truth that God loves us even more than we love ourselves, that God is all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful, and always works things together for the good of those who love Him, how could we possibly go against His better plan for our lives? And yet, we all do.
Good response to question #2, Mike. I especially like how you concluded it saying to trust God. I'm glad you talk about how we don't see and cannot see the bigger picture. And I also understand how it is difficult for people to handle this passage. I believe if we approach scripture reading with humility and the heart of really understanding who God is, it's going to help us. Also, the Holy Spirit can help guide us to understand scripture, not just intellectually but he can move our heart in a way only he can. Thank you Mike for all of your time and energy you put into this 🙂.
Mike you’re one of my favourite teachers. I really enjoy and respect how you honestly approach these hard topics. I’ve watched 3 of your Q and A videos today already. Learned a lot. You use gentleness and respect with everyone and I admire that.
Mike, I appreciate your teaching and Q & A time that you do. Thank you 🙏🏼
Thank you for answering question 5. What a simple yet powerful answer: separate your choices from your thoughts/feelings. I've also got OCD and struggle with my thoughts so this was a real blessing and I hope it was for anyone else going through it. Let me know and I will pray with/for you.
hey ik this was a while ago but i struggle with OCD thoughts, how have u been doing and do u have any advice?
your humidity is admirable brother I learn so much from watching your videos. No disrespect to anyone else in the space but you maintain love and grace very well and thank you for sharing brother!
Regarding question number 7, as a Hebrew native speaker I can say that, no, the word "Seraphim" has absolutely no connection/root to the word snake, as the person submitting the question suggests. The word sheraph is probably derived from the root of "burn/burning/fire".
The word snake in hebrew (Nahash) is similar to the word (Nehoshet) which means Copper.
So the only possible connection is that Copper is shinny and this way connects to the "fire/burn" of Sheraphim.
Tim Mackie from the BibleProject explains that Seraph as a noun means snake (as a verb - to burn).
He refers to 8 other passages in the Hebrew Bible and points out that the word Seraph is always used to describe a snake. Tim also states that all Biblical Hebrew lexicon state/translate the first meaning of Seraph as snake.
UA-cam: 'The Satan and Demons Question and Response - BibleProject' (from 06:00min)
Would be great if you could watch that video and let us know what you think.
Also Satan is referred to as a Cherub twice in Ezekiel 28:14 and 16 not a Seraphim.
For question #1
Ephesians 2:2 (ESV):
“In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.”
Christians must never forget that the God we serve is Holy , perfect in all His ways, and his judgments are righteous.
One of your best 20Q episodes! Great questions and thoughtful, humble, helpful answers!
In reference to the high school teacher who had a question. I had a student who was a bit of a clown, and i happen to know his father had just left the family. I remember clearly during a lesson when i was emphasizing taking the classwork seriously, someone asked me if that kid was annoying and I defended him. I told the class that i had to deal with inappropriate behavior, but in reality I thought he was a very funny kid. I remember a light coming over his face and that day forward he and I had a good healthy student/mentor relationship. I have always looked back on that day as being an example of how we as Christian teachers have an obligation to be the supportive "parent" figures to our students, in discipline, but also a willingness to meet the students' needs as people.
Hey Pastor Mike, I relate very much to that question of how to know you trust in Jesus. I also deal with OCD and intrusive thoughts. I have found encouragement in the Scriptures. Psalm 27:1 says " The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid." I like how God is described as both light and salvation here. His light guides still though I may feel confused or lost. His light shows salvation and the way to be saved.
Ultimately it is important to leave your eternity with Jesus, to trust him with it. It is ok if the fear is still there. Jesus is always going to be there.
Wow that is beautiful I struggled with thoughts of that lately life has given so much and taken more than I have until JESUS fills me enough to get through the minute, then the hours ,then days I just need to keep my eyes on him cause satan always pulling on my steering wheel or trying to derail my forward momentum....love you all god bless you and yours
About being unequally yoked, I absolutely believe that can apply to two believers. If one has been following Jesus for a week, and another has been following Jesus for 15 years, it can definitely be problematic. I do think scripture is mainly talking about unbelievers, but concerning believers, the issue is when one lives like the world but they prayed a prayer one day and think they're "saved." The other is seeking Jesus and living a holy lifestyle. There absolutely can be unequally yoked issues amongst "believers." Not everyone has the same depth with the Lord. For one, giving 10% is a standard and for the other not giving is the standard. These are the things that come up between two "believers." Seasoned believers can have a very difficult time with new or very weak believers. My two cents anyway.
