What Does Binding and Loosing Really Mean Mike Winger

What Does Binding and Loosing Really Mean? | Mike Winger 🔗 **Source:** [What Does Binding and Loosing Really Mean? | Mike Winger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NusV7yFIzbA) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [binding-loosing, biblical-exegesis, church-discipline] > author: Mike Winger > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NusV7yFIzbA > date created: 2024-12-19 14:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: What Does Binding and Loosing Really Mean? >  ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Study the Greek construction "will have been bound/loosed" in Matthew 16:19, 18:18, John 20:23 — timestamp 30:45 #exegesis - [H2] Create teaching materials on church discipline process from Matthew 18 — timestamp 37:12 #ministry - [H3] Develop balanced approach to demonic warfare that avoids extremes — timestamp 44:20 #theology ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [Mike Winger YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@MikeWinger) - [Matthew 16:19 ESV](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A19&version=ESV) ## 📝 Summary - **What happened**: Mike Winger provides detailed biblical exegesis of "binding and loosing" in Matthew 16:19 and 18:18 - **Why it matters**: Common misunderstanding leads to either demonic focus or Roman Catholic authority claims - **Key stakeholders**: Pastors, teachers, Christians involved in spiritual warfare or church discipline - **Risks and tradeoffs**: Avoiding extremes of seeing demons everywhere vs. nowhere; balancing authority with humility - **Bottom line takeaway**: Binding and loosing refers to gospel proclamation and church discipline, not demonic exorcism ## 📖 Main Content Winger examines the phrase "binding and loosing" from Matthew 16:19 where Jesus tells Peter "whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." He argues against the popular interpretation that this refers to spiritual warfare against demons. His main arguments include: 1) The Greek construction suggests "will have been bound/loosed" indicating heaven's prior decision, 2) Keys symbolize access rather than exorcism power, 3) Context connects to Peter's confession of Jesus as Christ, 4) Matthew 18's parallel passage clearly addresses church discipline not demons, 5) Apostles already had exorcism authority earlier. Winger connects this to gospel proclamation - declaring who has access to God's kingdom through Jesus - and church discipline processes for restoring wayward believers. He warns against both extreme views: seeing demons everywhere or nowhere. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=0) — [H1] Introduction to binding and loosing question - Key idea: This is a complex topic requiring detailed study beyond surface interpretations - Evidence: "I personally thought it was super interesting as I was studying it" #### ⏱️ [02:15](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=135) — [H2] Matthew 16:19 context and Isaiah connection - Key idea: Jesus gives Peter keys after confession that Jesus is the Christ - Evidence: "You are the Christ, the son of the living God" precedes the binding/loosing statement #### ⏱️ [04:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=270) — [H2] Popular interpretation as spiritual warfare catchphrase - Key idea: Common usage treats "I bind you Satan/lust/poverty" as power phrase - Evidence: "There's like this sense in which it's almost used as like a catchphrase, like a power phrase" #### ⏱️ [06:45](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=405) — [H3] Luke 13 example of binding and loosing with demons - Key idea: Jesus "looses" woman from 18-year binding by Satan - Evidence: "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity... whom Satan has bound for 18 years" #### ⏱️ [10:20](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=620) — [H1] Arguments against exorcism interpretation - Key idea: Heaven parallel doesn't fit - why bind Satan in heaven? - Evidence: "If Satan's the one being bound on earth, why is he being bound in heaven?" #### ⏱️ [12:10](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=730) — [H2] Apostles already had exorcism authority - Key idea: Jesus wouldn't "just now" give them power they already possessed - Evidence: "They've been doing it all along. They've gone out two by two" #### ⏱️ [15:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=930) — [H1] Keys represent access, not exorcism power - Key idea: Biblical pattern shows keys consistently mean access to something - Evidence: "I have the keys of Hades and of death" - Revelation 1:18 #### ⏱️ [18:45](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1125) — [H3] Luke 11:52 - key of knowledge about access - Key idea: Lawyers took away "key of knowledge" preventing people from entering - Evidence: "You've taken away the key of knowledge and you did not enter yourselves" #### ⏱️ [22:15](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1335) — [H2] John 20:21-23 parallel about forgiveness authority - Key idea: Apostles commissioned to proclaim gospel forgiveness, not give sacramental absolution - Evidence: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them" #### ⏱️ [25:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1530) — [H1] Peter's use of the keys in Acts - Key idea: Peter opens gospel access to Jews (Acts 2) and Gentiles (Acts 10) - Evidence: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven" #### ⏱️ [30:45](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1845) — [H3] Greek construction: "will have been bound" - Key idea: NASB, ESV, CSB translate as "will have been bound/loosed in heaven" - Evidence: "Whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven" #### ⏱️ [33:20](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2000) — [H1] Matthew 18 context: church discipline not exorcism - Key idea: Same binding/loosing phrase used for removing unrepentant believers - Evidence: "If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a gentile and a tax collector" #### ⏱️ [37:12](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2232) — [H2] Church discipline process and restoration goal - Key idea: Excommunication aims at restoration through repentance - Evidence: "Gentiles and tax collectors were not the scum of the earth, they were people to outreach to" #### ⏱️ [41:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2490) — [H1] Doctrine declared once and for all - Key idea: Binding/loosing was foundation-laying phase, not ongoing authority to change doctrine - Evidence: "The faith has been delivered once and for all to the saints" - Jude #### ⏱️ [44:20](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2660) — [H3] Balanced view: demons neither everywhere nor nowhere - Key idea: Avoid two extremes regarding demonic activity - Evidence: "The Bible doesn't do either of those things. It doesn't discount the existence of the demonic" ## 📚 References - [Matthew 16:19](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A19&version=ESV) - [Matthew 18:15-20](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A15-20&version=ESV) - [Luke 13:10-17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A10-17&version=ESV) - [John 20:21-23](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A21-23&version=ESV) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Binding and loosing refers to apostolic authority to proclaim gospel access rather than demonic exorcism - Keys symbolize access to God's kingdom through Jesus, not spiritual warfare power - Church discipline involves temporary separation aimed at restoration, not permanent shunning ## 📰 Newsletter **Rethinking "Binding and Loosing" - What Jesus Really Meant** Many believers use "binding and loosing" language for spiritual warfare, but careful biblical study reveals a different meaning. Mike Winger's detailed exegesis shows this phrase refers to gospel proclamation and church discipline. **Key Learning**: The "keys of the kingdom" represent authority to declare who has access to God through Jesus Christ, not power over demons. **Practical Application**: - Focus spiritual warfare on Scripture and prayer rather than binding formulas - Implement biblical church discipline with restoration as the goal - Understand apostolic authority was for establishing doctrine, not changing it This impacts how we approach both evangelism and church leadership, grounding our authority in Scripture rather than mystical practices. **Resources**: [Bible Study Tools](https://www.biblestudytools.com/), [Blue Letter Bible](https://www.blueletterbible.org/), [ESV Study Bible](https://www.esv.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### Community - **Bible Study Leaders**: Develop curriculum on proper biblical interpretation methods avoiding eisegesis - **Church Leadership**: Create clear church discipline policies following Matthew 18 process - **Small Groups**: Study the Greek constructions of key New Testament authority passages #### Education - **Seminary Training**: Include courses on avoiding both charismatic excess and cessationist extremism - **Lay Education**: Workshops on distinguishing between apostolic foundation-laying and ongoing ministry - **Youth Ministry**: Teach balanced demonology avoiding paranoia and denial #### Pastoral Care - **Counseling**: Integrate biblical anthropology understanding heart issues vs. demonic oppression - **Discipleship**: Train members in church discipline as loving restoration process - **Leadership Development**: Equip elders in proper exercise of spiritual authority ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Churches practicing biblical church discipline see higher spiritual maturity and lower conflict - Balanced teaching on spiritual warfare reduces both spiritual passivity and unhealthy preoccupation with demons - Proper understanding of apostolic authority decreases sectarian claims to ongoing revelation - Greek grammatical analysis provides clearer interpretation than English translations alone ### 📊 Methodology - **Biblical Study**: Compare Greek constructions across parallel passages in Matthew, Luke, John - **Historical Analysis**: Examine intertestamental Jewish literature on binding/loosing terminology - **Church Survey**: Assess correlation between biblical discipline practices and congregational health - **Translation Comparison**: Analyze how different Bible versions handle the Greek perfect passive construction ### ❓ Questions - How do we balance individual spiritual discernment with corporate church authority? - What are the practical limits of church discipline in modern denominational structures? - How should churches handle situations where civil law conflicts with biblical discipline? ### 🔮 Future Research - Comprehensive study of apostolic authority passages and their modern application - Analysis of church discipline practices across different denominational traditions - Investigation of how cultural context affects interpretation of binding/loosing passages ### 💡 Implications - **Practice**: Shifts focus from formulaic spiritual warfare to biblical discipleship and evangelism - **Policy**: Churches need clear, biblically-grounded discipline procedures with restoration goals - **Security**: Protects against both charismatic manipulation and ecclesiastical authoritarianism - **Education**: Seminary curricula should emphasize careful exegesis over popular interpretations - **Funding**: Resources should support biblical counseling training rather than deliverance ministries ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 12th Grade (complex theological concepts with detailed explanation) #### 👀 Visual learners - **Present**: Scripture references displayed on screen, highlighting key Greek terms - **Improve**: Diagrams showing the progression from Peter's confession to keys to binding/loosing #### 🔊 Aural learners - **Present**: Full audio teaching with clear verbal explanation of concepts - **Improve**: Audio summary highlighting main arguments against exorcism interpretation #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - **Present**: Extensive use of analogies (keys/access, sandpaper people), clear definitions - **Improve**: More contemporary examples of proper vs. improper binding/loosing usage #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - **Present**: Step-by-step breakdown of Matthew 18 church discipline process - **Improve**: Hands-on Bible study worksheets comparing parallel passages #### 🧠 Logical learners - **Present**: Systematic arguments against exorcism view with numbered points - **Improve**: Decision tree for determining when church discipline applies #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - **Present**: Q&A format addressing real audience questions - **Improve**: Group discussion guides for processing church discipline scenarios #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - **Present**: Detailed exposition allowing individual contemplation - **Improve**: Self-reflection questions on personal authority and submission #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - **Present**: Limited environmental connections - **Improve**: Analogies from nature about healthy vs. unhealthy pruning/separation ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - **Present**: Clear headings, structured content flow - **Improve**: Alt text for scripture graphics, ARIA labels for video controls #### Keyboard navigation - **Present**: Standard YouTube keyboard controls - **Improve**: Timestamped navigation links for easier topic jumping #### Contrast and readability - **Present**: High contrast video text, clear audio - **Improve**: Closed captions with speaker identification #### Text resizing and reflow - **Present**: Responsive YouTube interface - **Improve**: Transcript available in resizable format #### Media and captions - **Present**: Auto-generated captions available - **Improve**: Professional captions with theological term accuracy, downloadable transcript #### Forms and interactions - **Present**: Basic YouTube comment functionality - **Improve**: Accessible commenting with screen reader optimization ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - **Present**: References to various denominational perspectives (Protestant, Catholic) - **Improve**: Examples from global church contexts, non-Western interpretation traditions #### Inclusive language - **Present**: Gender-neutral terms where possible, avoids cultural idioms mostly - **Improve**: Plain language summaries for theological jargon #### Neurodiversity support - **Present**: Logical structure with clear transitions between points - **Improve**: Content warnings for discussion of toxic family relationships, clearer section breaks #### Representation - **Present**: Respectful treatment of different theological positions - **Improve**: More diverse examples beyond Western church contexts #### Psychological safety - **Present**: Respectful disagreement with other interpretations, pastoral tone in Q&A - **Improve**: Content warnings for difficult family situations, clearer community guidelines ### --- ## Full Transcript [00:00] we have today is about binding and [00:02] loosing. And I personally thought it was [00:04] super interesting as I was studying it. [00:05] I spent a good amount of time on it to [00:08] try to prepare and it just got more [00:09] interesting as I went and I decided I [00:11] thought I should answer in a bit more [00:12] detail, you know, for this particular [00:14] question. I think you'll find it [00:15] interesting too. But also I think that [00:17] the answer about what binding and [00:19] loosing is as a Christian and whether or [00:21] not this phrase binding and loosing is [00:23] referring to say casting out demons. I [00:25] think that that's clear. I I think it's [00:28] clear. Not everybody agrees with me. [00:30] Nobody ever does. All right. So, um, [00:34] here's the question. In Matthew 16:19, [00:36] what does the Bible mean in terms of [00:37] binding and loosing? And how do we [00:39] rightly understand and apply that [00:41] concept today? Very clear, concise [00:44] question. That's what I like to see. And [00:46] here's the verse, right? And Jesus is [00:48] talking to Peter specifically and he [00:50] says to him, "I will give you the keys [00:51] of the kingdom of heaven and whatever [00:53] you bind on earth will be bound in [00:55] heaven and whatever you loose on earth [00:58] will be loosed in heaven." [01:01] So there it is. And the we're going to [01:04] look obviously this in a lot more [01:05] detail, but there's really no [01:07] explanation given in the passage. You [01:10] know, there's no details there. like you [01:11] just have to understand I think what [01:13] binding is, what loosing is, what the [01:15] keys are, and then look at the context a [01:17] little bit, but there isn't like a clear [01:18] explanation. There's no examples given [01:21] directly right away in the passage. Um, [01:23] so there is a connection to the identity [01:24] of Jesus because Peter has just said the [01:26] the big revelation, right? You are the [01:29] Christ, the son of the living God. And [01:30] then the response is, hey, I'm giving [01:32] you the keys and you know, whatever you [01:34] bind will be bound and where you loose [01:35] will be loosed. Um, so there's a [01:38] connection to that. There's connection [01:39] to the um Isaiah 22:22 passage which [01:43] I'll take you to. Although this passage [01:45] doesn't give us a whole lot to go on and [01:47] it doesn't help us yet answer the [01:49] question yet. We will of whether this is [01:51] about demonic possessions and exorcisms [01:54] and that sort of thing. Um but uh it [01:57] says the keys of the house of David I [01:58] will lay on his shoulder. So he shall [02:00] open and no one shall shut and he shall [02:02] shut and no one shall open. So there's [02:03] these keys of the house of David. this [02:05] could be a connection that is being [02:08] implied there when Jesus talks about [02:10] although he talks about the keys of the [02:11] kingdom not of the house of David. So [02:13] there's a slight difference there. So [02:15] the um connection to the keys though is [02:17] important. Now here's what I've often [02:20] heard as like sort of um a person who [02:23] believes in the gifts of the spirit and [02:24] and as every Christian should believes [02:26] that demonic possession and exorcism is [02:29] a real thing. It's a real thing in the [02:31] world we live in today. But I have heard [02:33] this used in a in it stretched in a way [02:35] that I think we popularly are familiar [02:37] with, but that might be a little [02:39] questionable. And that is I bind you [02:41] Satan. I bind you lust, poverty. I bind [02:44] you spirit of rebellion or religion or [02:46] whatever you want to call it. There's [02:48] like this sense in which it's almost [02:49] used as like a catchphrase, like a power [02:51] phrase. I bind and then dot dot dot fill [02:54] in the blank. And you're supposed to be [02:55] the one with the spiritual discernment [02:57] who knows like what whether you are [03:00] correctly binding the right thing. Now, [03:01] I'm not going to throw this out in its [03:03] entirety, but I do not think that's what [03:05] it's about. However, most people who [03:08] talk about this verse do not bring up [03:10] that there is a connection in scripture [03:12] and in the time of Jesus around the time [03:14] of Jesus to the idea of binding and [03:16] loosing and exorcisms. Like, there is a [03:19] connection, even if it's not in this [03:20] verse that we're looking at, there's a [03:22] connection. So, let me show you an [03:24] example of this. Um, so this is a quick [03:26] little kind of almost like a little [03:27] Bible study we're going to do before we [03:29] get into all your guys' questions today. [03:31] Um, for uh for the the last Q&A I'm [03:34] going to have for for uh this month [03:36] actually. Yeah, the next one will be in [03:37] March. Sorry about that. Have things [03:41] next the next couple Fridays. Um, so [03:44] here we are in Luke chapter 10. Notice [03:46] the words binding, loosing. I'll [03:47] highlight them for you where they where [03:48] they come up that they're the same Greek [03:50] root word that we have in Matthew [03:53] chapter 16. Um now as he was teaching in [03:56] this in one of the synagogues on the [03:58] Sabbath and behold there was a woman who [03:59] had a spirit of infirmity 18 years and [04:02] was bent over and could no in no way [04:04] raise herself up. So she was bent over [04:06] and this was a spirit of infirmity. It [04:09] says this was a spiritual type of [04:11] affliction. [04:13] But when Jesus saw her, he called to [04:14] her, called her to him and said to [04:16] her,"Woman, you are loosed." There's [04:18] that word. From your infirmity. [04:21] Okay, there there's that word. [04:22] Interesting, right? Uh and he laid his [04:24] hand on her and immediately she was made [04:25] straight and glorified God. But the [04:27] ruler of the synagogue answered with [04:29] indignation because Jesus had healed on [04:31] the Sabbath and said to the crowd, [04:32] "There are six days on which men not to [04:34] work. Therefore, come and be healed on [04:36] them and not on the Sabbath day." Okay. [04:37] Then the Lord answered him and said, [04:39] "Hypocrite, does not each of each one of [04:42] you on the Sabbath uh loose his ox or [04:44] donkey from the stall and lead it away [04:46] to water it? So ought not this woman [04:48] being a daughter of Abraham." In other [04:50] words, more valuable than a donkey. Um [04:53] whom Satan has bound, there's that word [04:56] bound. Same word deo in the Greek. Think [04:59] of it for 18 years be loosed loosed from [05:03] this bond on the Sabbath. So here we [05:06] have like a a binding and loosing. Um [05:09] though there is a slight disconnect. [05:12] You see Satan's the one who did the [05:14] binding. Jesus is the one who does the [05:16] loosing. [05:18] Okay. So what is it? What would it mean [05:19] then in in the 16:9 passage where Jesus [05:22] says you'll be able to bind and loose. [05:24] Well, they're going to say the binding [05:25] is we bind the enemy. We loosing as we [05:27] loose those who are bound by the enemy. [05:29] Um and that that could kind of work with [05:31] Luke 13. It really could. Now, there's [05:34] another piece of evidence you can put on [05:35] this, and there's a couple other places [05:36] in scripture that mention this idea of [05:38] loosing. Now, what you don't find [05:40] generally is the language of binding and [05:41] loosing together talking about [05:43] exorcisms. Like, you don't as as often [05:45] see that, but you will see one or the [05:47] other. You will talk about like a [05:48] freeing, a loosing or a freeing or [05:51] there's a sense in which there's a [05:53] binding that takes place directed [05:54] towards demons, that kind of thing. So, [05:56] they're not necessarily connected though [05:58] the way they are in 169. But there's an [06:01] article by a guy named Richard Ays in [06:02] 1983 in the journal of biblical [06:04] literature. This guy wrote an article [06:05] called binding and loosing the mathean [06:07] authorization. And while I don't agree [06:09] with his conclusions, I want to want you [06:11] to be aware of the debate a little bit [06:14] because I think it's not only is it [06:16] interesting, it helps us to be a little [06:18] slow to work through some of these [06:21] concepts and that can be healthy for us. [06:23] So um the the article talks about [06:26] several places where intertestamental [06:28] stuff like books and writings that we [06:30] have that are Jewish from between the [06:33] Old Testament and the New that this is [06:35] intertestamental writings and how in [06:37] these writings the terms binding or [06:40] loosing are seen many times in the [06:43] context of exorcisms. So that's true [06:45] like that there really are a lot of [06:47] examples of this in Tobit and stuff like [06:49] that. Um we we see it in Pho. There's [06:51] these different sources you're like, [06:53] "Hey, so yeah, it's possible that a Jew [06:56] could have understood the term binding [06:57] or loosing to refer to some exorcism [07:00] type thing." But we can't stop our [07:02] search there because these terms could [07:04] also have other meanings and they have [07:06] more broad meanings as well. So against [07:09] the idea that exorcism is binding and [07:11] loosing, that this is what's going on in [07:13] Matthew 16 when the keys are given or [07:15] Matthew 18 when we see it mentioned [07:17] again, we'll go to that in a minute, is [07:20] um there's a heaven parallel. Here's my [07:22] reasons why I think this this doesn't [07:24] work. Um the ones that are bound on [07:27] earth are also bound in heaven. That [07:29] just doesn't make a lot of sense. [07:32] Why? Okay, so if Satan's the one being [07:34] bound on earth, why is he being bound in [07:36] heaven? [07:38] right? That that just it doesn't fit as [07:41] easily. If it's better to say that what [07:43] happens on earth is a proclamation and [07:46] what's and that proclamation is being [07:48] also made in heaven. Therefore, it's [07:50] authoritative. That would be I think a [07:52] better understanding. Why is binding and [07:54] loosing also associated with keys? We'll [07:56] talk about this in a second because the [07:57] keys really matter. Keys don't make a [08:00] lot of sense when you're talking about [08:01] general exorcisms. when you get to [08:03] esquetology and there's the keys of [08:05] Hades, there's a there's a loose [08:08] connection there. Um, but not not like [08:11] this, I don't think. [snorts] So, why [08:13] just now would Jesus Here's another [08:15] argument against the exorcism idea in [08:16] Matthew 16:19. Why would Jesus just now [08:20] give them the ability to commit [08:22] exorcisms to cast out demons? That [08:24] doesn't make sense because they've been [08:26] doing it all along. They've gone out two [08:28] by two. They they've they've head out. [08:30] They've had authority to cast out demons [08:32] already. So Jesus is speaking to Peter [08:35] probably of something a little [08:36] different, something a little bigger, [08:38] something a little more grand, I think. [08:40] Um, also, why is that idea not present [08:43] in Matthew 16 or Matthew 18, the [08:45] parallel passage we'll look at in a [08:46] minute? There's nothing in there. It's [08:47] Jesus says, um, you know, who do you say [08:49] I am? Peter goes, you're the Christ, the [08:51] son of the living God. Well, you're [08:52] you're you're you're Peter, right? [08:54] you're you're you're like a rock, but on [08:56] on this you in some here's a Protestant [08:59] interpretation. On this big rock, I'm [09:00] going to build my church, which could be [09:02] seen as the confession of of Peter and [09:04] him proclaiming Christ. Um, and then [09:07] I'll give you the keys and whatever you [09:08] bind will be bound and loose will be [09:10] loose. But there's no there's nothing in [09:11] the very context that talks about demons [09:13] before or after or in the immediate [09:15] context. So that's feels like we're [09:17] importing an idea and binding and [09:19] loosing could be used in other ways. So [09:22] finally, I'll just say this. It seems [09:23] like the same thing is being bound that [09:26] is being loosed. The same kind of thing. [09:28] Whatever you bind will be bound. [09:29] Whatever you loose will be loosed. But [09:30] if we say that the binding is of Satan [09:32] and the loosing is of people, it feels [09:34] like we're importing a contrast where [09:36] there's a comparison. [09:38] Okay, I hope that made sense to you. I [09:40] spent a lot of time with this. I'm [09:41] trying to summarize those ideas. Now, [09:43] let's talk about the keys real quick [09:44] because the keys matter. Peter is given [09:46] the keys. And of course, these seem to [09:48] be given to all the apostles um in [09:50] Matthew 18 shortly thereafter. U why do [09:53] the keys matter? Because um the keys [09:55] don't seem to be about generally [09:57] speaking in scripture, keys are not [09:59] about exorcisms at all. So here's a [10:01] verse, several verses we could talk [10:02] about this. Try to soak this up like [10:05] you've never heard it before, right? [10:06] Just think about it. How are keys being [10:08] used in the Bible? And in in that [10:10] culture, we see through scripture. So in [10:12] Romans uh Revelation 1:18, [snorts] [10:14] Jesus says, "I'm he who lives and was [10:15] dead, and behold, I'm alive forever [10:17] more, and I have the keys of Hades and [10:19] of death." [10:21] Then when you combine this, so Jesus has [10:23] the keys of Hades and death. Revelation [10:26] uh 20:14, [10:29] this comes up again. Then death and [10:30] Hades, [10:32] of which Jesus has the keys, they're [10:34] cast into the lake of fire. Now, this is [10:36] not just about exorcism because it's [10:37] about everybody who is who is not [10:39] written in the book of life, right? So [10:41] the keys of death and Hades here, keys [10:43] are about access. This is my conclusion [10:45] is we see this over and over again in [10:46] scripture. The keys are about access. [10:50] Peter, you've just confessed that Jesus [10:52] is the Christ. And I'm giving you the [10:54] keys that you might be able to open [10:56] access or close it to various people [11:00] based upon what? Not upon Peter's just [11:02] authority, his bare authority, but upon [11:04] the confession that Jesus is the Christ. [11:06] That Jesus will become the door, the [11:08] way, the only way in which we enter [11:10] heaven. This is about the gospel being [11:12] authoritative ultimately. Um in Luke [11:16] 11:52 we have another key passage. [11:20] Woe to you lawyers for you've taken away [11:22] the key of knowledge and you did not [11:24] enter yourselves and those who were [11:26] entering you hindered. Right? Key is [11:28] again about access. This is about keys [11:29] aren't here about uh possession or [11:31] spiritual battles in that kind of realm. [11:33] We're talking here about access and [11:36] access into entering into knowledge, [11:38] entering into the knowledge ultimately [11:40] of God. Uh in this case, they failed. [11:43] And here lawyers, it's talking about um [11:45] scribes, not not modern day lawyers who [11:47] may have their own issues. [laughter] [11:49] Um Revelation 3 7 and 8. Here's another [11:53] key passage. Why am I going to all these [11:55] verses? Because I want to show you how [11:56] consistent it is. Keys have a have a [11:58] meaning. They have an idea in the mind [11:59] of the writers and readers of the first [12:02] of of our Bible when the first [12:04] generation there. Revelation 3:7 and to [12:07] the angel of the church in Philadelphia [12:09] right these things says he who is holy [12:12] he who is true he who has the key of [12:14] David that's that Isaiah 22:22 reference [12:17] he who opens and no one shuts and shuts [12:20] and no one opens. See I know your works. [12:22] See I've set before you an open door and [12:25] no one can shut it. for you've kept a [12:27] for you have a little strength and have [12:28] kept my word and have not denied my [12:29] name. This open door here is an [12:32] opportunity to exist and be a witness to [12:34] the world around them. That's what it [12:36] seems to be to me. So again, the keys [12:38] are access. I'm opening a door for you [12:41] to be able to be a witness to those [12:43] around you and nobody else can fight me [12:45] on this. I have that power, that [12:47] authority. Um, another connection again, [12:50] you see how like we're getting further [12:51] and further away from the exorcism [12:53] interpretation of this passage. While [12:56] it's possible to use terms like binding [12:58] in reference to exorcism or or loosing [13:00] or freeing, that isn't probably what's [13:03] in view in this passage. So, uh, John [13:07] 20:es [13:09] 21-23. [13:12] Here's another verse that I do think is [13:15] connected because the ideas are very [13:17] similar, very parallel. So Jesus is [13:19] commissioning them after his [13:20] resurrection, right? He says, "Peace to [13:23] you. as the father has sent me, I also [13:25] send you. They're being commissioned [13:26] with a sense of like the the authority [13:28] to go and speak these truths. And he [13:30] said this when he said this, he breathed [13:32] on them and said to them, receive the [13:34] Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of [13:36] any, they are forgiven them. If you [13:38] retain the sins of any, they are [13:39] retained. Again, this isn't about [13:40] exorcism. This this one's about like [13:42] access into forgiveness. This is [13:45] connected to the same idea. You see, [13:47] Jesus is commissioning a group. We we [13:48] miss this because we're so used to this [13:50] stuff. Jesus is commissioning a group of [13:52] people to be his representatives of the [13:55] gospel as it goes out into the world. [13:57] And they did a pretty good job because [13:59] the gospel has gone out into the entire [14:00] world from this tiny little spot in [14:02] Israel. Um it's kind of amazing when you [14:05] think about it. So this is about a [14:06] gospel presentation. They can tell [14:08] people, hey, if you repent and trust in [14:11] Christ, you will be forgiven. If you [14:12] reject Jesus, your sin remains on you. [14:14] That will give the same message that [14:15] Jesus gave in the Gospel of John. This [14:17] is based upon their belief. It's not [14:20] against sort of like a Roman Catholic [14:22] system or other similar systems. It's [14:24] not the idea of continually coming to [14:26] church authority to get like forgiveness [14:29] sort of peace meal, but rather it's [14:31] about the gospel being proclaimed. Hey, [14:33] you're you're I'm sending you out. Go [14:34] proclaim the gospel. Forgiveness comes [14:36] through Jesus. Rejecting him equals [14:38] condemnation. That's I think the whole [14:40] focus that's there. Now, this makes [14:42] sense of Matthew 16 [14:46] 15-1 17. Let's look at it again. Were [14:50] you ready for a Bible study today? [14:52] [laughter] We're still doing the Q&A. [14:53] It's all coming. I'll I'll move quickly [14:55] through the answers, but I I just I [14:57] thought this was worth it. He said to [14:59] them, "But who do you say that I am?" [15:01] Simon Peter answered and said, "You are [15:03] the Christ, the son of the living God." [15:04] This the central proclamation of the [15:06] Christian faith is who Jesus is, right? [15:09] And Jesus answered and said to him, [15:10] "Blessed are you, Simon Barjon, for [15:12] flesh and blood has not revealed this to [15:13] you, but my father who's in heaven." [15:15] Again, my only point here is verse 17 [15:18] shows us Jesus, what he's saying next to [15:20] Peter is all based upon Peter's [15:22] proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, [15:24] the son of the living God. And that [15:27] continues, "And I also say to you that [15:29] you are Peter, and on this rock I will [15:30] build my church, and the gates of Hades [15:32] shall not prevail against it, and I will [15:34] give you the keys of the kingdom of [15:35] heaven." I don't think the keys are the [15:37] keys to the gates of Hades. They're the [15:39] keys of the kingdom. Um, and whatever [15:42] you bind on earth will be bound in [15:43] heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will [15:44] be loosed in heaven. What is this about? [15:46] Access into the kingdom. And the binding [15:48] and loosing seems to connect to the [15:50] declarations of what is true and false [15:53] as regarding salvation. [15:55] It's binding you to the to the teaching [15:58] that Jesus is the Messiah who died on [16:00] the cross for your sins. It's loosing [16:02] you from other religious commitments, [16:05] other beliefs, other baggage, other [16:07] things like that. Like you don't need to [16:09] be following the Old Testament law in [16:11] order to be a Christian, to follow [16:12] Jesus. [16:13] And okay, you're like, Mike, you're [16:15] saying a lot of things here, but let's [16:16] look at some examples of scripture [16:19] backing this up. So, in the book of [16:21] Acts, we see this continually. Here's [16:23] one of the early proclamations where [16:25] Peter does this sort of binding loosing [16:28] thing, right? Where this for who you [16:29] forgive is forgiven. Nor is there [16:31] salvation, Peter says, in any other, for [16:33] there is no other name under heaven [16:35] given among men by which we must be [16:36] saved. You got to have some like guts to [16:40] make a statement like that. He's [16:42] declaring to people that the only way to [16:44] be forgiven is through Jesus. Jesus is [16:46] the only way. There it is. He's the only [16:49] way. This is that binding and loosing. [16:51] If you reject Jesus, you are you are you [16:52] are still um you know bound in your sin, [16:56] so to speak. I'm probably mixing [16:58] metaphors with that sentence there. [16:59] Sorry about that. If you accept Christ, [17:02] you are free. Um but this is consistent [17:05] throughout the whole book of Acts. If [17:06] you ever read the entire book of Acts [17:07] and try to follow the general flow, [17:09] you'll see Peter preaches the first [17:10] gospel message in Acts 2 to the Jews. In [17:14] Acts 4, he reaffirms that it's Jesus and [17:16] Jesus alone that brings salvation. Then [17:18] as you go on in Acts, you get to Acts [17:20] 10. And here Cornelius and these [17:22] Gentiles, the gospel's open to the [17:24] Gentiles through who? Peter. Peter's [17:27] keys are not it. You got to take out [17:30] sort of Roman Catholicism out of your [17:31] head here because it adds a lot of extra [17:33] baggage onto this idea. But the keys are [17:36] about accessing God through Jesus [17:39] through the door. Right? Here's the [17:40] keys. I'm I'm the one telling you he's [17:42] the door. That's that's kind of the idea [17:44] here that we have going on. So, um, [17:48] uh, something that will help us to, [17:50] okay, we're about to do Matthew 18, and [17:52] I'll show you something that's in [17:53] Matthew 18, that's in Matthew 16, that's [17:56] in John 20 as well. All of the passages [17:59] I've shared with you. So, where where [18:00] Jesus says, "What you what you bind will [18:02] be bound in heaven. what you loose will [18:04] be loosed in heaven. Um, in Matthew 18, [18:06] he says it again. Here it is. Um, [18:09] assurely I say to you, whatever you bind [18:11] on earth will be bound in heaven, and [18:12] whatever you loose on earth will be [18:13] loosed in heaven. Now, in the Greek, [18:15] there's a debate on this, but in the [18:16] Greek, there's legitimately a [18:17] construction here that could fairly be [18:20] translated will have been bound in [18:22] heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will [18:24] have been loosed in heaven. Now, what's [18:26] interesting about this is that that same [18:28] Greek construction is in Matthew 18:18, [18:32] the verse on your screen. It's also in [18:34] Matthew 16 where Jesus first tells [18:36] Peter, "What you bind on earth will have [18:37] been bound in heaven." And it's also in [18:39] John 20 where he says, "Those whom you [18:42] forgive will have been forgiven." And um [18:45] here's some translations that actually [18:46] translate it that way. It's the NE, the [18:49] CSB, the ISV um and the NASB. These are [18:54] all respectable translations and they [18:57] you see it here. Here's the NASB Matthew [18:59] 18:18. It shall have been bound in [19:02] heaven. Now, the idea here is not that [19:05] Peter is coming up with the decision on [19:07] his own, but that he's heaven's emissary [19:09] or in Matthew 18, the apostles in [19:12] general are heaven's emissaries to say [19:14] the truth that heaven has proclaimed [19:16] already. That that's an interesting [19:18] element that's there. I don't want to [19:19] push it too hard, but it's it's present. [19:21] If nothing else, it pushes away some of [19:24] the extreme statements that we get from [19:28] um Roman Catholic claims. [19:31] Um now, [19:33] let me see. Oh, there's more. Um Matthew [19:35] 18. This is the next time Jesus says it [19:37] in the book of Matthew, but it's in a [19:41] super different context. Right now, he's [19:43] talking about when someone sins against [19:45] you and you dysfellowship them. He's not [19:48] just talking about getting saved. So, [19:50] let's read it. If your brother sins, go [19:53] and show him his fault in private. If he [19:55] listens to you, we're in the NASB for no [19:57] no reason really right at the moment. [19:59] You have one your brother. If he does [20:00] not listen to you, take one or two more [20:03] with you so that by the mouth of two or [20:04] three witnesses, every fact may be [20:06] confirmed. This is a process of dealing [20:09] with serious sin, dealing with like [20:11] local churches correcting that serious [20:13] sin or at least trying to. You're not [20:14] just trying to rebuke them. You're [20:15] actually trying to restore them. If he [20:17] refuses to listen to them, tell it to [20:18] the church. If he refuses to listen even [20:20] to the church, let him be to you as a [20:22] gentile and a tax collector. People get [20:24] offended at this verse often because [20:26] they think um it means let him be like [20:29] the scum of the earth to you. Except to [20:30] Jesus, Gentiles and tax collectors were [20:32] not the scum of the earth, they were [20:34] people to outreach to. So he's what he's [20:36] saying is even though he's he's a [20:38] believer, a proclaimed believer. Even [20:39] though this person says they follow [20:41] Jesus, they won't hear rebuke. They're [20:42] serious sin. They won't listen to [20:44] anybody. treat them with an outreach [20:46] mentality instead, which means they're [20:47] not actually part of the church, but [20:49] there's someone who we want to be part [20:51] of the church. So, we're drawing a line [20:52] and saying, you know, you need to cross [20:54] this line of turning from that thing and [20:56] then join us. Please come back to us. [20:59] So, it's not this the way some people [21:00] hear it. Then he says the the statement, [21:03] truly I say to you, whatever you bind on [21:05] earth shall have been bound in heaven, [21:07] and whatever you loose on earth shall [21:08] have been loosed in heaven. Now, this [21:10] it's really hard to read exorcism into [21:13] this verse. [21:14] This is this is one of the main reasons [21:16] why I reject that view. This is about [21:18] church discipline. This is about dealing [21:20] with a sinful, [21:22] you know, person in church. Not just any [21:24] old sin, but there's like a seriousness [21:25] to it. And um, you know, a s a greater [21:29] sin. And yep, not all sin's the same. [21:31] Sorry. I know you've been saying your [21:32] whole life that all sins the same. You [21:34] just been wrong. [laughter] [21:36] I have a video on that you guys can [21:37] check out. Um, whatever you bind on [21:39] earth though, this is this is about like [21:41] a binding decision about who is and [21:44] isn't part going to be part of the [21:45] fellowship. Similar to kind of an echo [21:47] of who isn't isn't part of Christ. It's [21:50] like sharing the gospel. So again, I say [21:52] to you that if two of you agree on any [21:54] on earth about anything that they may [21:55] ask, it shall be done for them by my [21:57] father who's in heaven. For where two or [21:59] three have gathered in my name, there I [22:00] am in their midst. Now, this verse is [22:02] frequently taken a bit out of context. [22:04] It seems to be about a a church uh [22:08] deciding and being given like the [22:10] authority to say, "Hey, you were not [22:11] part of our fellowship until you deal [22:13] with this issue in your life." This is [22:15] something churches don't generally do. [22:16] It's actually echoed in the only other [22:21] real New Testament excommunication type [22:23] passage in First Corinthians when Paul [22:26] talks about excommunicating a guy or [22:28] dysfellowshipping him with the hopes of [22:30] his return. He says, 'In the name of our [22:32] Lord Jesus, when you're assembled and [22:34] with and I with you in the spirit with [22:36] the power of our Lord Jesus, this is [22:37] this is the language of like where two [22:39] or more gathered, I'm in their midst. [22:40] Paul's appealing to that. He goes, I've [22:42] decided deliver such a one to Satan, [22:44] which means not for the destruction of [22:46] his flesh. Doesn't mean kill him. It [22:47] means kick him out of the church. He's [22:49] going to he's effectively part of the [22:51] world so that his spirit may be saved in [22:53] the day of the Lord Jesus that he might [22:55] repent and come back again. Restoration [22:56] is always the goal. But it's that same [22:58] language of of I'm with you as you make [23:01] this decision. Then in um 2 Corinthians [23:05] 2:10 [23:06] to me I understand this verse as the guy [23:08] being brought back. And it's the same [23:10] kind of process. Uh but one whom you [23:12] forgive anything I also forgive [23:14] anything. For indeed what I have [23:16] forgiven if I forgiven anything I did it [23:17] for your sakes in the presence of [23:19] Christ. It's this idea of two or more [23:21] gathered in church sort of discipline [23:24] situations. [23:26] So then what? Finally, uh, this is the [23:29] longest question, longest answer I've [23:30] ever given for question one, but there's [23:32] timestamps below for all the questions [23:33] if you just wait a couple hours after [23:34] the stream. [23:36] What then does binding and loosing [23:38] include? Um, it's declaring official [23:40] Christian doctrine, right? Forgiveness [23:42] of sins as part of that. It's um dealing [23:45] with church discipline. But let me now [23:48] make sure we don't misuse this doctrine. [23:50] See, once that doctrine's been declared, [23:52] this is a New Testament principle. It's [23:54] official and it's unchanging. Once the [23:57] access has been explained, once the keys [23:59] have been elaborated to the to the [24:00] world, it never changes. This is why in [24:03] Jude it says that the faith has been [24:04] delivered once and for all to the [24:06] saints. You don't change it afterwards. [24:07] Once it's declared, it's official and [24:09] unchanging. Galatians 1, Paul appeals to [24:12] the Galatians to use their knowledge of [24:13] the once-given gospel so that no matter [24:16] who comes, no matter what authority they [24:18] have, even an apostle comes, they can't [24:20] change things. So it's not this ongoing [24:22] authority that they carry with them to [24:24] alter doctrine. It's the initial [24:26] foundation laying phase of the gospel. [24:29] There's no apostolic succession that [24:31] goes on there. So um Roman claims about [24:34] authority connecting to this idea don't [24:36] really seem like they work. And our goal [24:39] then is to echo the first century [24:40] apostles. We we in other words we go [24:42] around telling people Jesus is the way. [24:44] That's that's the idea. That's the main [24:45] focus of the keys. and church discipline [24:48] uh and dysfellowshipping a person in the [24:49] hopes that they repent is also important [24:52] connected to this as well. So I hope [24:54] that that helps. Um yeah well we'll just [24:57] go to the next question. The the um the [24:58] the ideas of demons and casting out [25:01] demons we have to just avoid two [25:02] extremes at least in my opinion. Okay, [25:05] for whatever it's worth. And the two [25:06] extremes are thinking demons are [25:08] everywhere or thinking demons are [25:10] nowhere. Those are the two extremes I [25:12] want to avoid as a Christian. Um the [25:14] Bible doesn't do either of those things. [25:15] It doesn't discount the existence of the [25:17] demonic. Nor does it assign everything [25:19] to a demon. I mean, you may be like [25:21] accidentally trying to cast out the [25:23] demon of lust when you remember that [25:24] James teaches that lust is coming from [25:26] your heart, not from that demon. So, all [25:29] right, let's go to question number two. [25:31] And we have all 20 questions. They're [25:32] already loaded. I'm just going to work [25:34] through them now as quick as I can. [25:36] Well, without being doing disservice to [25:39] your questions. Um, if I don't feel [25:40] edified, this is from Josh Matias. um [25:43] who says, "If I don't feel edified by [25:45] the watered down milk preaching at my [25:47] local church, is it wrong to give less [25:49] money to the local church and give more [25:51] money to online ministries that I spend [25:53] hours listening to?" Um, [25:57] no, I don't see that that's wrong. Um, [26:00] so the the only Josh, the only thing I'm [26:01] going to suggest is Okay. Well, I'll say [26:04] a couple things. One, um, there is no [26:07] set amount of money that you're supposed [26:08] to give to your local church. I think we [26:10] should consider it something like a a [26:12] communal effort. Um, am I doing my part [26:17] to help my local fellowship to [26:20] accomplish [26:21] the things they're called to do. Um, so [26:24] to help see that the staff is getting [26:26] paid, that the building is getting [26:28] cleaned, and that things are in in in [26:30] working order, you know, that there's [26:31] enough money to replace that broken [26:32] item, that kind of thing. To see that [26:34] our outreach opportunities are there, [26:36] that kind of thing. Now, if you have a [26:37] church, in my opinion, if your church is [26:39] like super good at organizing [26:40] large-scale outreaches and is really [26:43] effective in in doing ministry and [26:45] outreach and and various different [26:47] things and and the people on staff are [26:48] like getting good work done, I want to [26:50] give more money to that church. If I [26:52] feel like they're not doing a very good [26:53] job, I don't want it's not like I'm [26:55] trying to punish them by giving less. [26:57] It's just that I want to I want to be [26:59] wise with my investments, my money, and [27:01] I want to make sure that I'm giving to [27:02] people who I think are doing a good job [27:04] so that I can see that dollar get [27:06] stretched further for the kingdom of [27:08] God. So, I want to see good money [27:10] management in that regard. Um [27:13] the the one thing I'll add though on [27:15] this is I don't want to go to a church [27:17] and use the AC and the heating and the [27:19] janitorial staff and the bathrooms and [27:22] all the commodities that are there. I [27:23] don't want to use all that stuff and [27:25] then not even give the church enough [27:26] money to like replace the cost they put [27:30] out just for me to attend. And I'm [27:32] talking about people who are you belong [27:34] to the church. You're not just a guest. [27:36] You know, I think guests we we don't we [27:37] don't want them to feel like any any [27:39] burden to give. I don't anyway. Um so [27:42] yeah, am I Yeah, that's where you say, [27:46] should I give less? Well, it depends on [27:47] what you mean by less. Are you helping [27:49] to support the the staff? Are you doing [27:51] what you can? And the final thing I'd [27:52] add into this is everything changes when [27:54] you're poor. [27:56] Because when you don't have the funds, [27:58] you can't be like, "Am I doing my part?" [27:59] And you're like, "Look, I just don't [28:01] have the funds." And even in the law of [28:03] the Old Testament, God had like these um [28:06] hey, if you commit this sin, here's the [28:08] exact sacrifice to bring. And then he'd [28:09] be like, "But if you're poor, here's a [28:11] really cheap version." And he'd be like, [28:13] "Bring like a turtle dove. Bring like a [28:15] dove. It's like the cheapest thing you [28:16] could sacrifice." [28:18] What I'm suggesting is that there's a [28:21] extra layer of consideration on all the [28:23] giving that goes on in the church in [28:24] that the poor are expected to give less [28:28] and we should not care and and the rich [28:31] are expected to give more. I'm I'm not [28:34] talking about tax the like if you bring [28:36] this into the realm of government [28:37] enforced giving through taxation that is [28:40] not what we're talking about. I'm [28:42] talking here about um using the gifts [28:45] God's given you. And I think that [28:48] there's an expectation there that we do [28:49] those things. All right. Number three, [28:51] anonymous question. How do I know if I'm [28:53] doing the right thing by cutting off a [28:55] very toxic family member? I still pray [28:57] for him, but I think he's dangerous and [28:59] unbalanced and he refuses to get help. [29:01] Thanks, Mike. Um [29:04] that's a super tough question. um in in [29:06] one respect and you guys might feel [29:10] part of you maybe okay some of you [29:13] you've gone through your own tough tough [29:14] experiences and you found that what [29:17] relieved your stress more than anything [29:18] and the anxiety that you had was just [29:21] cutting that person out of your life and [29:22] so when you hear someone else say I feel [29:25] like I have a toxic person in my life [29:26] your counsel them is oh cut him out just [29:28] cut him out just cut him out right away [29:30] but you might be responding a little [29:31] quickly due to your past traumas And I [29:35] don't want to read I don't want to read [29:38] too quickly into the cut them out side [29:40] of things. On the other hand, there are [29:43] times, right, I just read about [29:45] excommunication, right? Here we have a [29:47] local fellowship that has someone who's [29:48] going to the church and they're living [29:50] in sin. They're sinning specifically [29:52] against other believers in the [29:53] fellowship is the example in Matthew 18. [29:55] And it's a significant enough sin that [29:57] it should be brought to the leaders [29:58] even. They won't repent. They won't [30:00] repent. They do all the steps to bring [30:01] repentance. Then they cut them out. but [30:04] with the statement of, "Hey, I want you [30:06] back, but you've got to change. Please [30:08] change so I can have you back." And that [30:11] is like the how you cut someone off. [30:14] Please change so I can have you back. [30:18] You say the person's dangerous to me. [30:20] This is one of the key issues. Is the [30:23] person just irritating me? They're [30:25] they're they're shaping my character by [30:26] bringing me. They're like the sandpaper [30:28] person, right? Sandpaper people, they [30:30] they rub you hard. It hurts. It's it's a [30:33] it's abrasive, but it but it softens [30:35] you. It it it matures you, right? But um [30:39] but the the idea of someone being [30:41] dangerous, like if someone's abusive, [30:44] like really abusive, you cut them off. [30:47] Like that's easy. Cut them off, [30:48] [laughter] [30:49] flee, you know, do what you have to do. [30:51] So I I think that these are hard [30:52] questions to answer with generic data. [30:55] Um is there real abuse? Okay, then then [30:58] I I I I can separate myself from that [31:01] person. and I'm not going to continue to [31:02] expose myself to future abuse. I also [31:04] think that a heart that's willing to [31:06] forgive doesn't mean you've restored the [31:08] relationship. I think this is a huge [31:09] lesson we have to learn. All of us have [31:11] to learn is I can have a heart that [31:13] wants to forgive you but not be in [31:15] relationship with you because you [31:16] haven't repented. That's what God does. [31:19] Jesus does this. I love you. I want to [31:21] know you. But until you turn and come to [31:22] me, there will not be a relationship [31:24] there. So, it just depends on all the [31:27] issues that are going on there. I hope [31:28] some of these things give you some [31:29] wisdom. Um, [31:31] oh yeah, tough stuff. Um, anonymous [31:34] question also here, this one says, "What [31:35] are your thoughts on the argument [31:37] against the Trinity that points out the [31:39] lack of a trinitarian controversy like [31:42] that of Nika in the time of Acts and the [31:44] writing of the New Testament?" Um, that [31:48] sounds um [31:51] like it would support the Trinity to me. [31:53] [laughter] So, let me walk you through [31:55] my my thinking on this. Um, I look at [31:58] history and I go, "Hey, there's this big [32:00] trinitarian controversy at the time of [32:02] Nika, right?" Okay, true. Um, I look at [32:06] earlier church history, first century in [32:08] particular, and I go, I don't see a [32:10] trinitarian controversy here. [32:13] So then it must be an invented thing [32:15] later, and that's why the church is [32:16] fighting against it. Okay. Well, here's [32:17] another explanation. Or it wasn't a [32:20] debate about the identity of Jesus in [32:22] particular. It's about Jesus's identity [32:23] here. That's the the controversy to my [32:26] recollection that I see in things about [32:27] who Jesus is, right? And to see him as [32:31] as as God as uncreated God is clearly [32:36] taught in the New Testament. To me, this [32:38] is this is the winner of all battles is [32:40] the New Testament clearly unequivocally [32:42] declares that Jesus is God. It just says [32:44] this in plain language multiple times. [32:47] And so, um, that just means that the [32:51] fight against the deity of Christ was a [32:54] later battle that the church was going [32:56] through as it continued to spread. And [32:57] during the earliest stages when you had [33:00] um, you know, the the closest to the [33:02] apostolic times, you just didn't have [33:03] that battle. So, so do you see what [33:05] we're we're doing here? We're we're [33:08] doing theology wrong. What we're doing [33:11] here is theology should not be done with [33:13] well whenever the controversy came [33:15] that's when that doctrine was made up. [33:17] Why why wouldn't it just equally be true [33:19] that when Nika came that's when the idea [33:22] of Jesus not you know having the [33:25] trinitarian theology of who Jesus is? [33:27] Why don't we just say that was the new [33:28] idea be because we shouldn't do our [33:31] theology that way. We should go to the [33:32] New Testament and let it tell us what it [33:34] tells us. [33:36] All right. Number five. This is Jean [33:39] Robbins who says, "How should we [33:40] interpret Deuteronomy 13:es 6-9 [33:45] part of the chapter is often used on [33:47] Mormons for Joseph Smith being a false [33:49] prophet? But if rejecting a false [33:50] prophet is required, would it follow [33:53] that this is required too?" This chapter [33:55] all or nothing. Okay, the chapter we'll [33:57] read in a second here. It also refers to [33:59] what you do to the false prophet when [34:01] you find out they're false. So [34:03] Deuteronomy [34:05] 13 6-9, you you kill him. Okay, let's [34:08] read the passage here together. If your [34:10] brother, your mother's son, or your son [34:12] or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or [34:15] your friend who is your own soul, entice [34:17] you secretly, saying, "Let us go and [34:20] serve other gods, whom you whom neither [34:22] you nor your fathers have known, of the [34:24] gods of the peoples who are around you, [34:26] near you, or far from you, from one end [34:28] of the earth to the other end." Okay, [34:30] any other god. If someone who you [34:31] desperately love and is close to you [34:33] tells you to worship some other false [34:35] god, [34:36] yet you shall not yield to it to him or [34:39] listen to him and your eye shall not [34:41] have pity pity him nor shall you spare [34:43] or conceal him. Oddly enough, like may I [34:45] say this total side note, this might be [34:48] an Old Testament example of a very [34:50] relevant current event. when a person's [34:54] dear loved one, family member, husband, [34:56] wife, child comes out as, you know, I'm [35:00] pagan now, I'm atheist now, I'm uh I'm [35:04] openly homosexual now, I'm I'm [35:06] transgender now. It is often a huge like [35:10] watershed moment whether their family [35:12] because of their love for that person [35:14] will also compromise their beliefs and [35:16] their following of Jesus. And it happens [35:18] all the time like prominent pastors we [35:20] I've seen many prominent pastors well [35:22] pastors at least how prominent they are [35:24] um who when when a son or daughter comes [35:27] out as as like uh gay they go yeah I've [35:31] changed my theology on this and this is [35:34] what I'm suggesting is here in [35:35] Deuteronomy this is a problem of course [35:37] it's a problem today it's a temptation [35:39] when our loved ones go away from God we [35:42] want to go too and we have to pick [35:44] between them and God so you shall not [35:45] yield don't listen And he says, um, [35:48] don't pity them. Don't spare or conceal [35:50] him. Don't hide him from the people to [35:52] con protect him. But you shall surely [35:54] kill him. Your hand shall be first [35:56] against him to put him to death. [35:58] Afterwards, the hand of all the people. [36:00] So you shall stone him to death because [36:02] he has sought to seduce you from the [36:04] Lord your God who brought you out from [36:06] the land of Egypt and out of the house [36:07] of slavery, which is in other words, he [36:09] sought to bring you harm that is both [36:11] temporal and eternal by leading you away [36:14] from God. So this is a pretty [36:15] significant thing. This is like [36:16] attempted murder spiritually speaking [36:19] when you bring false prophecy, you know, [36:21] not just false prophecy here. This isn't [36:23] just about false prophet. This is about [36:25] um leading people away from God because [36:27] a false prophet could just be an error. [36:29] There's still a false prophet. There's [36:31] teaching about stoning them, too, by the [36:32] way. Um then all Israel will hear and be [36:35] afraid and will never again do such a [36:36] wicked thing among you. That's that's [36:38] the main lesson. We got to teach the [36:40] people to stay close to God. Um why [36:42] don't we apply that today? Well, because [36:45] we're not under the law. Like, please, [36:47] please, please, if anybody's feeling [36:49] conflicted and confused on this, I have [36:51] a two-part video series, and I hope [36:53] mods, if you can put this in the in the [36:54] live chat, I'll put a link down below as [36:56] soon as I finish the stream. This is how [36:58] to understand the Old Testament law. [36:59] This is like years old, my teaching on [37:00] this, but I've had a lot of good [37:02] feedback. People have told me many times [37:03] that this really helped them, these two [37:05] videos. This will help you answer this [37:08] question and a thousand others. We are [37:10] not under the law. That's not a [37:12] throwaway phrase. That's an important [37:13] New Testament teaching. So, what do we [37:16] do with the law? I talk about this in [37:18] that series as well. We learn principles [37:20] from it. And so, the penalty of the law, [37:23] you're not under, but the there's a [37:24] principle here. God does not want you [37:26] leading people away from God. That's [37:29] that's an important principle. So, um, [37:32] how do I apply this to Joseph Smith? [37:35] Well, you you ignore him leading you to [37:38] false gods. He he believes in many gods, [37:40] multiple gods. He teaches all this sort [37:42] of like polytheism stuff that is in [37:44] Mormonism even though many times they [37:46] don't want to they well I I say they [37:48] don't want to I think they're trained to [37:50] try to walk around those issues because [37:52] it's part of the PR of trying to grow [37:54] Mormonism because for Mormons for [37:57] Mormonism not Mormons for Mormonism the [37:59] growth of the movement is more important [38:00] than the theology itself [38:03] which is a weird thing that's happened [38:04] over the years but that seems to be the [38:05] case that they've shifted to being like [38:08] preserving the movement is more [38:10] important than even preserving our [38:11] teachings. But um but it's there's too [38:13] much cancer. There's too much cancer. It [38:15] can't be saved. It everyone needs to [38:17] stop being Mormon um at this point. So [38:20] um yeah, so I can apply this to him. [38:22] This is easy, man. Joseph Smith led [38:23] people away from God. You don't listen [38:25] to them. Do you stone him? Well, we're [38:27] not under the law. Please check out that [38:29] two-part series, Jean. I I really think [38:31] you'll be blessed by it. Tons of [38:33] scripture I use to to demonstrate each [38:35] point that I make in there, and I will [38:36] link it below as well. Question six, [38:39] Kelsby says, "As a new believer, I feel [38:42] I won't be able to go to my [38:43] sister-in-law's house again because they [38:45] smoke weed at every gathering. How do I [38:47] find balance between being light and not [38:50] being in a certain situations?" Um, [38:52] okay. So, some of the ways that I would [38:55] I've done this in my own life because I, [38:57] you know, largely growing up, friends [38:59] that aren't saved, family that's not [39:01] following Jesus, you know, this is my my [39:04] I'm not brought up in like a church [39:05] bubble, okay? I entered the bubble later [39:08] and was like, "Wow, this is interesting [39:10] place." So, um, what I'm going to [39:12] suggest is, uh, some of the things at [39:13] least that help me as I work through [39:15] this. And that is, um, a, am I being [39:19] stumbled? Okay. So, when I go to to be [39:22] with them, I don't want to ask, am I [39:25] making them better? Hey, they're a [39:26] little better. They don't cost as much [39:27] when I'm around. Whatever. This is what [39:29] I would hear people say all the time. I [39:31] want to ask first the question, am I [39:32] being made to compromise my walk with [39:34] God? [39:36] Let me give you an example from [39:37] marriage. Let's say that there's this [39:39] girl I want to outreach to. She's not my [39:41] wife, but but I'm like tempted by this [39:44] girl. Isn't it a no-brainer that I [39:47] should not spend any time with this [39:49] girl? It's a no-brainer. Right. Right. [39:51] Like because I have a more important [39:53] relationship that trumps all of that [39:55] with my wife. And so I'm not I'm not [39:56] going to spend time with her. I'm not [39:57] even Oh, I really wanted to see her [39:59] saved. Yeah. Okay, that's fine. But is [40:01] it stumbling you in these important [40:03] ways? in which case you keep your walk [40:04] focused on God. So if you are being led [40:08] into sin by those relationships, that's [40:11] a sign they may need to be changed or [40:13] removed. Um if another question is um am [40:18] I actually doing outreach with these [40:19] people or am I just hanging out because [40:21] it's what I'm used to? And I think that [40:23] um I don't want to be too strict on this [40:25] like I'm demanding you preach the gospel [40:27] every time you see them, but it's a [40:28] question to ask. Okay, is this really [40:30] happening? is it speaks of the value of [40:32] the relationship. Another question to [40:34] ask is, is all the time I'm spending [40:36] with this group of people, is that [40:38] keeping me from pursuing some other [40:40] wonderful thing for the name of Christ, [40:43] serving a ministry, starting a ministry, [40:45] um doing other things that that might [40:47] honor and glorify God. And so, you got [40:49] to ask because some relationships are [40:50] just massive time [40:53] time suckers and you just want to be [40:56] aware of that. So, um, you also say [40:59] though, this is your your family and so [41:02] I I don't want to cut family off. [41:04] They're family. I I I might want to [41:05] adjust how I engage with them. [41:08] And that's that's a tough that's a tough [41:10] challenge. Make do a lot of prayer about [41:12] how to navigate those types of things. [41:14] Um, yeah. So, yeah, I hope those those [41:18] give you some wisdom, though. Number [41:19] seven, Emily Price says, "I just came [41:21] into a lead role in a local ministry [41:24] where many of the other adults are older [41:26] than I. I want to be confident but not [41:28] cocky, firm but able to learn. Any tips? [41:31] Thank you for your ministry." [41:35] Um, [41:38] so Paul writes to Timothy, "Let no one [41:40] despise your youth." We have that that [41:42] statement from Paul to Timothy. And I [41:45] think people interpret that in different [41:46] ways. I've seen people interpret it, oh, [41:49] so hey, you can't despise me just cuz [41:51] I'm young. Almost like it's it's a pride [41:53] and attit arrogance thing. I think what [41:55] Paul probably meant, my impression is he [41:58] meant Timothy, you're young, but don't [42:00] act like it. [laughter] [42:02] And there's something to be said for [42:04] this. Do not just act your age. Doesn't [42:07] mean you can't be a little goofy or fun, [42:10] but he means there are certain things. [42:12] Okay, the older you get, the more you [42:13] realize this, but let me see. Even if [42:15] you're 17, you guys know what I mean. [42:18] Look at how irresponsible fouryear-olds [42:20] are, [42:22] right? Look at how they think they know [42:24] things they don't know anything about. [42:26] If they had more responsibility, more of [42:28] a seriousness, more of a care for others [42:30] and not concerned for themselves, and a [42:32] little bit more of thoughtful [42:33] reflectiveness, sure, they'd be better. [42:35] Now, I don't expect that much of [42:36] four-year-olds, but if you're a young [42:38] person serving in ministry, you have to [42:40] labor extra hard to be walking in wisdom [42:42] and thoughtfulness and to like you said, [42:44] you want to listen to them. Um, building [42:47] that bridge, hey, is there anything that [42:49] I can learn from you and, you know, pull [42:51] pull them aside and and ask them. It's [42:53] difficult to build that connection with [42:54] people if you're leading where they feel [42:56] comfortable telling you how they feel [42:57] about how the ministry is going. They'll [42:59] talk to each other about it. That's our [43:01] sin natures naturally to do that. But [43:03] getting them to feel comfortable talking [43:04] to you about it is very difficult to do. [43:06] Something you might labor towards. Um so [43:10] you want to be confident but not cocky. [43:11] I would say um never let your confidence [43:15] be greater than it is. [43:19] So as a leader you can feel like you [43:21] have to make a decision. Then then [43:22] you're looking around to see if [43:23] everybody's falling in line. These types [43:25] of things. What happens in leadership is [43:27] the same thing I think that happens in [43:28] marriage because I've done both. Is all [43:30] my insecurities just come right to the [43:32] surface. And so then I can get weird. [43:35] Don't worry about it. Don't worry about [43:37] what people say behind your back. Don't [43:40] worry about that person who's giving you [43:41] a weird look or who you think doesn't [43:42] really respect you. Don't inflate it and [43:45] make it bigger than it is because then [43:47] you will treat them like a problem [43:49] instead of a resource and a ministry [43:50] partner. You just have to overlook all [43:53] those things and you just have to say, [43:54] "Look, I'm just called to be faithful. [43:56] This is the clarity I've got. Let's go [43:58] for it. Maybe I don't know about that. [44:00] Then I'm not going to pretend I do." Um, [44:02] these are these are some of the tips [44:04] that I would give you. And um, yeah, [44:08] time, time, time. I remember when I was [44:10] brought into youth ministry as the [44:12] pastor [44:14] for the students, not the counselors, [44:16] but for the students, this was [44:17] interesting. It was like two years [44:20] before they like looked at me like I was [44:22] their pastor. I don't know how to [44:25] explain it other than that. There's [44:27] something about serving in longevity in [44:29] ministry that you your first year is the [44:32] most difficult and then your second year [44:35] is also very difficult. But over time, [44:39] you develop the skills, you understand [44:41] your job better, and you look back at [44:43] your first year and you're like, "What [44:44] was I I didn't know what I was doing, [44:45] you know, and then you realize that it [44:48] was just a learning process." So, be [44:50] patient is the last thing that I'll [44:51] suggest. Number eight, Stephanie Morris [44:53] says, "How can we differentiate the [44:55] instructions given by Paul in 1 [44:57] Corinthians 5:11 and by Jesus in Matthew [45:01] 18 15-17 with the shunning, shaming [45:05] practices of certain cults like JW's, [45:07] Mormonism, etc. [45:10] Um, well, we already read the Matthew [45:11] passage earlier. So, the Matthew passage [45:13] is is let that person be to you as a [45:15] heathen and a tax collector. Now, I want [45:16] to answer Stephanie. One of the things [45:18] I'll do is the way that I've seen um say [45:22] Jehovah's Witnesses do this is they [45:24] treat them like a bad guy. That's not [45:26] what the Bible means by heathen or tax [45:28] collector, gentile or tax. Let them be [45:30] to you that way means right? Because [45:32] Jesus came to seek and save the lost. [45:34] Like he'd leave the 99 for the one. It [45:36] just means there's a shift of fellowship [45:38] to outreach. [45:40] Fellowship to outreach. That's a very [45:43] different thing than what we see in [45:44] those in those other groups. Like [45:46] there's there's a sense in which I care [45:48] about you. I want you to be saved. I [45:50] want to see you come and be restored [45:51] into relationship with Christ and [45:53] relationship with us. That's the agenda. [45:55] That's the goal. I'm not purely seeking [45:57] to protect my flock from the damaging [46:00] effects of you. I want to see you be [46:02] restored. That's a big difference. Um [46:05] then there's 1 Corinthians 5:11. [46:10] Um this one is a real strong statement. [46:12] He says, um, I actually wrote to you not [46:15] to associate with any so-called brother [46:18] if he's an immoral person or a covetous [46:20] man or covetous or an idoltor or a [46:23] reviler or a drunkard or swindler, not [46:25] even to eat with such a one. [46:27] Um, so let me just say for there's [46:32] several things in my head that just [46:34] immediately pop in. Okay, so one of them [46:35] is don't eat with such a one. I think [46:38] that we have to understand eating in [46:39] their culture in their time was not just [46:42] any kind of eating. In Corinth, they [46:45] were having what they call these agape [46:46] feasts, love feasts, where they would [46:48] gather together as a church to have [46:50] something like a potluck type going on. [46:53] Um pot faith, if luck offends you. Um I [46:56] used to be really offended by the term [46:57] luck. Now I I just I just [47:00] don't think it means what I thought it [47:01] meant before. So, um, anyway, so let's [47:03] say you did a a pot potluck and here [47:06] it's a church gathering, right? So, a [47:08] lot of in my area, Hispanic churches [47:10] sometimes do this after church service. [47:12] It's literally just part of Sunday that [47:14] they have like a communal meal together. [47:18] It's just part of the church service, [47:19] like carneasada and some yummy salsa and [47:23] all that kind of stuff. And this could [47:26] be the context of Paul saying, "Don't [47:27] eat with such a one." He's he's saying I [47:29] don't want you to be I don't want them [47:31] to be considered part of the body. And [47:34] in that sense, I go, yes, there you go. [47:36] This is consistent with what Jesus says. [47:38] They're not part of the body of Christ, [47:40] right? But that doesn't mean you [47:42] dysfellowship them in this entirety type [47:44] sense. Um like you have no relationship [47:47] with them. You can't talk to them. You [47:48] can't you can't have a meal. Like you [47:50] can't go, "Hey, can we get lunch and [47:51] catch up and see how you are?" I think [47:52] you can absolutely do that. uh Jesus ate [47:55] with the the the the sinners, right? [47:57] You're just to treat them as an [47:59] outsider, not as an insider. So, they [48:00] move to an outreach relationship instead [48:02] of a fellowship relationship. And we see [48:05] um an example of of how this works [48:09] um [48:11] uh marriage. Okay? So when the Bible [48:13] deals with an unequally yolked marriage [48:15] or a marriage where one of the people [48:18] say the wife is is a Christian and the [48:19] husband is not, we are never told that [48:22] they're to separate from her husband. [48:24] She's told to stay married and to honor [48:26] her husband, right? To walk in all the [48:27] ways a wife is called and that she might [48:30] win her husband to Christ. So she's [48:32] considered an active witness in his life [48:34] through her behavior. So when it comes [48:36] to the fellowship, there's a sense of [48:39] dissociation. But if you have other [48:41] relationships with the person through [48:43] business relations through you go to [48:45] school together through um it's a [48:48] friendship you've you've had since [48:49] outside and regardless of the church [48:51] through being a brother sister husband [48:53] wife cousin those relationships continue [48:56] and it's now an outreach thing. I hope [48:58] that that helps differentiate it from [48:59] the abusive stuff we see in cults. [49:02] Number nine, Tim Kusky says, "Did Jesus [49:05] need to have suffered the most pain ever [49:08] for him to be worthy to save us? How [49:10] should we answer the objection that some [49:12] people supposedly suffered worse pain [49:13] from torture or like say the Holocaust?" [49:16] Uh Tim, when I was a teenager, I totally [49:18] thought that. I don't know where I got [49:20] it from. I'm not going to blame like my [49:23] my youth leader um for it because I'm [49:25] sure all sorts of things that he said I [49:27] didn't listen to. [laughter] [49:30] So, but I had this in my head, this idea [49:31] that Jesus, no one ever suffered as much [49:33] as Jesus. And I remember my surprise [49:35] when I heard that other people had been [49:36] crucified. I was like, wait, I thought [49:38] Jesus was the crucified other people [49:40] got. And then I thought this crucifixion [49:41] was so painful like that that was [49:43] somehow connected to him saving us. I [49:46] don't think that Jesus had to suffer [49:48] more physical pain than anyone else in [49:51] order for him to redeem us. The penalty [49:54] is death. I think that the pain is part [49:59] of that is connected to that. But [50:01] there's nothing in scripture I'm aware [50:02] of that suggests that like he had to [50:05] have this many blows of stripes on his [50:08] back like one less and it wouldn't work [50:12] or that it had the crown had to have [50:13] this many thorns. This is how um [50:16] somewhat apostate Brian Zand will [50:19] characterize the doctrines of the [50:21] Christian faith regarding Jesus's death [50:23] and resurrection. penal substitutionary [50:25] atonement we call it. He'll say like, [50:26] "Oh, it has to have this many crowns and [50:28] no less, right? Because because God [50:30] wants to punish and have Jesus suffer a [50:32] certain amount. I think it probably [50:34] could have been more, probably could [50:35] have been less. Um, but there's a lot of [50:38] symbolism in his suffering and that's [50:39] intact. Jesus suffered and this [50:41] represents the suffering I deserve, [50:44] right? Jesus suffered pain, the crown, [50:46] because he's taking the curse. Remember [50:48] the crown is thorns and the curse was [50:50] thorns and thistles. The ground will [50:51] raise up for you. Remember they ate of [50:53] the tree and I brought death. Jesus goes [50:55] to a tree and experiences death. [50:58] These stripes on his back are connect to [51:01] the idea that that he's he's being his [51:04] blood is being spilled and poured out [51:06] for us that we might be saved. [51:08] Ultimately though, what Jesus had to do, [51:10] Tim, is die. He had to die because our [51:14] sentence was death. And so he takes on [51:16] human form to represent all humans on [51:18] the cross and die in our place. And so I [51:21] think that the the you could you could [51:23] find a person who physically suffered [51:25] more than Jesus in the history of [51:26] humanity, but they didn't do it for the [51:29] benefit of others salvation. Not the way [51:32] Jesus did, not their eternal spiritual [51:34] salvation. And you can't really compare [51:37] the physical suffering to the spiritual [51:39] stuff Jesus went through. It's [51:41] interesting that it says that he [51:42] despised the shame. [51:45] Now shame is a weighted thing. Okay, [51:47] some people are sort of immune to shame. [51:49] And that's probably sometimes because [51:51] they're just very shameful people. They [51:53] don't care about the shame they're [51:55] experiencing, so it doesn't break their [51:56] heart. But when you have a righteous and [51:58] holy God who comes and lives a perfect [52:01] and spotless life, who then has all the [52:04] sin and guilt and shame of the world [52:06] dumped upon him, that matters. And that [52:09] is hard to measure against anything else [52:10] because nobody else has ever had that. [52:12] The spiritual cost of the cross is [52:14] something that I don't understand, but I [52:17] have a tiny hint at it. On those times [52:19] in my life when I felt intense guilt and [52:21] shame, Jesus experienced my shame and [52:25] your shame, all of our shame on the [52:26] cross. So there's there's more than the [52:28] physical suffering. Number 10, whatever [52:31] is lovely says, "Pastor Mike, how should [52:34] I pray? I prayed for my husband's health [52:36] and shortly thereafter he died suddenly [52:38] and unexpectedly. oftenimes I feel that [52:40] my will is out of sync with Yahweh's. It [52:43] hurts. Um well, [52:46] I'm going to recommend a specific [52:47] teaching. I I'll answer something that [52:49] hopefully will help you today, but I [52:50] want to recommend a teaching to you [52:51] because this is a big issue. And it's [52:53] not just a big issue for you. It's a big [52:55] issue for the church. It's a big issue [52:56] for the disciples and it's a big issue [52:58] for Jesus. There's a teaching I did in [53:00] the Mark in the Gospel of Mark series. [53:02] Um and I think I called I think the the [53:04] thumbnail said, "How correct is Kenneth [53:06] Copeland?" In fact, one of the mods, can [53:08] you put this in there as well? And I'll [53:09] link this down below for those of you to [53:11] watch if you're interested. You can [53:12] check this out. Um, and in that I deal [53:15] with the the the the contrast in the [53:18] Gospel of Mark that we have, and you're [53:19] feeling this too. I think that we have [53:21] these statements by Jesus. He's like, [53:22] "Whatever you ask in my name, you'll [53:24] receive. You ask believing, you'll get [53:26] it." And then Jesus goes to to the [53:30] garden of Gethsemane and there he prays, [53:32] "Father, deliver me. Take this cup from [53:34] me." Right? Nevertheless, not my will be [53:37] done but yours. That there is this [53:39] contrast in prayer, right? There is this [53:41] incredible power of God to do anything. [53:44] And yet sometimes it's not his will. And [53:47] if you believe him and it is his will, [53:49] he's going to do it. He'll he will [53:51] accomplish that miraculous wonderful [53:52] thing. But there is times where you can [53:54] believe all you want, but that belief [53:57] isn't according to the will of God. And [53:58] this is where you're like, maybe I'm out [53:59] of sync with God. No, I don't think so. [54:03] Because there's an entire just like [54:04] Jesus, he he's a model for us here. He [54:07] says like if it be your will, right? But [54:10] he says you could do all things. There's [54:12] faith there, right? He's modeling for [54:14] us, right? He's he's he's walking in [54:15] humility and he's modeling human prayer [54:19] as he does this. And he says, "Father, [54:22] you can do all things. If there's any [54:25] other way, let this cup pass from me. [54:26] Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be [54:28] done." And this is kind of what you did [54:30] with your husband. Lord, I know you can [54:31] heal him. I trust you. Please heal my [54:34] husband. And for whatever heartbreaking [54:38] reason this does not happen, that [54:40] doesn't mean that it was your prayer [54:41] that was flawed. It doesn't mean that [54:42] it's you that was flawed. Just like it [54:43] doesn't mean it was Jesus that was [54:45] flawed in the garden when he still went [54:47] to the cross and suffered that fate. [54:49] He's modeling for us this difficult [54:51] place where you find a whole new side of [54:54] faith which is trusting God when he says [54:56] no. [54:58] And it's the you would give anything for [55:01] him to say yes. And so please please [55:04] check out that um that video, how [55:06] correct is Kenneth Copeland or I think [55:07] it was called like um something about [55:09] the best name it and claim it verse. [55:10] Hopefully it's been it's there in this [55:12] in the in the live chat. I don't know. I [55:14] don't I don't see it there. So I'll put [55:17] it in the video description if if you [55:19] guys don't get it in the live chat. Um I [55:21] I hope you'll check it out. God bless [55:22] you and help you uh whatever whatever is [55:24] lovely. We pray that the Lord would [55:25] encourage you and strengthen you and [55:27] comfort you and and just carry you [55:30] through. May he be the rock that you [55:31] fall on when you can't hold yourself up [55:33] and you just rest in him. [55:36] Ben V has a question. Why do modern [55:38] translators translations [55:40] hide so much mythology? Leviathan and [55:43] Behemoth are animals. Isaiah 34:14, [55:46] Lilith is an owl. Psalm 96:5, "Gods are [55:49] idols and not demons. I fear this leads [55:52] to materialism." Um, okay, Ben. I don't [55:54] know if I'm actually on the same page [55:56] with you on this. So, um, so it doesn't [55:59] mean I'm saying you're wrong, okay? I'm [56:02] just suggesting that I can't grant the [56:03] hypothesis. Like, you're like, "Hey, why [56:05] is this happening? I'm not sure that [56:07] that's happening." Um, [56:11] I I I I'm very concerned about your use [56:13] of the term mythology and applying it to [56:16] all these different things. It is true [56:17] that um some consider Leviathan, [56:20] behemoth, [56:21] as mythological type things. I think [56:24] what translations try to do is they just [56:26] try to translate the words. It would [56:28] only be if you could find other ancient [56:30] neareastern texts that suggest that [56:32] these are being used symbolically, [56:35] mythological animals that are being used [56:36] symbolically and not literal animals [56:38] that Job is physically aware of. Maybe [56:40] he knows about them because of their [56:42] It's kind of like if I told you guys [56:43] about the Lochness monster. I could use [56:44] this and everybody knows what I mean and [56:46] someone else might think I was I was [56:48] talking about a real monster, which I'm [56:50] not. Or Bigfoot, you know. Um, and so [56:53] yeah, but but that's not exactly the [56:55] translator's job. Like that's ancient [56:58] Neareastern studies. It's just I just [57:00] don't think it's really the translator's [57:02] job there. You give us a couple other [57:04] examples. Um Isaiah 34:14, Lilith is an [57:08] owl. Um I'm not familiar with that one. [57:10] Uh Psalm 965, gods are idols and not [57:12] demons. I fear this leads to [57:14] materialism. Um let's look at the Psalm [57:16] 965 one. Okay. [57:21] Um, and we do want to be aware of our [57:23] the materialism of our culture can [57:24] definitely impact our Christian faith. [57:26] But the Bible's thoroughly supernatural. [57:28] It continually presents a supernatural [57:30] worldview. Um, so Psalm 96:5, here's the [57:34] NASB. For all the gods of the peoples [57:36] are idols. Okay, this implies that [57:39] they're just they're just pieces of [57:41] wood, right? They're they're just fake. [57:43] But God, he's the one who made [57:45] everything. So So he's bigger than that. [57:47] Let's look at this in a few other [57:48] translations. Um, ESV, all the gods of [57:51] the peoples are worthless idols. Okay, [57:54] NIV, uh, all the gods of the nations are [57:57] idols. There is a footnote here, um, but [57:59] it just refers us to Leviticus 19:4 that [58:02] says, uh, do not turn to idols or make [58:06] yourselves any gods of cast metal. Um, [58:08] New King James, the gods of the people [58:10] are idols. Um, I wonder if I could get [58:16] I'll do real quick for you guys. Psalm [58:19] 96:5 [58:20] the Hebrew for the word that's [58:22] translated idols there see because this [58:24] is the question if it's a translation [58:25] issue then it because the Hebrew itself [58:28] has a problem uh oh [58:32] ah [58:34] so um the term idols is being it looks [58:37] like it's being added by the translators [58:40] the actual word in the Hebrew is that [58:42] that's they're translating worthless [58:44] idols is um I wonder if I could play it [58:47] for [58:49] You want to hear this? This is logos. [58:52] You can do this. All right. Just a sec. [58:56] >> Did you guys hear it? [58:58] >> Oh, looks like it was really loud. Okay. [59:00] I've never done that before, so I wasn't [59:01] sure what would happen. Okay. Um, at any [59:04] rate, um, the the meaning of the word [59:07] here's Brown Driver Briggs, which um is [59:10] an Old Testament really reliable [59:12] considered source on this sort of thing, [59:14] right? refers to things that are weak, [59:16] feeble, or poor. Um, insufficiency, [59:18] worthlessness. Um, unfortunately, this [59:20] is way too long of an article for me to [59:22] read right now. Um, but it does refer to [59:25] worthless gods or idols. The word itself [59:27] can refer specifically to idols. So, [59:32] I just I don't see that this is a [59:33] problem. [laughter] So, forgive me, Ben. [59:35] I know there's more that you you've [59:37] probably like, "But Mike, I've got all [59:38] these reasons." And forgive me, I don't [59:39] know those reasons. I can't respond to [59:40] them right now, but um I don't know that [59:43] this is a translation problem. [59:46] Number 12, uh Tom Mortis Smith says, [59:50] "I've had some really good conversations [59:52] with friends at work about being a [59:54] Christian. What are some good tips for [59:55] me to continue talking to them without [59:57] seeming like I'm pushing it on them?" [60:00] You know, Tom, I don't I don't know that [60:02] I'm really all that great at this. I I [60:04] I'm sorry. [laughter] [60:06] I'm not sure that I'm all that great at [60:07] this. Um, what I found, one thing that [60:10] helps is people people care about things [60:13] that you are excited about, not just [60:16] passionate about, excited about. There's [60:19] a difference, okay? You can be [60:21] passionate about things and you can be [60:23] excited about them. And so, um, there [60:25] there's that. They also care about [60:27] things that seem like they have some [60:28] connection to their own life. But I [60:30] found this. When you talk to people [60:32] about God multiple times, they will they [60:35] will be making decisions on the spot [60:37] about whether they are open to and [60:39] receiving these things, rejecting these [60:41] things. Um, and depending on how they [60:43] respond, they will come with a sort of a [60:46] predisposition to your next [60:48] conversation. Let me let me explain what [60:50] I mean here. if they in your previous [60:52] talks found that maybe you you you were [60:56] talking to them about God and it felt [60:57] like you were giving them good reasons [60:58] to believe in Jesus but they don't want [61:00] to the next time you talk to them [61:03] they're not going to be comfortable with [61:04] that. So no matter how you approach it [61:06] I'm not sure how much that's going to [61:07] help. Here's where, you know, as a [61:10] followup to witnessing your character [61:13] and godliness and compassion and your [61:15] goodness as a person is a big deal [61:18] because it will help reinforce those [61:19] things to those people, but you can't [61:21] make them make a choice. And the more [61:22] you talk to them, you can't hide the [61:24] fact that you were trying to get them to [61:25] follow Jesus, right? So, [61:28] um, so, so I think, yeah, those are some [61:31] of the things I'm thinking about there. [61:32] Um, in some ways I don't know how to [61:34] deal with people who progressively close [61:36] themselves off more and more because [61:38] they can sense that you're pulling them [61:39] to the cross and they don't want to go [61:41] there. And for them, I think your [61:43] character matters a lot, but there's a [61:45] time where you say, um, I don't I don't [61:47] know how to proceed. I don't know how to [61:49] push you to the next moment in this [61:51] conversation. And at that point, I think [61:54] my tendency is to just be pretty [61:55] straight with people. Hey, man. I I I [61:58] don't want to make you uncomfortable. [61:59] I'm sensing that maybe there's there's [62:01] I'm making you feel uncomfortable and [62:03] [snorts] because you're you're wanting [62:05] to you you see that I want you to follow [62:07] Jesus and I do. I really do want you to [62:10] follow Jesus. So, but I'm sorry if that [62:12] makes you uncomfortable. I just I really [62:13] believe it's it's that God loves you, [62:15] that Jesus died for you, that that you [62:18] can know him, you can walk in him, you [62:19] can have forgiveness for everything [62:20] you've done, and I want you to have [62:21] that. And I I just get even more [62:24] uncomfortable with people at that [62:25] [laughter] point. Um, Christine, who are [62:27] the nickelutans that are mentioned in [62:29] Revelation 2:6? Thanks for your [62:31] ministry. Okay, so boy, it's been a long [62:34] time since I've looked into this. [62:36] Revelation 2:6. I'll give you guys a few [62:38] details here, but don't consider this my [62:39] my final answer. Um, he Jesus is is [62:43] giving letters to the churches, these [62:45] seven churches in Revelation. Each of [62:47] them he gives them various things. [62:49] Usually something positive, something [62:50] negative, sometimes all negative, [62:52] sometimes all positive. Um here one of [62:54] the negative things that's going on in [62:56] the church is that there's this group [62:58] called the nickelotans and Jesus says [63:01] yeah this you have you hate the works of [63:03] the nicicoatans which I also hate. Um so [63:07] there's been different theories about [63:09] the meaning of these I mean look at look [63:10] at how much data we have that's like [63:12] that's it like we don't have anything [63:13] else about them. We have their name [63:14] nickelatans. Now they could be followers [63:16] of someone named Nicholas. It could be [63:18] like their leaders a guy named Nicholas [63:19] and they're the nickelutans. Um or it [63:22] could be nicotin means power over the [63:25] people. You see how it's leotin like [63:27] leos people like so there's power over [63:30] the people that could be this thing [63:32] that's going on there. So, so some [63:34] think, okay, well, this is the rise of [63:36] um some kind of like [63:39] um clergy leoty thing, right? Where [63:43] where where they're trying to take power [63:46] over the over the believers and maybe [63:48] devalue their own individual connection [63:51] with God. And some things were going on [63:52] there in the in late 1st century, early [63:54] 2nd century, we have the development of [63:56] a priesthood. There was no priesthood in [63:58] the New Testament times. But there is [64:00] this sense in which power over the [64:02] people was happening as you had like [64:04] special people who were called priests, [64:05] right? Yet the New Testament teaches [64:07] that we're all priests. No one gets [64:09] between you and your relationship with [64:10] God. Even though I might be an [64:12] assistance to you as a teacher, as a a [64:14] Bible thinker, I'm not I'm not mediating [64:17] your relationship with God, right? And [64:18] so there's that that could be something [64:21] that's going on there. Um there are some [64:23] other views on the nickelans that I just [64:24] can't remember right now. And um it's [64:28] been a while since I looked into it. So [64:30] I hope that a few of those thoughts give [64:31] you something to consider. I'd read [64:33] several, not one, several commentaries [64:35] on the topic of nickelutans. Um if you [64:37] guys are looking for a site that has [64:38] some decent stuff that for free, [64:40] blueletterbible.org is what I would [64:42] recommend. And question 14, this is from [64:45] Ryand Weeo who says, "Job 16 states that [64:49] the angels and Satan present themselves [64:51] before the Lord and they proceed to have [64:53] a conversation about Job in the ensuing [64:56] verses. Who was there to witness and [64:58] record the conversation?" That's [65:00] actually a fantastic question. Um Job [65:03] 1:6. [65:05] So let's read the passage, then we'll [65:07] then we'll work through the answer. Now [65:10] um there was a day when the sons of God [65:12] came to present themselves before the [65:14] Lord and Satan also came among them. The [65:17] Lord said to Satan from where have you [65:18] come? And Satan answered the Lord and [65:21] said from going to and fro on the earth [65:23] and from walking up and down on it. And [65:26] scripture elsewhere tells us Satan does [65:27] this seeking who whom he may devour. [65:29] He's trying to cause problems. Then they [65:30] have a conversation about Job and Satan [65:33] brings up a challenge like hey Job would [65:35] Job would would reject you. Yeah, he [65:37] believes. But if you didn't bless him, [65:38] if you didn't just make his life [65:40] comfortable, he would curse you to your [65:41] face. He doesn't really love you for [65:43] you, God. He doesn't really trust you. [65:45] He only believes in you because of the [65:47] blessings he has