Yes i believe you are right about that.
Brother Mike you are awesome , i love how you refute this serpent seed ludicrous doctrines 👍
"Nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God." Romans 8:39
God loves you so much more than we could ever imagine. He showed His love for us when He sent Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8). And God's love is unconditional, He loves us the same no matter who we are or what we are doing. And out of thankfulness for that love let us live in obedience to Him. Hopefully this encouraged and blessed you today. God bless you!
I followed a serpent seed doctrine pastor at one time and he taught that in Genesis chapter 3:13 the word found in the NKJ was beguiled from Strong's 5377 which meant to be wholly seduced- not the word deceived which I read in my NIV Bible. At the time I was young and it seemed credible to me at the time. Thank you for clearing up these ideas and pointing us to a true understanding of the Bible.
I don't think he cleared anything up yet, and it's coming to light these days that the NIV is a very deceptive translation. There needs to be more discussion, and more thorough research put into this. It frustrates me because I'm trying to get to the truth, and I don't think we can leave any stone unturned.
Someone I listened to has said the term "eat" when referring to the fruit of the tree, means "to lie with" in Hebrew. Not sure if I would be spelling this right, but he said the Hebrew word is "acal". I'm having trouble finding it because when I look at Lexicons and Concordances, it says the Hebrew term for the English word "eat" is 'eat". Anyone knows that can't be the Hebrew root word, so is someone trying to hide the truth?
I really appreciate this man's teaching of The Word of God inorder for us to understand it so we too can teach/share
Well, I guess you learn something everyday. I had never heard of the 🐍 seed doctrine! I could have lived my whole life without hearing of it!!!
Hi, Mike! Thanks so much for your ministry! I learn much & also am challenged to know why I agree or disagree with you on an issue. Regarding Christian dating sites... I think it was ?#4 today... perhaps a word of caution is in order? There are many wolves in sheep's clothing who lurk on such sites seeking victims. I think wisdom & discernment need to be at the forefront of a single person's approach. It would be easy otherwise to fall prey to a person using Christianity as a lure.
Plenty of exploiters and scammers both.
I knew someone on youtube who taught about the serpent's seed. Thanks, you discussed about it Mike.
Was it Jonathan Gleck?
I often listen to your sermons. Love the clarity with which you teach. Hoping one day to hear you talk on the topic of 'losing once faith in God'...
Thank you, brother Mike, for your honesty and your humbleness. God bless you and you family. I love you, my brother in Christ.
When coming closer to Jesus you start to hate inappropriate stuff in books , films ,tv ......naturally. You don’t need to decide whether you should or can . Q 10 .
Amen. He changes us from the inside out. We can't change ourselves.
Good answer about altars! Helps clear up an old theology I used to have and had forgotten about.
That was a terrific answer two question two, you always help me pastor Mike, God Bless.
about question 13. growing up episcopalian, my family took us kids to church out of a sense of propriety, not sincere searching. i felt ZERO about the experience, (with all due respect to episcopalian folks!) yet i always intuitively believed in God. in bed saying prayers as a kid i really felt i was merely talking to the ceiling sometimes, got nothing from the experience. but i stuck with it, not sure why. as a young adult a new (and now lifelong) friend who made his living as a musician and who performed at church services all over the place, invited me to go one evening for a weeknight service he was playing at. he cautioned me, 'this might be strange to you if you've never been to a church like this'. it was charismatic. it was BIZARRE. however! i felt something spiritual i could not deny, it was the first time in my life it actually felt 'real' to me, the experience of knowing you were in the presence of God. so for a few years i did go to services like this. it was a constant struggle to separate my feelings for some of the people who seemed like they were putting on a show, and the tangible feeling of the holy spirit (which i craved)
ultimately i stopped attending these sorts of services, and have found a very wonderful church that i love and feel quite comfortable at, yet i'll never goof on anyone who goes to these types of services because i can really see how it helped me to connect with God.
Dear Mike, great Biblical answers on everything (per usual!). I wanted to add one piece of scripture to the very strange Serpent Seed doctrine....,
I’m not making sport of anyone,I just never heard of it. Anyway, when you were reading from Genesis that Eve “ate of the fruit”, the verse goes on to say “and she gave it also to ADAM”. I don’t think the serpent was intimate with BOTH of them! God bless and keep you and your work, ALWAYS, in The Mighty Name of Jesus, AMEN!🕊🙏🙋♀️💜✝️✡️🌹
You don't think so, and that makes it so?
I enjoy your chuckle.
You gave me confidence in this episode
#5 - well stated and gave clarity…I believe, help my unbelief…
As someone with OCD, I can kind of speak to the question of intellect vs belief in my own experience. OCD is all about finding proof of the horrible thoughts about myself. The proof that you love God is that this question matters so much to you and you worry that you're not living it out and receiving assurance of faith. You have belief and that manifests as reaching out for help, working hard to manage the OCD so that you can love God with all your heart and you are faithful to keep God a part of you mental health journey. At least, that's what I gather from your question.
For me, it got worse before it got better. But God is faithful when we are faithless (2 Tim 2:11-13).
I think that this is a good answer to the question. I do not have OCD, but I do know someone close to me who does, I also have college education on mental health.
Another problem with the Acts passage is that in both English and Greek there is another meaning which was more common then than now. In the Greek telagmenoi can mean, yes assigned, but it also mean disposed to. In English a well-appointed ship is one which is well-ordered or inclined to do well. So yes we can say it might mean “As many as were assigned to eternal life believed” but it may also be “As many as were inclined (or disposed to) eternal life believed.” Here I referenced Strongs for the Greek and Webster’s 1828 dictionary for the English.
Also it doesn't say who assigned them. It doesn't say they were assigned by God (before the foundation of the world)
They could have been "assigned" by the apostles because it was known they were interested or they could have been assigned
by them selves because they were interested and going in that direction(inclined or disposed) especially since a couple verses before he said the Jews judged themselves unworthy of eternal life.
I find the alternative translation unlikely. First, in none of the 7 other uses of tassō in the New Testament does it simply mean inclined (as in disposed toward). Likewise, no English translation (their comities of scholars) uses a form indicative of merely inclined.
Regarding who did the appointing, I find it unlikely it was the apostles. Did they have perfect judgement so that _as many as_ (hosoi) they appointed to eternal life believed? Likewise, it doesn’t seem like the people appointed themselves. The verb is passive, which technically makes it possible, but the only time in the New Testament “appointed themselves” shows up, it’s active and with the reflexive pronoun (heautous: themselves): 1 Corinthians 16:15. The wording definitely sounds like God appointed them to eternal life, and as many as were _ones appointed to eternal life_ (tetagmenoi) believed.
I do appreciate your note, Linda, that the Jews judged themselves unworthy of eternal life. Verse 48 could be contrasting the concept. However, it also fits well with the idea that God doesn’t prevent people from believing and entering eternal life; people do that themselves, but God does appoint people to eternal life.
Thank you Pastor. In regards to question #8 "...I work every Sunday. How do I find a church family...?" I would add one more suggestion: See if there's a Messianic service meeting on Saturday. (Just like with any church you're visiting, check them out, test their theology. Many are wonderful, I have found).
Thanks again Mike! I really look forward to Friday nights and these videos!
To go along with question 11:
I just wanted to share Romans chapter 9, which perfectly demonstrates both God’s sovereignty to elect AND our responsibility to respond to God by faith!
RE QUESTION 11 (Calvinist Interpretation)
The key to understanding Acts 13:48 lies in the Greek verb τάσσω (tassó), meaning to draw up in order, arrange. In the broader context of Acts 13:46-48, the form of this verb indicates that the converts were _devoting themselves_ to eternal life.
One of the problems non-Calvinists face with passages such as this is translation bias. Bible translation committees are dominated by Calvinist and Reformed theologians whose tendency is to translate Scripture in a way that conforms to the theological presuppositions they bring to the text. Other Calvinist and Reformed Christians then use those biased translations to support their doctrine. That's what's going on in Acts 13:48. We see the same thing in Romans 8:29, where προγινώσκω (proginóskó) gets translated with the archaic 'foreknew' instead of 'previously knew', as in Acts 26:5, because the vagueness of 'foreknew' allows them to read the text a particular way. Likewise, the translation of προορίζω (proorizó) as 'predestined' in Romans 8:29 has nothing to do with Calvinistic determinism. With Isaiah 53:11, they've even gone so far as to slip 'accounted' into the text of some translations (e.g. ESV, RSV) in support of their doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us.
For #2:
I think it helps to categorize "harsh judgment" of tribes and people with the flood story. Certainly infants were wiped out. I'd be careful to dismiss the language in 1Samuel as hyperbolic. The troble that needs to be overcome is not "killing infants" rather understanding how Holy God truly is.
I needed to hear the 9th answer. That was def for me. Thank you mike.