because his life is [65:49] going well. And so then the challenge is [65:51] is thrown out like what if his life went [65:53] horrible? Would he still trust in God? [65:56] And um there ensues the book of Job. So [66:00] the question is like how do they know [66:01] about this? Like obviously no human was [66:04] there. I okay I say obviously it seems [66:07] it seems that no humans were there to [66:08] experience this conversation. So how did [66:11] they know? This leads us to another [66:13] question. How did they know about the [66:16] rest of the book of Job? We we have [66:18] really long conversations happening in [66:21] the book of Job [66:23] like chapters long where one person [66:25] talks for multiple chapters. How did [66:27] they get all this data? Was somebody [66:29] there writing down all the things that [66:30] these people were saying back and forth [66:32] to one another? Some people think that [66:34] there's some poetic [66:36] license happening in the book of Job in [66:38] that some details are not exactly as [66:41] they happened but are still inspired and [66:45] accurate for the sake of telling the [66:47] story. Um I mean that's that's in the [66:50] realm of possibility um but obviously [66:52] brings up a lot of questions. My thought [66:54] is this and this is just my opinion on [66:57] the book of Job at the moment um is that [67:00] whoever wrote Job which we don't know [67:02] the right answer to that or exactly when [67:03] it was written um I believe they wrote [67:06] under the inspiration of the Holy [67:07] Spirit. [67:10] When when you know writers of the Bible [67:13] are inspired by the Holy Spirit they can [67:16] write things that they could never have [67:17] known humanly. [67:20] Do do you see what I'm saying? it. It's [67:22] not that the Bible's just dictated, [67:25] but that doesn't mean that none of it's [67:26] dictated. There's parts of it where it's [67:28] just God says this word for word. This [67:30] is what God said. So, I don't really see [67:32] a problem with this. If you hold a view [67:34] that the Bible is inspired, then you [67:37] really don't have a problem with this. [67:39] Now, if you don't think the Bible's [67:40] inspired, then you're probably asking [67:42] the wrong questions anyways. You [67:44] probably should look at fulfilled [67:45] prophecy and not trying to explain where [67:47] did this information come from in Job [67:48] 1:6. because the answer is going to be [67:50] because it's inspired. So, this is a [67:52] simple thing to me. Um, you know, men of [67:55] God wrote as they were led by the Holy [67:58] Spirit and that the scripture itself is [67:59] God breathed. So, the information that [68:02] couldn't have come from the mind of man [68:04] must have come from the mind of God is [68:05] is my answer on that. [68:08] Carl has a question. How did the animals [68:11] get onto Noah's Ark? Greetings and [68:12] thanks from the UK. Well, hello to the [68:16] UK. Cheers to you. Um, [68:20] how did the animals get out to the ark? [68:21] Um, well, I mean, they they they walked [68:24] [laughter] [68:25] and so um it doesn't really give us much [68:28] in the scripture. If if you actually [68:29] look at some for specific details here, [68:32] we don't really have a lot. So, like [68:34] didn't didn't Noah Okay, if you take [68:37] sort of the strictly [68:40] I want to be careful with my words here. [68:42] Um, if you if you take um a more wooden [68:49] I'm not trying to say this in a [68:50] derogatory fashion either, but if you [68:52] take that more wooden kind of, you know, [68:53] interpretation approach to that passage, [68:56] what you've got here is um Noah has like [68:59] a hundred years to build the ark. He's [69:00] going to get two of every animal and [69:02] bring them in. And we're not really told [69:04] how he does that. Two of every animal, [69:06] seven of the clean ones, right? And so [69:08] we're not really told how this takes [69:10] place. [69:12] So [69:14] the answer is we don't know. So then [69:15] we're left to theorize. When scripture [69:16] doesn't outline this stuff, we theorize, [69:18] oh well, he had a lot of time that that [69:20] he could have commissioned people. And [69:23] some people think, well, the earth was [69:24] very different back then. And so two of [69:26] every animal was easier to do. Um the [69:29] shape god maybe brought animals and they [69:32] migrated somehow from different [69:33] locations and God could have started [69:35] that process at any point in time. Okay, [69:38] all these are like viable answers to [69:40] some regards and then they have other [69:41] issues in other other places. [69:44] But then that is the view that's based [69:46] upon it being of course a a global [69:50] flood. Okay. And I use the term global [69:52] here. So another perspective and I don't [69:53] know for sure what my view is on this. [69:55] Okay? Forgive me. I just don't know. I [69:58] really don't. I'm I'm a little bit open [70:00] on some of these issues. And um another [70:03] view is say Hugh Ross' view. So Hugh [70:05] Ross, their view is it was it was [70:08] worldwide but not global. And what they [70:10] mean is well the Bible uses the term [70:11] world to talk about the where mankind [70:14] lives and not the planet. And I'm not [70:18] saying that view is correct. I'm just [70:20] explaining to you a a perspective people [70:21] have on this for at least clarity. So [70:24] they'll say, "Well, that means that the [70:26] animals, you didn't need penguins on the [70:29] ark because they're unrelated to the [70:32] area in which mankind is living at the [70:34] time in the um in the Mesopotamian area, [70:38] the region that's there." And so you [70:40] don't need to bring animals from [70:42] everywhere in that regard. Um all around [70:44] the globe, you just need to bring them [70:46] from all around the world, which means [70:47] the world of mankind. [70:49] So yeah, I don't I don't know what the [70:50] right answer is there because the [70:52] scriptur is not super clear to me on how [70:54] that took place. And so I I'm open for [70:57] entertaining a few different options [70:59] where there's lack of clarity in my mind [71:02] at least. Number 16, Malcolm T says, [71:05] "When I pray, sometimes it feels like [71:07] I'm so deep in God's love, but other [71:10] times it feels like I'm talking to a [71:11] wall. How can I be sure that I'm praying [71:13] correctly and not just blabbering [71:15] mindlessly?" [71:16] Well, Malcolm, um I want to encourage [71:19] you to make a giant shift in the way [71:21] that you view your prayer life. [71:24] That is look at it the way that you talk [71:27] to your friend, your dad, your your your [71:30] co-orker, a person on the phone. [71:34] You ever had conversations where you're [71:35] talking to someone and you just you feel [71:37] like they're not like you just feel kind [71:40] of nothing in the conversation? Other [71:41] times the the talk is like, "Wow, it's [71:43] such a great talk." But never do you [71:45] think to yourself, maybe I'm not even [71:47] talking to them, right? Like it never [71:49] occurs to you. Maybe I'm not even having [71:51] a conversation right now. Even though [71:52] it's not maybe a feel-good one, it never [71:55] occurs to you that it's just not [71:56] actually happening. [71:58] The problem is that with God, you're [72:02] evaluating whether God's listening based [72:04] on how you feel in the moment. And that [72:07] is a very hazardous thing. And that's [72:10] the shift I want I want to encourage you [72:11] to make. Do not evaluate God's listening [72:14] to you with you feeling like God is [72:17] listening. This will put you on a [72:20] permanent roller coaster of thrills and [72:23] chills in a bad [laughter] way of you [72:26] feeling like, "Wow, oh, God was there. [72:28] He was really there." And and it's like [72:30] we we turn into this sort of [72:34] um [72:35] these people that need confirmation [72:39] at all times, but we never listen to [72:41] previous confirmation. We just need it [72:42] again right now. Lord, I take that [72:45] wonderful feeling of prayer as an answer [72:47] that you were listening to me. Next time [72:49] I pray, I'm not feeling it. I guess he's [72:51] not listening. Wait a minute. Did he or [72:53] did he not show me he was listening? But [72:55] but I need to feel it all the time. We [72:56] become slaves to our emotions and we [72:58] actually start judging God. Get this [73:01] based upon our hearts. And your heart, [73:04] Malcolm, like mine is really stupid. It [73:07] goes up, it goes down. Sometimes you're [73:09] upset and you don't even know why. [73:10] Sometimes you're happy and you don't [73:11] know why. Sometimes you're just feeling [73:13] nothing. And there's no good reason for [73:15] it. But your heart is not the way to [73:17] test the truth of things external to [73:19] your heart. [73:21] Just pray and trust God. Lord, I know [73:23] you're I know you're listening. I know [73:26] you hear me. How do I know this? Not [73:27] because I feel like you hear me, but [73:29] because Jesus died on the cross to [73:31] become the bridge so that I could have [73:33] constant and permanent access to you. I [73:35] come boldly to the throne of grace [73:37] through the veil that is his flesh that [73:38] I may enter the presence of God and he [73:40] hears me because of Jesus. Now, if I [73:43] don't feel it, that's just my heart [73:45] that's being weird. [73:47] Number 17, the physics and theology nerd [73:50] has a question. In Leviticus 12, women [73:52] are unclean and excluded from worship in [73:55] the temple after giving birth. That the [73:57] time is doubled if the baby is a girl [74:00] has troubled my wife. Do you know the [74:01] reason for this? [snorts] Um, [74:04] so I don't know the reason for this. I'm [74:06] familiar with the passage. Okay. So you [74:08] you you've summarized it well. Physics [74:10] and and theology nerd, you've summarized [74:12] it well. um the the duration that the [74:16] mother is unclean after giving birth is [74:19] doubled in the case of a girl. [74:22] The text never tells us why this is. So [74:25] some theories are thrown out there by [74:27] people, right? Like um well maybe women [74:29] are just generally more sinful. [74:33] Okay, but here I already want to pause. [74:35] There's different kinds of uncleanness. [74:37] There's the uncleanness of sin and [74:38] there's the uncleanness of physical [74:40] uncleanness that has nothing to do with [74:43] value, worth, dignity, or sin for that [74:47] matter. For a man who has a weird spot [74:49] on his head, he's considered unclean [74:51] until you confirm it's not something [74:53] like that could cause a plague. That has [74:56] nothing to do with sin. For a man that [74:58] has like if I if I reach and touch a [75:00] carcass, I can't go into the temple. But [75:03] that's not cuz I sinned by touching the [75:05] carcass. Like I had to. You got to touch [75:06] carcasses in life. At least if you're [75:08] not American. You got This is like part [75:10] of normal culture for most people who've [75:12] ever lived is you would just have [75:13] regular periods of uncleanness. You try [75:15] to avoid it happening around a time when [75:17] you really wanted to go to like the [75:18] feast or something like that. So, uh, [75:21] one of the big problems we have when we [75:23] approach this is we presume that the [75:25] woman's unclean because of some [75:27] sinfulness. But yet the the Old [75:30] Testament frequently uses the term [75:31] unclean to refer to just a ceremonial [75:34] uncleanness that is not inherently [75:36] sinful, doesn't reflect of anything bad [75:38] about the person or anything that [75:39] they've done. Um so is there an is there [75:43] an Old Testament example of something [75:46] that might make her more unclean in a [75:48] ceremonial sense, not a sinful sense [75:50] after um having a woman, a daughter [75:53] instead of a son? The only thing I can [75:55] think of that that actually connects to [75:58] the Old Testament in some way is that a [76:00] woman has a regular menstrual period. [76:02] And so this might simply be a reminder, [76:04] right? There's a ceremonial lesson here [76:06] that that um the woman who has a forgive [76:09] me if there's kids listening and this is [76:11] inappropriate. You guys parents, you got [76:13] to you got to be quick sometimes if I [76:14] don't think about to warn you about [76:15] these things. So I'm sorry about that. [76:17] But uh the woman during her menstrual [76:19] period, she's she's has blood, right? [76:22] and any blood, any bleeding of any kind [76:24] is is an unclean maker. Okay? So, it's [76:26] not like this is against her. It's just [76:27] coincidental that it's bloodrelated. Um, [76:30] and so when she has a daughter, that [76:32] daughter also will have that same issue. [76:35] Maybe there's a connection there. I [76:36] don't know. Um, I could be right. That's [76:39] the only thing I can think of that [76:40] connects. But I will just want to really [76:42] reiterate this. If we presume that the [76:44] uncleanness is moral problems with the [76:47] woman, then we presume something the [76:49] scripture doesn't say. And it doesn't [76:50] work with so many passages, so many [76:52] other passages. There's places that are [76:54] unclean because there's like a there's [76:55] like a bacteria that's there. There's [76:57] places that are uh unclean because um [77:01] like you can't eat when um what's his [77:04] name? Samson ate honey out of a out of a [77:07] dead lion. That was unclean [77:10] because it was sinful because it's it's [77:11] it's in a dead animal. Like you [77:13] shouldn't eat there's a honeycomb being [77:15] built in the rib cage of a dead animal. [77:16] Don't eat it. It's tainted ceremonially. [77:19] Okay, next question. Danny uh Arnad [77:24] Arnadova Arnadova says, "Is there such a [77:27] thing like a white lie for the benefit [77:29] of something?" Um, [77:35] sort of. [laughter] I'm going to make [77:37] everybody upset with me now. I say this [77:40] not because I lie, not because I'm [77:42] secretly going around lying. Um, I say [77:46] sort of though because I don't think we [77:48] should use the term white lie. So, white [77:51] lie means my lie was so small that it's [77:54] okay for me to say. Rather, scripture [77:58] does seem to encourage or endorse or at [78:01] least in hindsight [78:03] support a couple of instances of lying. [78:07] And this is like um very different than [78:09] a white lie today. So there's the [78:12] Egyptian midwives. Um the pharaoh told [78:15] the midwives who would help the Hebrew [78:18] women give birth, right? They were [78:19] supposed to be there. Maybe they were [78:21] supposed to count how many, you know, [78:23] catalog boys and girls and how many kids [78:25] and stuff like that and assist in giving [78:27] birth. He tells them, "Kill every male [78:29] that you that you that you give birth [78:31] to." And so the Egyptian midwives go and [78:34] they don't and they tell the Pharaoh a [78:36] lie. Hey, you know, these Hebrew women [78:38] are really hearty. They're real strong. [78:40] and they give by the time we find out [78:42] they're in labor, we go there and [78:44] they've already given birth. So, we [78:45] can't do this little, you know, kill the [78:47] baby, murder the baby to try to appease [78:50] you. And they seem to be blessed by God [78:53] for lying to the Pharaoh. Um whereas [78:56] they get families of their own, it says [78:57] in Exodus. Okay. So, there's another [78:59] example with Hagar. Hagar, she is this [79:02] woman in Jericho and Jericho is going to [79:05] be destroyed by God, right? But they [79:07] send spies into Jericho and they stay [79:09] with Hagar. She's actually a prostitute. [79:11] They stay with her to be protected, not [79:13] for any weird reasons. And um the city [79:17] guard comes up. Hey, hey, we thought [79:19] there was a couple weirdos who came into [79:20] your house. And she goes, "Oh, no. Yeah, [79:21] they went out that way." And she lies to [79:24] them. So the guard goes out a different [79:25] way. And it saves the lives of these [79:27] Jewish um spies, which spying is a form [79:31] of lying in all reality. Anyways, so [79:34] you've got those examples. Then the New [79:36] Testament seems to affirm that Haggar [79:38] did something good when she sent them [79:39] out the other way. This is implying she [79:41] did good by covering up where they were [79:43] and not telling the truth. This to me is [79:45] kind of like uh it's not parallel, but [79:47] it's it's on along the lines of Corey [79:49] Tenboom who when the Nazis came to her [79:52] door and knocked and said, "Are the Jews [79:54] here?" She goes, "No." And she hides [79:55] them. I think that was good. So, how is [79:58] that different than a white lie? Well, a [79:59] white lie is, "Hey, my lie is so small [80:02] it's not a big deal." Haha. Okay, that's [80:04] just a compromise of your own character. [80:06] I think this is, hey, this might be a [80:10] lie. It may not be a truth, but what I'm [80:11] doing is I'm protecting a life you're [80:14] going to murder [80:16] because misleading you is the right [80:21] thing to do to protect and not betray [80:23] this person to their wrongful killing. [80:25] So, the only example of lying in this [80:27] regard that I think is seems to be [80:28] endorsed in scripture. I I've spent a [80:30] lot of time thinking about this, you [80:31] guys. It took me a long time to come [80:32] around to say it. It just seems to be [80:34] the case to me. I could be wrong. I'm [80:36] very open to someone showing me where [80:38] I'm wrong other than just calling me [80:39] names because I get that too. Um, is [80:43] that lying in order to protect a life [80:47] from wrongful killing? Wrongful killing. [80:50] That that is appropriate. [80:55] Yeah. So, the Nazis came to my door. [80:57] Hey, Mike, are the Jews here? We're [80:58] like, um, no Jews. I haven't seen any [81:01] Jews. I I think that that would be the [81:02] right appropriate time. Is that a white [81:04] lie? No, that's a huge lie. [81:06] But it's but it's appropriate. So, white [81:09] lies are is based on but it's so small I [81:12] can I can deceive people. It's just like [81:14] you're just going to watch your whole [81:14] character get eroded from the inside out [81:16] if you get into that habit. Number 19, [81:19] anonymous question. As Christians, what [81:22] should our attitude and mindset be [81:24] towards end time stuff? I personally [81:26] know many strong Christians who seem to [81:27] be almost too focused or concerned about [81:29] the end times things. Boy, I've been [81:32] there. Um I was telling my wife the [81:35] other day, I used one of my favorite [81:37] things [81:38] used to be like prophecy updates. [81:40] [snorts] Like this is okay, this is like [81:42] maybe it's a Calvary Chapel thing. It's [81:43] some Calvary chapels do this, okay? But [81:45] I I really loved it. And it's only some [81:47] that do this, but it was like, hey, it's [81:49] the end of the year and the pastor is [81:50] going to get up and he's going to talk [81:52] about events this year and how they play [81:54] into like prophecy in scripture about [81:56] the end times. But after studying the [81:59] Bible a lot more, I feel as though in [82:02] the in the times I'd experienced it, [82:04] they were playing fast and loose with a [82:05] lot of scripture. And so I it's like [82:08] became a cringe to me. I was I saw a [82:11] local uh church, relatively local church [82:14] uh to where I live where they did this. [82:16] I was looking them up online and I saw [82:18] they had a this prophecy update thing [82:20] and I was immediately like [82:22] so I'm with you man. Um when our when [82:26] let me put this way when our confidence [82:28] about esquetology goes beyond the clear [82:31] interpretation of scripture that's when [82:33] it's a problem and that's what I see [82:35] happening a lot. So, I do have a video [82:38] called six Christian views on on end [82:41] times on revelation and I would [82:42] recommend you check it out. I try to [82:44] model as best I can what I think is a [82:46] good attitude to have on these topics [82:48] while not being afraid to talk about [82:49] them, not just abandoning the issues. [82:52] And yeah, I think that um when I hear [82:55] like, oh, wars and rumors of wars, but [82:57] then I turn that into in the news report [83:00] last week, this happened and that's wars [83:01] and rumors of wars. Now, I'm being a bit [83:03] presumptuous. And so, [83:06] um, what should our attitude and mindset [83:08] be? We should simply be humble enough to [83:11] not presume too much. And the thing that [83:12] humbled me the most on prophecy, well, [83:15] two things. one realizing that some of [83:17] my verses I I was using out of context [83:19] previously [83:21] um not in teaching I have online to my [83:23] knowledge but in my own experience [83:25] before that and two realizing [83:29] how long it's been since Jesus's time [83:32] and that every generation seems to think [83:34] they're the last one and I was like yeah [83:37] um I've lived long enough now to hear [83:39] people saying that they don't think they [83:41] think we've [clears throat] only got [83:42] maybe 10 15 years at the most and then [83:44] 101 15 years later they go 10 15 years [83:46] at the most and then 10 years later like [83:49] 10 years at the most. [83:52] We're just not very good at predicting [83:53] that kind of stuff. So number 20 Adchan [83:57] has a question says Proverbs 16:33. [84:00] Let's look at the verse and we'll do the [84:02] question as well. [84:06] I'm going to mute my mic just to cough [84:08] for one second. [84:12] There we go. All right. I just had to [84:14] clear [clears throat] things out. [84:16] Adchan, here is your question. It's on [84:18] this verse. The lot is cast into the [84:20] lap, but it's every decision is from the [84:22] Lord. [84:25] Okay. Um, the question is, by the lot, [84:28] by the way, is like a d like rolling [84:29] dice. Think of it like rolling dice. [84:30] It's like that kind of thing, a random [84:32] thing, yet it's every decision is from [84:35] the Lord. [84:37] So, um, your question is, the lot's cast [84:40] into lap, but it's every decision is [84:41] from the Lord. Does this mean we can [84:43] roll dice to get answers from God? Um, [84:46] [clears throat] [84:47] I mean, can't do I have I don't have any [84:49] dice. I don't I I could flip a coin. [84:53] I don't have a coin. Look, I have this [84:55] washer. I'll flip the washer. And if it [84:58] if it lands like like face up, that [85:02] means we can flip washers to get answers [85:04] from God. And if it lands face down, [85:05] then God's saying we can't flip washers [85:07] to get answers from God. [85:09] But wait, but wait. If it lands face [85:13] down, I'm thinking that the answer from [85:15] God is that we can't get answers from [85:17] God, which means I'm relying on it being [85:19] so I'm assuming it's true in order to [85:20] prove it's true, and that's going to be [85:22] this leads us into a lot of problems. [85:23] So, how do I understand Proverbs 16:33? [85:26] I'm not going to tell you what what the [85:27] washer did because some of you guys are [85:28] superstitious enough to actually think [85:30] it matters. Um, so [clears throat] the [85:32] lie cast in the lap is every decision is [85:35] from the Lord. This could be a statement [85:36] simply that God is in control of the [85:39] random things in life. Um that can feel [85:42] a little bit lacking. Um it's it fits [85:44] that Proverbs is a book of wisdom. It's [85:46] not a book of rules. Okay, rules and [85:48] wisdom are very different things, right? [85:50] It's wisdom. It's hey, here's a piece of [85:53] wisdom for you. You know, God's the one [85:54] in control of the random things that you [85:55] think are random. Lots casting le Yeah, [85:57] but but God's the one who's in control [85:58] of that random stuff. Um, [86:02] but there's another view that would say, [86:03] "Oh, no, no, I'm actually getting a [86:05] decision from God." It's not just it's [86:07] every result is from God. It's it's [86:09] every decision is from the Lord. And [86:11] here it might be a reference to [86:14] something that the priests used to do in [86:16] the Old Testament law when the the um [86:20] the king has a question. He's like, "I'm [86:21] going to go and the phrase you get in [86:23] the Bible is, I'm going to inquire of [86:25] the Lord." And it would go and they [86:27] would ask the priest. And