I think you answered question 2 very well! We don’t understand everything God does but No matter what He is always Good!!! And knows everything we just don’t know all things but one day I’m sure we will understand until then we just trust Him!! !
In addition to your response to question 1, Cain's descendants would have died in the flood, since only Noah and his family were on the Ark.
Do we know his "family" had no Cain descendants? Honest question.
@arcguardian Not based on what I've read in Genesis as it relates to Noah's genealogy. I think if there was a descendant of Cain in Noah's lineage, it would have been mentioned. 🤔
[Edit] Thinking more on your question, if there was a descendant of Cain's lineage it would be a non-issue since Pastor Mike's response proves Adam as Cain's father.
Plus that would just make us all the same race regardless. 🤔
Gah, I hate to even address this...but they say Ham's wife was from Cain. That's their excuse.
I always wondered that too when I listened to Shepard's chapel,that was one of my questions
My question always upsets Christians! If all the giants were destroyed in the flood where did Og and his brothers come from Moses contented with? Was there another breech?
Good thoughts on Mars Hill. We listened to the first few episodes but then begin to feel convicted that we didn’t need to listen further so we stopped. If felt like we were eavesdropping on the conversations in another church’s foyer. Or wrongly listening in on meetings that were at one time intended to be private. There definitely is a cautionary tale or two from Mars Hill - outward success does not equal obedience to God, choosing godly elders matters, follow Christ and not your pastor, . But that’s a tale that can be told in a much, much shorter format. The Mars Hill podcast felt like we were watching a train crash in super slow motion and kept rewinding and replaying the video to ogle over all the gory details.
I saw a YT video on the Serpent seed, it was pretty convincing! However the problem I had is we would not belong to God, as over years we would become mixed. Question one was very well explained!
Regarding the Serpent Seed doctrine. Please tell us why Cain is not listed in Adam's genealogy. It appears that Abel is not listed because he was killed by Cain.
The lineage that you are talking about is the line that would lead to Christ. So, neither Cain nor Abel are listed since Christ came from Seth. There are many names not on the list, as many say, and they had other son's and daughters. Hope this helps. If you want or need more info, let me know, and I'll do my best to answer.
My great aunt isn't listed, she died at 21 from tb in the 1900s
O2
Gen 4:1 Mark 16:15 Thank you for making this video.
Personally I trust God and I am willing to bet that He has a very good reason for what He ordered. We are talking about the One Who spoke Words and created the entire universe.
I am an ex-Jehovah’s Witness I was in the church since birth and I left the church about 5 years ago, and I still feel that I have a spiritual need, but I also still struggle with a lot of the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine and teachings still embedded in me. So I was wondering if you know of any publications that could help me to convert from Jehovah’s Witness to a true Christian
Pastor mike has a large amount of teaching on that very subject. Check out his playlists.
I'd recommend to first get another Bible use the NIV, NLT, or even NKJV. Start listening to Paul washer, Allen Parr, Charles Spurgeon, Melissa Dougherty-she especially does a lot of work with Jehovah witnesses. May God be with you as you learn the truth of God's word.
@jshd1986 how’s your journey a year from this post?
It also says in Romans that through 1 man sin entered the world.
Q#17 on disagreement over doctrine in a church-I have to say I’ve personally found it difficult to impossible to find any group of people, or perhaps even one other person, with whom I agree 100% on all doctrine. In fact, as we learn and grow, we often find that we no longer agree with ourselves of a year or two past. Obviously we don’t grow and learn in lock-step with everyone else. Iron sharpens iron is the phrase we often use to describe how brothers (siblings in Christ) help to shape each other properly and encourage good practice in rightly dividing the Word. This would not be the case if we were all in perfect agreement. Fundamental core beliefs, of course.
Regarding hair length in the Old Testament-the Westminster Confession of Faith is very helpful. The law is divided into three areas-ceremonial, civil, and moral. We are still under the law-the moral law. Unfortunately since most churches don’t subscribe to any historic confessions, the law and gospel issue is very confusing. Confessions are helpful :-)
They are. Not infallible, but helpful. But that breakdown really makes sense, too. The ceremonial law (dietary restrictions, sacrifices, ceremonial cleanness/uncleanness, circumcision, etc.) was to point God's people (Israel at the time) to Christ, and he having come, it is fulfilled. The civil law (crime and punishment, rules of evidence, etc.) was the law for the theocratic state of Israel, which ceased to exist in 70 AD. The moral law (summarized in the Ten Commandments) is an expression of God's character, and thus remains for all time.