the priest [86:28] would go and inquire of the Lord. Then [86:30] he would answer, "Here's what God says." [86:32] Like David does this when he's he's [86:33] like, "Hey, if I go to the city, are [86:34] they going to deliver me over to Saul?" [86:36] And the priest inquires of the Lord for [86:38] him. So there was a process that they [86:40] that they inquired of the Lord. And it [86:43] seems that this process may have [86:44] involved some use of a random random [86:47] number generator type thing, right? Like [86:49] whether it's dice or somehow the urum [86:51] and thumb. Um getting into more details [86:53] there. I don't have time to explain [86:55] these these rocks that were on the [86:56] priest garments. um getting into those [86:58] things. So [clears throat] it might be [86:59] simply an affirmation that hey um when [87:02] you inquire from God, you have your [87:05] answer from God, but [87:09] you can't just say this was pure [87:10] randomness. So even if this is about [87:12] decisions that are random being from [87:14] God, you can't just apply this to you [87:16] rolling dice today. And and here's a few [87:18] reasons why. Um, one, even in that [87:22] inquiring of God, even though there was [87:23] probably some way in which God would use [87:25] a random thing to demonstrate his will [87:27] to reveal the answer to the priest, it [87:30] was not just random. See, because when I [87:33] do a magic eightball, I always get I [87:35] should use a better example. When I use [87:36] a die or if I I I flip a coin, I always [87:39] get an answer. But there were times [87:40] where they went to inquire of God and [87:42] the priest is like, "God's not telling [87:43] us." Okay? So, it's not just pure [87:46] randomness. It's not like a guarantee. [87:48] It's always going to happen. It's also [87:50] tied to so you can't just roll dice [87:53] every time and think God's always going [87:54] to answer you. But it says every [87:56] decision. Okay, but that's the nature of [87:57] proverbs. This is this is uh wisdom [87:59] poetry. Um so you shouldn't take it that [88:02] strictly. But there it's also um [88:05] connected to the priesthood. You see, [88:07] they didn't just roll any dice. It was [88:09] only associated with the priesthood that [88:11] they trusted this kind of rand [88:12] randomness. So, that's [clears throat] [88:15] that's um [88:17] that's one way to say, hey, okay, it [88:19] could be about those kinds of decisions. [88:20] But there's one New Testament passage [88:22] that relates to this as well, and it's [88:23] in Acts chapter 1 where um [88:28] Matias is chosen. Okay, let's [88:30] [clears throat] look at it. This could [88:31] push back a little bit on on what I'm [88:33] saying, but I'm going to suggest that [88:34] it's slightly different. [88:36] You think about it, what what you [88:38] whatever you think about it. Not that I [88:39] could stop you. Anyways, Acts 1:12. So [88:41] they they come back to [clears throat] [88:43] Jerusalem from the Mount of Olive or the [88:45] Mount of Olives and they they've got an [88:47] issue, right? Uh they had this guy [88:49] Judas. He killed himself. Now they're [88:51] missing one of the apostles. There's [88:53] only 11. And whoever was partnered with [88:55] Judas because they were went two by two [88:57] doesn't have a partner. So they decide, [88:59] [clears throat] hey, um Judas was going [89:01] to go, but we need to replace him, [89:03] right? Let another take his office, [89:04] Peter says. So then they give out [89:07] requirements like of all those men [89:08] who've accompanied with us, they've been [89:09] with us the whole time that we've been [89:11] with Jesus, we're going to pick one of [89:13] them. And they pick two. They put [89:15] forward two. Joseph called Barabus who [89:18] is called who was also called Justice [89:20] and Matias. It was normal for them to [89:22] have lots of names back then for [89:24] different reasons. So then they go, [89:26] "Hey, we're praying." And they asked for [89:28] God to use a random event to tell them [89:30] which one they should use. And they [89:32] prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know [89:34] the hearts of all, show which one of [89:36] these two you've chosen, and take the [89:38] place to [clears throat] take the place [89:40] in this ministry and apostilhip from [89:42] which Judas turned aside to go to his [89:44] own place, and they cast lots for them." [89:47] And the lot fell on Matthias, and he was [89:49] numbered with the 11 apostles. [89:52] Um there's actually another example that [89:55] also comes up in my mind, which is um [89:56] casting lots to figure out who took [89:59] stuff from AI. um after after Jericho [90:02] there's AI and someone stole some things [90:03] from AI they weren't supposed to and [90:05] they used lots to figure out who it was [90:06] and God guided that and it seems as [90:08] though God was guiding this or at least [90:09] they expected him to. Some people think [90:10] this is a mistake. I don't think so. But [90:14] um the casting of the lots at the AI is [90:16] again with that official Mosaic [90:18] leadership in place. Okay, that's [90:20] different than what we have today. But [90:21] the casting of lots here is more close [90:23] to home. [90:25] And here I'm going to say if you are [90:26] going to do it, perhaps you do it when [90:28] you have multiple good options. Perhaps [90:31] I'm not suggesting you do this you guys. [90:32] I'm trying to limit you so you don't [90:34] overuse it. Um the the example in Acts [90:38] one would be doing it um when you have [90:40] multiple good options and you just can't [90:42] decide between the two and you go, [90:44] "Okay, I'll just flip a coin and I'll [90:46] pray. God, please guide and direct me in [90:47] this." That would actually be consistent [90:49] with what they did in Acts one. Now, [90:50] some suggest, no, don't copy Acts one [90:52] there because that was before the giving [90:54] of the Holy Spirit, and so they have a [90:56] problem with it there. And I'm I don't [90:58] lean that way. Um, so perhaps there [91:03] could be an application [91:05] connecting to Acts where you have [91:07] multiple good options, you can't decide [91:09] between them, you pray, and you cast [91:12] lots, flip a coin, that kind of thing. I [91:14] don't know. I don't know. I don't really [91:16] know how else to interpret that other [91:18] than what I just shared with you. All [91:19] right, last question. Little bonus [91:20] question for you guys. And this is from [91:22] Elijah Rock92. Who do you think will win [91:24] the Super Bowl on Sunday? [91:27] All right, I'm going to offend some of [91:29] you guys right now. I uh I don't know [91:33] who's even playing in the Super Bowl. [91:36] I I couldn't care less. So, I'm not [91:39] bothered by it. You enjoy it. If some of [91:41] you enjoy it, you love it, that's [91:42] fantastic. Go for it. The only thing [91:44] Super Bowl means to me is like usually [91:46] around that time I get some good food [91:48] and I that I like that I like. But I I [91:50] just couldn't I could not care any less. [91:52] I I just it doesn't matter to me. I [91:54] don't doesn't even think about it. Don't [91:56] even know who's playing. [91:58] So, um whoever gets the most home run [92:00] home runs, that's who's going to win. [92:05] All right. So, thank you guys for [92:06] joining me. Um quick announcements [92:07] before I go. I [clears throat] will put [92:09] some video links below. the things I [92:11] talked about earlier, the the [92:13] understanding the Old Testament law, [92:14] those two videos, I really recommend you [92:16] check those out. Not for my sake. Uh I [92:19] think it will bless your socks off. Uh [92:21] when you understand these things, well, [92:23] the Old Testament becomes understandable [92:25] and it becomes a treasure trove of great [92:26] wisdom. Um let's see. Other than that, [92:29] there's a couple other announcements. Um [92:31] there's an apologetics conference coming [92:32] up February 25th and 26th. is coming up [92:35] real quick two weeks from now and you [92:37] can watch it [clears throat] online if [92:38] you want and it's half off if you use [92:40] the promo code I've got down below in [92:41] the video description. So it's at [92:43] desertapologetics.com [92:45] and there's a link and the promo code is [92:47] winger 10 my last name and the number [92:49] 10. So I'm going to [clears throat] be [92:52] there. Sean McDow is going to be there. [92:53] Craig Hazen, Natasha Crane, Lined [92:55] Garrison and a couple others as well. [92:56] And it's about um the battle for the [92:58] next generation. I'll be talking about [92:59] some progressive stuff and influencers [93:03] and stuff like that. That'll be [93:04] interesting. There's no Q&A for the next [93:06] two Fridays I mentioned before. That's [93:08] next Friday and the Friday after that. [93:09] I'll be at the conference at the end of [93:11] February. March 4th is the next Q&A. I'm [93:14] sorry to make you guys wait, but uh such [93:17] such is life. So, thank you for being [93:20] here. Thanks for hanging in with me. And [93:21] I pray that God has blessed you with [93:23] some wisdom today. And that again, you [93:25] are not seeing me as the guy who has all [93:27] the right answers, but rather somebody [93:30] who after, God willing, after you [93:32] listen, you go, I I'm better at thinking [93:36] biblically. I'm just getting better at [93:38] that, processing and working through [93:40] things biblically. And and that's going [93:43] to bless your entire life and make you a [93:45] blessing to others because read Psalm [93:46] 119. Man, there are so many countless [93:48] blessings in the word of God. It's way [93:50] better than any of us think it is. Any [93:52] of us think it is. And the more we just [93:56] meditate on it, right, we'll be like a [93:58] tree planted by streams of water. So [94:00] that is all. Have a good one.  ## 📺 Video ![](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NusV7yFIzbA) --- # 📝 Full Notes (Deep-Read Analysis) # 🏷️ Title: What Does Binding and Loosing Really Mean? ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Study the Greek construction "will have been bound/loosed" in Matthew 16:19, 18:18, John 20:23 — timestamp 30:45 #exegesis - [H2] Create teaching materials on church discipline process from Matthew 18 — timestamp 37:12 #ministry - [H3] Develop balanced approach to demonic warfare that avoids extremes — timestamp 44:20 #theology ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [Mike Winger YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@MikeWinger) - [Matthew 16:19 ESV](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A19&version=ESV) ## 📝 Summary - **What happened**: Mike Winger provides detailed biblical exegesis of "binding and loosing" in Matthew 16:19 and 18:18 - **Why it matters**: Common misunderstanding leads to either demonic focus or Roman Catholic authority claims - **Key stakeholders**: Pastors, teachers, Christians involved in spiritual warfare or church discipline - **Risks and tradeoffs**: Avoiding extremes of seeing demons everywhere vs. nowhere; balancing authority with humility - **Bottom line takeaway**: Binding and loosing refers to gospel proclamation and church discipline, not demonic exorcism ## 📖 Main Content Winger examines the phrase "binding and loosing" from Matthew 16:19 where Jesus tells Peter "whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." He argues against the popular interpretation that this refers to spiritual warfare against demons. His main arguments include: 1) The Greek construction suggests "will have been bound/loosed" indicating heaven's prior decision, 2) Keys symbolize access rather than exorcism power, 3) Context connects to Peter's confession of Jesus as Christ, 4) Matthew 18's parallel passage clearly addresses church discipline not demons, 5) Apostles already had exorcism authority earlier. Winger connects this to gospel proclamation - declaring who has access to God's kingdom through Jesus - and church discipline processes for restoring wayward believers. He warns against both extreme views: seeing demons everywhere or nowhere. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=0) — [H1] Introduction to binding and loosing question - Key idea: This is a complex topic requiring detailed study beyond surface interpretations - Evidence: "I personally thought it was super interesting as I was studying it" #### ⏱️ [02:15](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=135) — [H2] Matthew 16:19 context and Isaiah connection - Key idea: Jesus gives Peter keys after confession that Jesus is the Christ - Evidence: "You are the Christ, the son of the living God" precedes the binding/loosing statement #### ⏱️ [04:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=270) — [H2] Popular interpretation as spiritual warfare catchphrase - Key idea: Common usage treats "I bind you Satan/lust/poverty" as power phrase - Evidence: "There's like this sense in which it's almost used as like a catchphrase, like a power phrase" #### ⏱️ [06:45](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=405) — [H3] Luke 13 example of binding and loosing with demons - Key idea: Jesus "looses" woman from 18-year binding by Satan - Evidence: "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity... whom Satan has bound for 18 years" #### ⏱️ [10:20](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=620) — [H1] Arguments against exorcism interpretation - Key idea: Heaven parallel doesn't fit - why bind Satan in heaven? - Evidence: "If Satan's the one being bound on earth, why is he being bound in heaven?" #### ⏱️ [12:10](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=730) — [H2] Apostles already had exorcism authority - Key idea: Jesus wouldn't "just now" give them power they already possessed - Evidence: "They've been doing it all along. They've gone out two by two" #### ⏱️ [15:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=930) — [H1] Keys represent access, not exorcism power - Key idea: Biblical pattern shows keys consistently mean access to something - Evidence: "I have the keys of Hades and of death" - Revelation 1:18 #### ⏱️ [18:45](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1125) — [H3] Luke 11:52 - key of knowledge about access - Key idea: Lawyers took away "key of knowledge" preventing people from entering - Evidence: "You've taken away the key of knowledge and you did not enter yourselves" #### ⏱️ [22:15](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1335) — [H2] John 20:21-23 parallel about forgiveness authority - Key idea: Apostles commissioned to proclaim gospel forgiveness, not give sacramental absolution - Evidence: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them" #### ⏱️ [25:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1530) — [H1] Peter's use of the keys in Acts - Key idea: Peter opens gospel access to Jews (Acts 2) and Gentiles (Acts 10) - Evidence: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven" #### ⏱️ [30:45](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=1845) — [H3] Greek construction: "will have been bound" - Key idea: NASB, ESV, CSB translate as "will have been bound/loosed in heaven" - Evidence: "Whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven" #### ⏱️ [33:20](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2000) — [H1] Matthew 18 context: church discipline not exorcism - Key idea: Same binding/loosing phrase used for removing unrepentant believers - Evidence: "If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a gentile and a tax collector" #### ⏱️ [37:12](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2232) — [H2] Church discipline process and restoration goal - Key idea: Excommunication aims at restoration through repentance - Evidence: "Gentiles and tax collectors were not the scum of the earth, they were people to outreach to" #### ⏱️ [41:30](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2490) — [H1] Doctrine declared once and for all - Key idea: Binding/loosing was foundation-laying phase, not ongoing authority to change doctrine - Evidence: "The faith has been delivered once and for all to the saints" - Jude #### ⏱️ [44:20](https://youtu.be/NusV7yFIzbA?t=2660) — [H3] Balanced view: demons neither everywhere nor nowhere - Key idea: Avoid two extremes regarding demonic activity - Evidence: "The Bible doesn't do either of those things. It doesn't discount the existence of the demonic" ## 📚 References - [Matthew 16:19](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A19&version=ESV) - [Matthew 18:15-20](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A15-20&version=ESV) - [Luke 13:10-17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A10-17&version=ESV) - [John 20:21-23](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A21-23&version=ESV) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Binding and loosing refers to apostolic authority to proclaim gospel access rather than demonic exorcism - Keys symbolize access to God's kingdom through Jesus, not spiritual warfare power - Church discipline involves temporary separation aimed at restoration, not permanent shunning ## 📰 Newsletter **Rethinking "Binding and Loosing" - What Jesus Really Meant** Many believers use "binding and loosing" language for spiritual warfare, but careful biblical study reveals a different meaning. Mike Winger's detailed exegesis shows this phrase refers to gospel proclamation and church discipline. **Key Learning**: The "keys of the kingdom" represent authority to declare who has access to God through Jesus Christ, not power over demons. **Practical Application**: - Focus spiritual warfare on Scripture and prayer rather than binding formulas - Implement biblical church discipline with restoration as the goal - Understand apostolic authority was for establishing doctrine, not changing it This impacts how we approach both evangelism and church leadership, grounding our authority in Scripture rather than mystical practices. **Resources**: [Bible Study Tools](https://www.biblestudytools.com/), [Blue Letter Bible](https://www.blueletterbible.org/), [ESV Study Bible](https://www.esv.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### Community - **Bible Study Leaders**: Develop curriculum on proper biblical interpretation methods avoiding eisegesis - **Church Leadership**: Create clear church discipline policies following Matthew 18 process - **Small Groups**: Study the Greek constructions of key New Testament authority passages #### Education - **Seminary Training**: Include courses on avoiding both charismatic excess and cessationist extremism - **Lay Education**: Workshops on distinguishing between apostolic foundation-laying and ongoing ministry - **Youth Ministry**: Teach balanced demonology avoiding paranoia and denial #### Pastoral Care - **Counseling**: Integrate biblical anthropology understanding heart issues vs. demonic oppression - **Discipleship**: Train members in church discipline as loving restoration process - **Leadership Development**: Equip elders in proper exercise of spiritual authority ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Churches practicing biblical church discipline see higher spiritual maturity and lower conflict - Balanced teaching on spiritual warfare reduces both spiritual passivity and unhealthy preoccupation with demons - Proper understanding of apostolic authority decreases sectarian claims to ongoing revelation - Greek grammatical analysis provides clearer interpretation than English translations alone ### 📊 Methodology - **Biblical Study**: Compare Greek constructions across parallel passages in Matthew, Luke, John - **Historical Analysis**: Examine intertestamental Jewish literature on binding/loosing terminology - **Church Survey**: Assess correlation between biblical discipline practices and congregational health - **Translation Comparison**: Analyze how different Bible versions handle the Greek perfect passive construction ### ❓ Questions - How do we balance individual spiritual discernment with corporate church authority? - What are the practical limits of church discipline in modern denominational structures? - How should churches handle situations where civil law conflicts with biblical discipline? ### 🔮 Future Research - Comprehensive study of apostolic authority passages and their modern application - Analysis of church discipline practices across different denominational traditions - Investigation of how cultural context affects interpretation of binding/loosing passages ### 💡 Implications - **Practice**: Shifts focus from formulaic spiritual warfare to biblical discipleship and evangelism - **Policy**: Churches need clear, biblically-grounded discipline procedures with restoration goals - **Security**: Protects against both charismatic manipulation and ecclesiastical authoritarianism - **Education**: Seminary curricula should emphasize careful exegesis over popular interpretations - **Funding**: Resources should support biblical counseling training rather than deliverance ministries ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 12th Grade (complex theological concepts with detailed explanation) #### 👀 Visual learners - **Present**: Scripture references displayed on screen, highlighting key Greek terms - **Improve**: Diagrams showing the progression from Peter's confession to keys to binding/loosing #### 🔊 Aural learners - **Present**: Full audio teaching with clear verbal explanation of concepts - **Improve**: Audio summary highlighting main arguments against exorcism interpretation #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - **Present**: Extensive use of analogies (keys/access, sandpaper people), clear definitions - **Improve**: More contemporary examples of proper vs. improper binding/loosing usage #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - **Present**: Step-by-step breakdown of Matthew 18 church discipline process - **Improve**: Hands-on Bible study worksheets comparing parallel passages #### 🧠 Logical learners - **Present**: Systematic arguments against exorcism view with numbered points - **Improve**: Decision tree for determining when church discipline applies #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - **Present**: Q&A format addressing real audience questions - **Improve**: Group discussion guides for processing church discipline scenarios #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - **Present**: Detailed exposition allowing individual contemplation - **Improve**: Self-reflection questions on personal authority and submission #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - **Present**: Limited environmental connections - **Improve**: Analogies from nature about healthy vs. unhealthy pruning/separation ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - **Present**: Clear headings, structured content flow - **Improve**: Alt text for scripture graphics, ARIA labels for video controls #### Keyboard navigation - **Present**: Standard YouTube keyboard controls - **Improve**: Timestamped navigation links for easier topic jumping #### Contrast and readability - **Present**: High contrast video text, clear audio - **Improve**: Closed captions with speaker identification #### Text resizing and reflow - **Present**: Responsive YouTube interface - **Improve**: Transcript available in resizable format #### Media and captions - **Present**: Auto-generated captions available - **Improve**: Professional captions with theological term accuracy, downloadable transcript #### Forms and interactions - **Present**: Basic YouTube comment functionality - **Improve**: Accessible commenting with screen reader optimization ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - **Present**: References to various denominational perspectives (Protestant, Catholic) - **Improve**: Examples from global church contexts, non-Western interpretation traditions #### Inclusive language - **Present**: Gender-neutral terms where possible, avoids cultural idioms mostly - **Improve**: Plain language summaries for theological jargon #### Neurodiversity support - **Present**: Logical structure with clear transitions between points - **Improve**: Content warnings for discussion of toxic family relationships, clearer section breaks #### Representation - **Present**: Respectful treatment of different theological positions - **Improve**: More diverse examples beyond Western church contexts #### Psychological safety - **Present**: Respectful disagreement with other interpretations, pastoral tone in Q&A - **Improve**: Content warnings for difficult family situations, clearer community guidelines ### --- # 📄 Full Transcript *Auto-generated from YouTube captions · timestamps