Hi Mike. I appreciate your not wanting to criticize someone you know nothing about (Mark Driscoll), but the podcast did an excellent job of all the things you implied it might not do. Just like with Ravi Zacharias, tons of peoples voices whom he hurt needed to be heard. Driscoll did the very thing you warned against in this video by leaving the plank in his eye as he ruined the lives of those who had splinters in theirs
As for the 1 Samuel passage I have heard it explained as such: In those days it was common to not just to kill the men but the children as well because you didn’t want the children rising up to seek revenge. If the kids were left alive they later as adults could then come against their attackers. It goes against our sensibilities, but it was practiced.
True, look at what king Saul did, he let the king live which makes you wonder if he left others alive to because Haman in the story of Esther was a descendant of those people
Plus, just like the communists and nazis did experiments on humans and animals trying to combine the gene pools... beastiality was common in that time and in many of those pagan cultures. It's quite possible God commanded they be exterminated because of a contaminated gene pool
@MikeWinger, can I just say you're really wise. You're answering what it means to be unequally yolked and then remember to affirm existing marriages.
You also answered my question about Calvinism/Reformed Christianity. And you didn't even know it :D
An altar is a device for offering sacrifices. If you have something that looks like an altar, but you don't use it for offering animals, drink, incense, etc., then it's not really an altar. Many churches refer to the space or a table between the main auditorium and the dais as an "altar", but it's not an altar in the sense that the word is used in the Bible. Maybe that person is actually asking about having a table where he does his praying or maybe he's asking about a shrine? There's no problem with the former, of course, but the latter is a problem.
I thought I was a well versed, well educated Christian, and literally never heard of serpent seed.
Don't feel bad. One of my early teachers compared the walk to being a Treasury agent. Our job isn't to know every form of counterfeiting. Our job is to recognize truth.
I wanted to give another possible option for 1Samuel 15:3. If these were remote enclaves, where the men were to be killed as judgement to end their lives/lineage/spread of influence it is possible that God ordered for all of the humans and livestock to be killed because they could have suffered long and miserable deaths without the presence of the men to provide for or protect them from the elements and starvation. What looks cruel and inhumane for us in our current world hyper-connected world isn’t applicable to the harsh and difficult to travel world that existed then.
Well done Mike. Really appreciate your answer on the seed of the serpent doctrine. I think the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman is very important to understand that people of God vs the people of the world. I like how Romans 5:12 and the flood narrative also refute the idea of the seed of the serpent doctrine.
I like to thank you for your breaks my heart when people believe others please look in the Bible for the truth 😇😇
I was on staff in the Childrens Ministry. The leader would not have events unless it produced fruit evangelistically. For example: if we had a fall event and people did not come to Christ we would stop having the event. I disagreed with that. I don’t think we can determine if it was sucessful by measuring results. We don’t know who needs that event. We don’t know how it blessed someone. I think reaching non believers is important but it is also important to care for the church.
For 16, I think the other temptation is that if tons of people are getting saved, what's happening in the church structure or leadership is the Way of Jesus, even if it's not. (Which is what Rise and Fall of Mars Hill explores, BTW 😉) God still made water flow even when Moses disobediently hit the rock with his staff.
Thank you for your research and time!
In terms of the Seraphim question. There are two words that can mean snake in Hebrew. Seraph is one of them. It literally means burning one and refers to poisonous snakes because their bites burn. This however is not the same word that is used for the serpent in Genesis.
Beyond Fundamentals has a very good explanation of Acts 13:48. The appointment is being carried out by the people not by God. They’ve wanted it, they chose, therefore they appointed themselves.
So, “as many as appointed themselves to eternal life believed”? I find the translation unlikely. In that interpretation shouldn’t it be the belief that appointed them to eternal life, not the appointing to eternal life that preceded the belief?
#18 regarding music sampling/inspiration: Rom 6:19 -
"I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification."
Q 15 - 7 Mountain Mandate… more usually goes with this “theology “… Like the four fold ministry, for one. For me the most applicable scripture is when Jesus said to Pilot, “My kingdom is not of this world.“ And then it would be Jesus’s final command, “The Great Commission.” This is what we in the church are to be about doing. Those who follow the New Apostolic Reformation tend to be off theologically when it comes to Eschatology. They believe they have to make the world a better place in order for Jesus to return and take charge.
Very well done Pastor.
Regarding Question 7.
It's not just the root of the word Seraphim that is connected to Serpent, but the actual word Seraphim itself is translated as "Serpent" three times in the KJV, as "fiery flying serpent" twice (in conjunction with the word for "flying"), and is left untranslated as "Seraphim", twice.
cf. Numbers 21:6, 8; Deuteronomy 8:15; Isaiah 6:2, 6, 14:29, 30:6.
I so value your contribution to the internet, Pastor Mike!
I have been wrestling with the questions about rocks/crystals. I’m a devout follower of Jesus and would hate to do anything out of accordance with His word. But can’t find a scripture denouncing the idea of energies in things. Not to see the rock as your source or in anyway “powerful”. But in the same way we use the much more acceptable, essential oils. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Re: Not seeing people saved (question 16) Isaiah 55:8-11 🙏 We may not see it, but as long as we are seeking to do God's will, God's way, He will bring blessings. They may not be the ones we were expecting but they will be there. My experience is that most times He affirms us in some way (like, what others would see as 'coincidences') or sometimes it is a long time after that you see fruit.
BUT then part of being a Christian is living by faith, so we may not get to see the outcome of what God calls us to today, but we live being lead by the Holy Spirit, not like the world (not by measurable outcomes, not what feels right, not 'proven methods', or any other worldly way).
God is up to something good in us & through us, when He is Lord of our life. ❤ ✝️
Hey Mike, Blessings to you!!
Q8, to anyone who's still looking:
The connection between the serpents and the seraphim is in Numbers 21:6. The LORD sent "hanchashiym hasraphiym" among the people. So you have NChSh (serpent) and SRPh (burn/shine... I might go with "blaze"). So these are blazing serpents sent among them (maybe a reference to the pain of the venom). The seraphim are heavenly beings that "blaze" in some way, maybe by reflecting the glory of God. But they are separate words with separate roots, and not related except that in this verse they are used together.
I’ve been taught by Dr Andy Woods and Les Feldick that Genesis 3:15 is the first mention of the Messiah Jesus, that he will crush your head (Jesus will destroy satan) and you will strike his heel (satan nip at Jesus’ heel by trying to overcome him) the seed of the woman is Jesus not having an earthly father. I never knew that people thought this way about the serpent/seed doctrine. Glad you dispelled it.
Yes,pastor you are almost there ,answer sometimes Gods allowed for awhile the true
Question 8 - my advice, always ask them what they think first. Then tell truth if know answer or need to research first.
Why we follow only certain Old Testament laws; The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) divides the Mosaic laws into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial.
Keep up the good work I love your videos !
Movies: it is sinful to enjoy the sin in anything, whether a movie or anything else. There might be a good reason to watch something that's not so great: maybe part of it is good, or it has something in the story that you need or want to see. The sin in it ought to grieve us, because it grieves God. But we can become calloused and enjoy it through our sin nature, rather than our new nature being sensitive enough to care about the sin. If we have trouble with it, we may need to avoid it. Or the reason we thought we should watch, may no longer seem so important. But we also need to uphold the freedom that would allow us to watch it if we need to.
Hebrew scholar, Tim Mackey, addresses the servant/seraphim topic very thoroughly in The Bible Project. He even does a full podcast series on snakes/dragons in the Bible.
Mike, you would do well to reply to the deeper teachings of Swift or Comparet .Heteropaternal superfecundation is a much more complex subject than to be addressed by. 4 or 5 verses as trees frequently picture peoples etc. If you really want to lay the axe to the root of this teaching it will take a deeper study. .My biggest problem with the doctrine is the fruit it produces more often than not does not appear to be born of love. Thanks for your efforts, the truth of Jesus win out.
Also, please consider that only the older son could be a priest and bring an offering. If both Cain and Abel brought an offering to the Lord, they both needed to be considered the older son of whoever their fathers were. And it's interesting that Abel's sacrifice was accepted over Cain's, instead of Abel being told he was just the younger brother and had no right to the priesthood. No, it was imperative to the whole meaning that they had different fathers.
Q18. Very interesting about music. I sing very early church music, from before the the reformation, but I don’t sing music which worships Mary. But the old chant Salve Regina keeps coming up, and is So beautiful. So after the Reformation they tried to ween people off this by changing the words to Hailing Christ as King. The thing is, it didn’t work, for them or for me, because the old version to Mary gets ingrained and makes you still think of the original version. Please beware of this!
Magnificent video. Thanks
Can you do a video on the church fathers? Have been showing your videos on the Catholic Church to my in-laws, and this is a subject you have eluded to several times that I would love have a video to show them on 😃