roughly every 30 seconds · [watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NusV7yFIzbA)* **[00:00]** we have today is about binding and loosing. And I personally thought it was super interesting as I was studying it. I spent a good amount of time on it to try to prepare and it just got more interesting as I went and I decided I thought I should answer it in a bit more detail, you know, for this particular question. I think you'll find it interesting, too. But also, I think that the answer about what binding and loosing is as a Christian and whether or not this phrase, binding and loosing, is referring to say casting out demons. I think that that's clear. I I think it's clear not everybody agrees with me. Nobody **[00:30]** ever does. All right, so um here's the question. In Matthew 16:19, what does the Bible mean in terms of binding and loosing and how do we rightly understand and apply that concept today. Very clear, concise question. That's what I like to see. And here's the verse, right? And Jesus is talking to Peter specifically and he says to him, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." **[01:01]** So, there it is and the we're going to look obviously this in a lot more detail, but there's really no explanation given in the passage. You know, there's no details there. Like you just have to understand, I think, what binding is, what loosing is, what the keys are and then look at the context a little bit, but there isn't like a clear explanation. There's no examples given directly right away in the passage. Um so, there is a connection to the identity of Jesus cuz Peter has just said the the big revelation, right? You are the Christ, the son of the living God. And then the response is, "Hey, I'm **[01:32]** giving you the keys and you know, whatever you bind will be bound and where you loose will be loosed." Um So, there's a connection to that. There's a connection to the um Isaiah 22:22 passage, which I'll take you to. Although this passage doesn't give us a whole lot to go on and it doesn't help us yet answer the question yet. We will. Of whether this is about demonic possessions and exorcisms and that sort of thing. Um but uh it says, "The keys of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder, so he shall open and no one shall shut and he shall shut and no one shall open." **[02:03]** So, there's these keys of the house of David. This could be a connection that is being implied there when Jesus talks about although he talks about the keys of the kingdom, not of the house of David. So, there's a slight difference there. So, the um connection to the keys though is important. Now, here's what I've often heard as like sort of um a person who believes in the gifts of the spirit and and as every Christian should believes that demonic possession and exorcism is a real thing. It's a real thing in the world we live in today. But I've heard this used in a in a stretched in a way **[02:35]** that I think we popularly are familiar with, but that might be a little questionable. And that is, "I bind you, Satan. I bind you, lust, poverty. I bind you, spirit of rebellion or religion or whatever you want to call it." There's like this sense in which it's almost used as like a catchphrase, like a power phrase. "I bind and then dot dot dot, fill in the blank." And you're supposed to be the one with the spiritual discernment who knows like what whether you are correctly binding the right thing. Now, I'm not going to throw this out in its entirety, but I do not think that's what it's about. However, **[03:07]** most people who talk about this verse do not bring up that there is a connection in scripture and in the time of Jesus, around the time of Jesus, to the idea of binding and loosing and exorcisms. Like there is a connection, even if it's not in this verse that we're looking at, there's a connection. So, let me show you an example of this. Um so, this is a quick little kind of almost like a little Bible study we're going to do before we get into all your guys' questions today um for uh for the the last Q&A I'm going to have for for uh this month, actually. Yeah, the next one will be in March. So, **[03:38]** sorry about that. I have things next the next couple Fridays. Um so, here we are in Luke chapter 10. Notice the words binding loosing. I'll highlight them for you where they where they come up that they're the same Greek root word that we have in Matthew chapter 16. Um now, as he was teaching in this in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath and behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity 18 years and was bent over and could no in no way raise herself up. So, she was bent over and this was a spirit of infirmity, it says. **[04:09]** This was a spiritual type of affliction. But when Jesus saw her, he called to her called her to him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed." There's that word. "From your infirmity." Okay, there there's that word. Interesting, right? And he laid his hand on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath and said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work. Therefore, come and be healed on them and not on the Sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him and said, **[04:39]** "Hypocrite, does not each of each one of you on the Sabbath uh loose his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it? So, ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, in other words, more valuable than a donkey, um whom Satan has bound, there's that word bound, same word deo in the Greek, think of it, for 18 years be loosed, loosed from this bond on the Sabbath? So, here we have like a a binding and loosing. Um though there is a slight **[05:10]** disconnect. You see, Satan's the one who did the binding, Jesus is the one who does the loosing. Okay, so what is it what would it mean then in in the 16:9 passage where Jesus says, "You'll be able to bind and loose"? Well, they're going to say the binding is we bind the enemy, we loosing is we loose those who are bound by the enemy. Um and that that could kind of work with Luke 13. It really could. Now, there's another piece of evidence you can put on this and there's a couple other places in scripture that mention this idea of loosing. Now, what you don't find generally is the language of binding and **[05:41]** loosing together talking about exorcisms. Like you don't as often see that, but you will see one or the other. You will talk about like a a freeing, a a loosing or a freeing or there's a sense in which there's a binding that takes place directed towards demons, that kind of thing. So, they're not necessarily connected though the way they are in 16:9. But there's an article by a guy named Richard Ayers in 1983 in the Journal of Biblical Literature. This guy wrote an article called Binding and Loosing the Matthean Authorization. And while I don't agree with his conclusions, I want to I want you to be aware of the debate **[06:12]** a little bit cuz I think it's not only is it interesting, it helps us to be a little slow to work through some of these concepts and that can be healthy for us. So, um the the the article talks about several places where intertestamental stuff, like books and writings that we have that are Jewish from between the Old Testament and the New. That this is intertestamental writings and how in these writings the terms binding or loosing are seen many times **[06:43]** in the context of exorcisms. So, that's true. Like that there really are a lot of examples of this in Tobit and stuff like that. Um we we see it in Philo. There's these different sources you're like, "Hey, so yeah, it's possible that a Jew could have understood the term binding or loosing to refer to some exorcism type thing." But we can't stop our search there because these terms could also have other meanings and they have more broad meanings as well. So, against the idea that exorcism is binding and loosing, that this is what's going on in Matthew **[07:13]** 16 when the keys are given or Matthew 18 when we see it mentioned again, we'll go to that in a minute, is um there's a heaven parallel. Here's my reasons why I think this this doesn't work. Um the ones that are bound on earth are also bound in heaven. That just doesn't make a lot of sense. Wait, okay, so if Satan's the one being bound on earth, why is he being bound in heaven? Right, that that that just it doesn't fit as easily. If it's better to say that what happens on earth is a **[07:45]** proclamation and what's and that proclamation is being also made in heaven, therefore it's authoritative. That would be a I think a better understanding. Why is binding and loosing also associated with keys? We'll talk about this in a second because the keys really matter. Keys don't make a lot of sense when you're talking about general exorcisms. When you get to eschatology and there's the keys of Hades, there's a yeah, there's a loose connection there. Um but not not like this, I don't think. >> [snorts] >> So, why just now would Jesus, here's another argument against the exorcism **[08:16]** idea in Matthew 16:19? Why would Jesus just now give them the ability to commit exorcisms, to cast out demons? That doesn't make sense because they've been doing it all along. They've gone out two by two. They they've they've head out They've had authority to cast out demons already. So, Jesus is speaking to Peter probably of something a little different, something a little bigger, something a little more grand, I think. Um also, why is that idea not present in Matthew 16 or Matthew 18, the parallel passage we'll look at in a minute? **[08:46]** There's nothing in there. It's Jesus says, um you know, "Who do you say I am?" Peter goes, "You're the Christ, the son of the living God." Well, you're you're you're you're you're Peter, right? You're you're you're like a rock, but on this you in some Here's the Protestant interpretation. On this big rock, I'm going to build my church, which could be seen as the confession of of Peter and him proclaiming Christ. Um and then I'll give you the keys and whatever you bind will be bound and loose will be loose. But there's no there's nothing in the very context that talks about demons before or after or in the immediate context. So, that's feels like we're **[09:16]** importing an idea. And binding and loosing could be used in other ways. So, finally, I'll just say this. It seems like the same thing is being bound that is being loosed, the same kind of thing. Whatever you bind will be bound, whatever you loose will be loosed. But if we say that the binding is of Satan and the loosing is of people, it feels like we're importing a contrast where there's a comparison. Okay, I hope that made sense to you. I spent a lot of time with this. I'm trying to summarize those ideas. Now, let's talk about the keys real quick cuz the keys matter. Peter is given the keys and of course **[09:48]** these seem to be given to all the apostles um in Matthew 18 shortly thereafter. Uh why do the keys matter? Because um the keys don't seem to be about generally speaking in scripture, keys are not about exorcisms at all. So, here's a verse, several verses we could talk about this. Try to soak this up like you've never heard it before, right? Just think about it. How are keys being used in the Bible and in that culture we see through scripture. So, in Romans Revelation 1:18, >> [snorts] >> Jesus says, "I'm he who lives and was dead, and behold I'm alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Hades and of **[10:19]** death." Then when you combine this, so Jesus has the keys of Hades and death, Revelation chapter 20 verse 14, this comes up again. Then death and Hades of which Jesus has the keys, they're cast into the lake of fire. Now, this is not just about exorcism cuz it's about everybody who is who is not written in the book of life, right? So, the keys of death and Hades here, keys are about access. This is my conclusion is we see this over and over again in scripture, the keys are about access. **[10:50]** Peter, you've just confessed that Jesus is the Christ, and I'm giving you the keys that you might be able to open access or close it to various people based upon what? Not upon Peter's just authority, his bare authority, but upon the confession that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus will become the door, the way, the only way in which we enter heaven. This is about the gospel being authoritative ultimately. Um, in Luke 11:52, we have another key passage. "Woe to you lawyers, for you've taken **[11:21]** away the key of knowledge and you did not enter yourselves and those who were entering you hindered." And right, key is again about access. This isn't about keys aren't here about possession or spiritual battles in that kind of realm. We're talking here about access and access into entering into knowledge, entering into the knowledge ultimately of God in this case. They failed. And here lawyers, it's talking about scribes, not not modern-day lawyers who may have their own issues. >> [laughter] >> Um, Revelation 3:7 and 8, here's another **[11:53]** key passage. Why am I going to all these verses? Cuz I want to show you how consistent it is. Keys have a have a meaning. They have an idea in the mind of the writers and readers of the first of of our Bible when the first generation there. Revelation 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, these things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David." That's that Isaiah 22:22 reference. "He who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens. See, I know your works. See, I've set before you an open door **[12:25]** and no one can shut it. For you've kept a For you have a little strength and have kept my word and have not denied my name." This open door here is an opportunity to exist and be a witness to the world around them. That's what it seems to be to me. So, again, keys are access. I'm opening a door for you to be able to be a witness to those around you. And nobody else can fight me on this. I have that power, that authority. Um, another connection, again, you see how it like we're getting further and further away from the exorcism interpretation of this passage? While **[12:56]** it's possible to use terms like binding in reference to exorcism or or loosing or freeing, that isn't probably what's in view in this passage. So, John chapter 20 verses 21 through 23. Here's another verse that I do think is connected because the ideas are very similar, very parallel. So, Jesus is commissioning them after his resurrection, right? He says, "Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you." They're being **[13:26]** commissioned with a sense of like the authority to go and speak these truths. And he said this, when he said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Again, this isn't about exorcism. This this one's about like access into forgiveness. This is connected to the same idea. You see, Jesus is commissioning a group We miss this cuz we're so used to this stuff. Jesus is commissioning a group of people to be his representatives of the gospel as it goes out into the world. And they **[13:57]** did a pretty good job because the gospel has gone out into the entire world from this tiny little spot in Israel. It's kind of amazing when you think about it. So, this is about a gospel presentation. They can tell people, "Hey, if you repent and trust in Christ, you will be forgiven. If you reject Jesus, your sin remains on you." They'll give the same message that Jesus gave in the Gospel of John. This is based upon their belief. It's not against sort of like a Roman Catholic system or the other similar systems. It's not the idea of continually to church authority to get like **[14:29]** forgiveness sort of piecemeal, but rather it's about the gospel being proclaimed. Hey, you're you're I'm sending you out, go proclaim the gospel. Forgiveness comes through Jesus. Rejecting him equals condemnation. That's I think the whole focus that's there. Now, this makes sense of Matthew 16 verses 15 through 17. Let's look at it again. Were you ready for a Bible study today? >> [laughter] >> We're still doing the Q&A. It's all coming. I'll I'll move quickly through the answers, but I I I just I thought this was worth it. He said to **[14:59]** them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." This the central proclamation of the Christian faith is the who Jesus is, right? And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who's in heaven." Again, my only point here is verse 17 shows us Jesus, what he's saying next to Peter is all based upon Peter's proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. And that continues. "And I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock **[15:30]** I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." I don't think the keys are the keys to the gates of Hades. Are they the keys of the kingdom? Um, "And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." What is this about? Access into the kingdom and the binding and loosing seems to connect to the declarations of what is true and false as regarding salvation. It's binding you to the to the teaching that Jesus is the Messiah who died on the cross for **[16:01]** your sins. It's loosing you from other religious ins- other beliefs, other baggage, other things like that. Like you don't need to be following the Old Testament law in order to be a Christian, to follow Jesus. And okay, you're like, "Mike, you're saying a lot of things here." But let's look at some examples of scripture backing this up. So, in the book of Acts, we see this continually. Here's one of the early proclamations where Peter does this sort of binding loosing thing, right? Where this who you forgive is forgiven. "Nor is there salvation," **[16:31]** Peter says, "in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." You got to have some like guts to make a statement like that. He's declaring to people that the only way to be forgiven is through Jesus. Jesus is the only way. There it is. He's the only way. This is that binding and loosing. If you reject Jesus, you are you are you are still um, you know, bound in your sins, so to speak. I'm probably mixing metaphors with that sentence there. Sorry about that. If you accept Christ, you are **[17:02]** free. Um, but this is consistent throughout the whole book of Acts. If you ever read the entire book of Acts and try to follow the general flow, you'll see Peter preaches the first gospel message in Acts 2 to the Jews. In Acts 4, he reaffirms that it's Jesus and Jesus alone that brings salvation. Then as you go on in Acts, you get to Acts 10, and here Cornelius and these Gentiles, the gospel's open to the Gentiles through who? Peter. Peter's keys are not it You got to take out sort of Roman Catholicism out of your head here cuz it adds a lot of **[17:32]** extra baggage onto this idea. But the keys are about accessing God through Jesus, through the door, right? Here's the keys. I'm I'm the one telling you he's the door. That's that's kind of the idea here that we have going on. So, um, uh, something that will help us too. Okay, we're about to do Matthew 18 and I'll show you something that's in Matthew 18 that's in Matthew 16, that's in John 20 as well. All of the passages I've shared with you. So, where where Jesus says, "What you What you bind will be bound in heaven, what you loose will **[18:04]** be loosed in heaven." Um, in Matthew 18, he says it again. Here it is. Um, "Surely I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Now, in the Greek, there's a debate on this, but in the Greek, there's legitimately a construction here that could fairly be translated will have been bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. Now, what's interesting about this is that that same Greek construction is in Matthew 18:18, the verse on your screen. It's also in Matthew 16 where Jesus first tells **[18:35]** Peter, "What you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven." And it's also in John 20 where he says, "Those whom you forgive will have been forgiven." And um, here's some translations that actually translated it that way. It's the NET, the CSB, the ISV, um, and the NASB. These are all respectable translations. And they You see it here. Here's the NASB, Matthew 18:18. "It shall have been bound in heaven." Now, the idea here is not that Peter is coming up with the decision on his own, **[19:08]** but that he's heaven's emissary or in Matthew 18, the apostles in general are heaven's emissaries to say the truth that heaven has proclaimed already. That's an interesting element that's there. I don't want to push it too hard, but it's it's present. If nothing else, it pushes away some of the extreme statements that we get from um, Roman Catholic claims. Um, now, let me see. Oh, there's more. Um, Matthew 18, this is the next time Jesus says it in the book of Matthew. **[19:40]** But it's in a super different context, right? Now, he's talking about when someone sins against you and you disfellowship them. He's not just talking about getting saved. So, let's read it. "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private. If he listens to you, we're in the NASB for no no reason really right at the moment. You have won your brother. If he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. This is a process of dealing with serious sin, dealing with like local churches **[20:12]** correcting that serious sin, or at least trying to. You're not just trying to rebuke them, you're actually trying to restore them. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. People get offended at this verse often because they think um it means let him be like the scum of the earth to you. Except to Jesus, Gentiles and tax collectors were not the scum of the earth. They were people to outreach to. So, he's what he's saying is even though he's he's a believer, a proclaimed believer, even though this person says they follow Jesus, they won't hear **[20:42]** rebuke, they're serious sin, they won't listen to anybody, treat them with an outreach mentality instead, which means they're not actually part of the church. But, they're someone who we want to be part of the church. So, we're drawing a line and saying, you know what, you need to cross this line of turning from that thing and then join us, please, come back to us. So, it's not this the way some people hear it. Then he says the the statement, "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Now, this it's really hard to read **[21:12]** exorcism into this verse. This is This is one of the main reasons why I reject that view. This is about church discipline. This is about dealing with a sinful, you know, person in church, not just any old sin, but there's like a seriousness to it. And um you know, a sin a greater sin. And yeah, not all sins the same. Sorry. I know you've been saying your whole life that all sins the same. You've just been wrong. >> [laughter] >> I have a video on that you guys can check out. Um whatever you bind on earth though, this is this is about like a binding decision **[21:42]** about who is and isn't part going to be part of the fellowship. Similar to kind of an echo of who is and isn't part of Christ. Um it's like sharing the gospel. So, again I say to you that if two of you agree on any on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by my Father who's in heaven. For where two or three have gathered in my name, there I am in their midst. Now, this verse is frequently taken a bit out of context. It seems to be about a a church uh deciding and being given like the authority to say, "Hey, you were not part of our fellowship until you deal **[22:13]** with this issue in your life." This is something churches don't generally do. It's actually echoed in the only other real New Testament excommunication type passage in 1 Corinthians, when Paul's talks about excommunicating a guy or disfellowshipping him with the hopes of his return. He says, "In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled and with and I with you in the spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus." This is the This is the language of like where two or more gathered, I'm in their midst. Paul's appealing to that. He goes, "I've decided deliver such a one to Satan." **[22:44]** Which means not for the destruction of his flesh, doesn't mean kill him, it means kick him out of the church. He's going to be He's effectively part of the world. So, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, that he might repent and come back. Again, restoration is always the goal. But, it's that same language of of I'm with you as you make this decision. Then in um 2 Corinthians 2:10, the to me I understand this verse as the guy being brought back. And it's the same kind of process. Uh but one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive anything. **[23:14]** For indeed, what I have forgiven, if I forgive anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ. It's this idea of two or more gathered in church sort of discipline situations. So, then what finally uh This is the longest question. Longest answer I've ever given for question one, but there's timestamps below for all the questions if you just wait a couple hours after the stream. What then does binding and loosing include? Um it's declaring official Christian doctrine, right? Forgiveness of sins is part of that. It's um the dealing with **[23:45]** church discipline. But, let me now make sure we don't misuse this doctrine. See, once that doctrine's been declared, this is a New Testament principle. It's official and it's unchanging. Once the access has been explained, once the keys have been elaborated to the to the world, it never changes. This is why in Jude it says that the faith has been delivered once and for all to the saints. You don't change it afterwards. Once it's declared, it's official and unchanging. Galatians 1, Paul appeals to the Galatians to use their knowledge of the once given gospel so that no matter **[24:16]** who comes, no matter what authority they have, even an apostle comes, they can't change things. So, it's not this ongoing authority that they carry with them to alter doctrine, it's the initial foundation laying phase of the gospel. There's no apostolic succession that goes on there. So, um Roman claims about authority connecting to this idea don't really seem like they work. And our goal then is to echo the first century apostles. We In other words, we go around telling people Jesus is the way. That's That's the idea. That's the main focus of the keys and church **[24:46]** discipline uh and disfellowshipping a person in the hopes that they repent is also important connected to this as well. So, I hope that that helps um Well, we'll just go to the next question. The the the ideas of demons and casting out demons, we we have to just avoid two extremes, at least in my opinion, okay? For whatever it's worth. And the two extremes are thinking demons are everywhere or thinking demons are nowhere. Those are the two extremes I want to avoid as a Christian. Um the Bible doesn't do either of those things. It doesn't discount the existence of the **[25:17]** demonic, nor does it assign everything to a demon. I mean, you may be like accidentally trying to cast out the demon of lust when you remember that James teaches that lust is coming from your heart, not from that demon. All right, let's go to question number two. And we have all 20 questions, they're already loaded. I'm just going to work through them now as quick as I can. Well, without being doing disservice to your questions. Um if I don't feel edified, this is from Josh Matthias um who says, "If I don't feel edified by the watered-down milk preaching at my **[25:47]** local church, is it wrong to give less money to the local church and give more money to online ministries that I spend hours listening to?" Um No, I don't see that that's wrong. Um so, the only Josh, the only thing I want to suggest is Okay, well, I'll say a couple things. One, um there is no set amount of money that you're supposed to give to your local church. I think we should consider it something like a a communal effort. Um am I doing my part to help my **[26:18]** local fellowship to accomplish the things they're called to do. Um so, to help see that the staff is getting paid, that the building is getting cleaned, and that things are in in in working order, you know, that there's enough money to replace that broken item, that kind of thing. To see that our outreach opportunities are there, that kind of thing. Now, if you have a church, in my opinion, if your church is like super good at organizing large-scale outreaches and is really effective in in doing ministry and outreach and and various different things, and and the people on staff are **[26:48]** like getting good work done, I want to give more money to that church. If I feel like they're not doing a very good job, I don't want It's not like I'm trying to punish them by giving less, it's just that I want to I want to be wise with my investments, my money, and I want to make sure that I'm giving to people who I think are doing a good job so that I can see that dollar get stretched further for the kingdom of God. So, I want to see good money management in that regard. Um the the one thing I'll add though on this is I don't want to go to a church and use the AC and the heating and the **[27:19]** janitorial staff and the bathrooms and all the commodities that are there. I don't want to use all that stuff and then not even give the church enough money to like replace the cost they put out just for me to attend. And I'm talking about people who are You belong to the church. You're not just a guest. You know, I think guests we we don't we don't want them to feel like any any burden to give. I don't anyway. Um So, yeah, am I Yeah, that's where you say, "Should I give less?" Well, depends on what you mean by less. Are you helping to support **[27:49]** the the staff? Are you doing what you can? And the final thing I'd add into this is everything changes when you're poor. Because when you don't have the funds, you can't be like, "Am I doing my part?" And you're like, "Look, I just don't have the funds." And even in the law of the Old Testament, God had like these um hey, if you commit this sin, here's the ex- exact sacrifice to bring. And then he'd be like, "But, if you're poor, here's a really cheap version." And he'd be like, "Bring like a turtle Bring like a dove." It's like the cheapest thing you could sacrifice. What I'm suggesting is that there's a **[28:21]** extra layer of consideration on all the giving that goes on in the church in that the poor are expected to give less, and we should not care. And and the rich are expected to give more. I'm I'm not talking about tax the Like if you bring this into the realm of government-enforced giving through taxation, that is not what we're talking about. I'm talking here about um using the gifts God's given you. And I think that there's an expectation there that we do those things. All right, number three, anonymous **[28:51]** question. How do I know if I'm doing the right thing by cutting off a very toxic family member? I still pray for him, but I think he's dangerous and unbalanced and he refuses to get help. Thanks, Mike. Um That's a super tough question. Um in in one respect, and you guys might feel part of you Maybe you're okay. Some of you you've gone through your own tough tough experiences, and you found that what relieved your stress more than anything and the anxiety that you had was just cutting that person out of your **[29:22]** life. And so, when you hear someone else say, "I feel like I have a toxic person in my life," you counsel them as, "Oh, cut him out. Just cut him out. Just cut him out right away." But, you might be responding a little quickly due to your past traumas. And I don't want to read I don't want to read too quickly into the cut him out side of things. On the other hand, there are times, right? I just read about excommunication, right? Here we have a local fellowship that has someone who's going to the church and they're living in sin. They're sinning specifically against other **[29:52]** believers in the fellowship is the example in Matthew 18. And it's a significant enough sin that it should be brought to the leaders even. They won't repent. They won't repent. They do all the steps to bring repentance. Then they cut them off, but with the statement of hey, I want you back, but you've got to change. Please change so I can have you back. And that is like the how you cut someone off. Please change so I can have you back. You say the person's dangerous. To me, this is one of the key issues. **[30:22]** Is the person just irritating me? They're they're they're shaping my character by bringing me They're like the sandpaper person, right? Sandpaper people they they rub you hard. It hurts. It's a it's a it's a abrasive, but it but it softens you. It it it matures you, right? But um But the the idea of someone being dangerous, like if someone's abusive, like really abusive, you cut them off. Like that's easy. Cut them off. >> [laughter] >> Flee, you know, do what you have to do. So I I think that these are hard **[30:52]** questions to answer with generic data. Um Is there real abuse? Okay, then then I I I I can separate myself from that person. I'm not going to continue to expose myself to future abuse. I also think that a heart that's willing to forgive doesn't mean you've restored the relationship. I think this is a huge lesson we have to learn. All of us have to learn is I can have a heart that wants to forgive you, but not be in relationship with you because you haven't repented. That's what God does. Jesus does this. I love you. I want to know you, but until you turn and come to me, there will not be a **[31:23]** relationship there. So it just depends on all the issues that are going on there. I hope some of these things give you some wisdom. Um Oh, yeah. Tough stuff. Um anonymous question also here. This one says, "What are your thoughts on the argument against the Trinity that points out the lack of a Trinitarian controversy like that of Nicaea in the time of Acts and the writing of the New Testament?" Um That sounds um like it would support the Trinity to me. **[31:53]** So [laughter] let me walk you through my my thinking on this. Um I look at history and I go, "Hey, there's this big Trinitarian controversy at the time of Nicaea, right? Okay, true." Um I look at earlier church history, first century in particular, and I go, "I don't see a Trinitarian controversy here." So then it must be an invented thing later and that's why the church is fighting against it. Okay, well here's another explanation. Or it wasn't a debate about the identity of Jesus in particular. It's about Jesus's identity here. That that's the **[32:24]** controversy to my recollection, the Nicene things about who Jesus is, right? And to see him as as as God as uncreated God is clearly taught in the New Testament. To me, this is this is the winner of all battles. Is the New Testament clearly unequivocally declares that Jesus is God. It just says this in plain language multiple times. And so um that just means that the fight against the deity of Christ was a later battle that the church was **[32:55]** going through as it continued to spread. And during the earliest stages when you had um you know, the the closest to the apostolic times, you just didn't have that battle. So So do you see what we're we're doing here? We're we're doing theology wrong. What we're doing here is theology should not be done with well, whenever the controversy came, that's when that doctrine was made up. Why Why wouldn't it just equally be true that when Nicaea came, that's when the idea of Jesus not you know, having the Trinitarian theology of who Jesus is. **[33:27]** Why don't we just say that was the new idea? Uh be- because we shouldn't do our theology that way. We should go to the New Testament and let it tell us what it tells us. All right, number five. This is Gene Robins who says, "How should we interpret Deuteronomy 13 verses 6 through 9? Part of the chapter is often used on Mormons for Joseph Smith being a false prophet, but if rejecting a false prophet is required, would it follow that this is required, too? This chapter, all or nothing." Okay, the chapter we'll read in a second here. It **[33:58]** also refers to what you do to the false prophet when you find out they're false. So Deuteronomy chapter 13 verse 6 through 9. You You kill them. Okay, let's read the passage here together. "If your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is your own soul, entice you secretly saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods whom you whom neither you nor your fathers have known, of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other **[34:29]** end.'" Okay, any other god. If someone who you desperately love and is close to you tells you to worship some other false god, "Yet you shall not yield to it, to him, or listen to him, and your eye shall not have pity pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him." Oddly enough, like may I say this? Total side note. This might be an Old Testament example of a very relevant current event. When a person's dear loved one, family member, husband, wife, child comes out as **[35:00]** you know, "I'm pagan now. I'm atheist now. I'm uh I'm openly homosexual now. I I'm transgender now." It is often a huge like watershed moment whether their family, because of their love for that person, will also compromise their beliefs and their following of Jesus. And it happens all the time. Like prominent pastors, we I've seen many prominent pastors, well, pastors at least, not prominent there. Um who when when a son or daughter comes out as as like uh gay, **[35:30]** they go, "Yeah, I've changed my theology on this." And this is What I'm suggesting is here in Deuteronomy, this is a problem. Of course it's a problem today. It's a temptation when our loved ones go away from God, we want to go, too. And we have to pick between them and God. So you shall not yield. Don't listen. And he says, um "Don't pity them. Don't spare or conceal him. Don't hide him from the people that can protect him. But you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, afterwards the hand of all the people. **[36:00]** So you shall stone him to death because he has sought to seduce you from the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt and out of the house of slavery." Which is In other words, he sought to bring you harm that is both temporal and eternal by leading you away from God. So this is a pretty significant thing. This is like attempted murder, spiritually speaking. When you bring false prophecy or you know, not just false prophecy here. This isn't just about false prophet. This is about um leading people away from God. Cuz a false prophet could just be in error. They're still a false prophet. There's **[36:31]** teaching about stoning them, too, by the way. Um "Then all Israel will hear and be afraid and will never again do such a wicked thing among you." That's That's the main lesson. We got to teach the people to stay close to God. Um why don't we apply that today? Well, because we're not under the law. Like please please please, if anybody's feeling conflicted and confused on this, I have a two-part video series and I hope Mods, if you can put this in the in the live chat, I'll put a link down below as soon as I finish the stream. This is how to understand the Old Testament law. This is like years old, my teaching on this. But I've had a lot **[37:01]** of good feedback. People have told me many times that this really helped them, these two videos. This will help you answer this question and a thousand others. We are not under the law. That's not a throwaway phrase. That's an important New Testament teaching. So what do we do with the law? I talk about this in that series, as well. We learn principles from it. And so the penalty of the law you're not under, but there was a principle here. God does not want you leading people away from God. That's That's an important principle. So **[37:31]** um how do I apply this to Joseph Smith? Well, you you ignore him leading you to false gods. He He believes in many gods, multiple gods. He teaches of all this sort of like polytheism stuff that is in Mormonism, even though many times they don't want it. They Well, I I say they don't want to. I think they're trained to try to walk around those issues because it's part of the PR of trying to grow Mormonism because for Mormons, for Mormonism, not Mormons, for Mormonism, the growth of the movement is more important than the theology itself. **[38:03]** Which is a weird thing that's happened over the years, but that seems to be the case. That they've shifted to being like preserving the movement is more important than even preserving our teachings. But um but it's there's too much cancer. There's too much cancer. It can't be saved. It Everyone needs to stop being Mormon um at this point. So um yeah, so I can apply this to him. This is easy, man. Joseph Smith led people away from God. You don't listen to them. Do you stone him? Well, we're not under the law. Um please check out that two-part series, Gene. I I really think you'll be blessed by it. Tons of **[38:33]** scripture I used to to demonstrate each point that I'm making there. And I will link it below, as well. Question six. Kellsby says, "As a new believer, I feel I won't be able to go to my sister-in-law's house again because they smoke weed at every gathering. How do I find balance between being light and not being in a certain situations? Um Okay, so some of the ways that I would I've done this in my own life because I, you know, largely it's growing up, friends that aren't saved, family that's not following Jesus, you know, this is my **[39:03]** my I'm not brought up in like a church bubble, okay? I entered the bubble later and was like, "Wow, this is an interesting place." So um what I'm going to suggest is some of the things at least that helped me as I worked through this. And and that is um A, am I being stumbled? Okay, so when I go to to be with them, I don't want to ask, "Am I making them better? Hey, they're a little better. They don't cuss as much when I'm around." Whatever. This is what I would hear people say all the time. I want to ask first the question, "Am I being made to compromise my walk with **[39:34]** God?" Let me give you an example for marriage. Let's say that there's this girl I want to outreach to. She's not my wife, but but I'm like tempted by this girl. Isn't it a no-brainer that I should not spend any time with this girl? It's a no-brainer, right? Right, like because I have a more important relationship that trumps all of that in with my wife. And so I'm not I'm not going to spend time with her even though oh, but I really wanted to see her saved. Yeah, okay, that's fine, but is it stumbling you in these important ways? In which case you keep your walk **[40:04]** focused on God. So, if you are being led into sin by those relationships, that's a sign they may need to be changed or removed. Um if And another question is um am I actually doing outreach with these people or am I just hanging out cuz it's what I'm used to? And I think that um I don't want to be too strict on this like I'm demanding you preach the gospel every time you see them, but it's a question to ask. Okay, is this really happening? Is this It speaks of the value of the relationship. Another question to ask is is all the **[40:35]** time I'm spending with this group of people is that keeping me from pursuing some other wonderful thing for the name of Christ? Serving in ministry, starting a ministry, um doing other things that that might honor and glorify God. And so you've got to ask because some relationships are just massive time time suckers and you just want to be aware of that. So, um you also say though this is your your family. And so I I don't want to cut family off. They're family. I I I might want to **[41:05]** adjust how I engage with them. And that's a that's a tough that's a tough challenge. Make Pray do a lot of prayer about how to navigate those types of things. Um yeah. So, yeah. I hope those those those give you some wisdom though. Number seven, Emily Price says, "I just came into a lead role in a local ministry where many of the other adults are older than I. I want to be confident but not cocky. Firm but able to learn. Any tips? Thank you for your ministry." **[41:35]** Um So, Paul writes to Timothy, "Let no one despise your youth." We have that that statement from Paul to Timothy. And I think people interpret that in different ways. I I've seen people interpret it Oh, so hey, you can't despise me just cuz I'm young. Almost like it it's a pride and added arrogance thing. I think what Paul probably meant, my impression is he meant Timothy, "You're young, but don't act like it." >> [laughter] >> And there's something to be said for this. Do not just act your age. Doesn't mean **[42:07]** you can't be a little goofy or fun. But he means there are certain things. Okay, the older you get, the more you realize this. But let me let's see even if you're 17, you guys know what I mean. Look at how irresponsible 4-year-olds are. Right? Look at how they think they know things they don't know anything about. If they had more responsibility, more of a seriousness, more of a care for others and not concerned for themselves, and a little bit more of thoughtful reflectiveness, sure, they'd be better. Now, I don't expect that much of 4-year-olds, but if **[42:37]** you're a young person serving in ministry, you have to labor extra hard to be walking in wisdom and thoughtfulness. And to like you said, you want to listen to them. Um building that bridge. Hey, is there anything that I can learn from you? Um you know, pull pull them aside and and ask them. It's a difficult to build that connection with people if you're leading where they feel comfortable telling you how they feel about how the ministry's going. They'll talk to each other about it. That's our sin natures naturally do that. But getting them to feel comfortable talking to you about it is very difficult to do. Something you might labor towards. Um so **[43:10]** you want to be confident but not cocky. I would say um never let your confidence be greater than it is. So, as a leader you can feel like you have to make a decision then then you're looking around to see if everybody's falling in line. These types of things What happens in leadership is the same thing I think that happens in marriage cuz I've done both. Is all my insecurities just come right to the surface. And so then I can get weird. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about what people say behind your back. Don't worry about that person who's giving you **[43:41]** a weird look or who you think doesn't really respect you. Don't inflate it and make it bigger than it is because then you will treat them like a problem instead of a resource and a ministry partner. You just have to overlook all those things and you just have to say, "Look, I'm just called to be faithful. This is the clarity I've got. Let's go for it. Maybe I don't know about that." Then I'm not going to pretend I do. Um these are these are some of the tips that I would give you and um yeah, time time time. I remember I when I was brought into youth ministry as the **[44:12]** pastor for the students, not the counselors, but for the students, this was interesting. It was like 2 years before they like looked at me like I was their pastor. I don't know how to explain it other than that. There's something about serving in longevity in ministry that you your first year is the most difficult. And then your second year is also very difficult, but over time you develop the skills, you understand your job better, and you look back at your **[44:43]** first year and you're like, "What was I what I didn't know what I was doing, you know?" And then you realize that it was just a learning process. So, be patient is the last thing that I'll suggest. Number eight, Stephanie Morris says, "How can we differentiate the instructions given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:11 and by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17 with the shunning, shaming practices of certain cults like JWs, Mormonism, etc.?" Um well, we already read the the Matthew passage earlier. So, the Matthew passage is is let that person be to you as a **[45:14]** heathen and a tax collector. Now, I want to answer Stephanie. One of the things I'll do is the way that I've seen um say Jehovah's Witnesses do this is they treat them like a bad guy. That's not what the Bible means by heathen or tax collector, Gentile or tax. Let them be to you that way means like cuz Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Like he leaves the 99 for the one. It just means there's a shift of fellowship to outreach. Fellowship to outreach. That's a very different thing than what we see in those in those other groups. **[45:46]** Like there's there's a sense in which I care about you. I want you to be saved. I want to see you come and be restored into relationship with Christ and relationship with us. That's the agenda. That's the goal. I'm not purely seeking to protect my flock from the damaging effects of you. I want to see you be restored. That's a big difference. Um then there's 1 Corinthians 5:11. Um this one is a a a real strong statement. He says um I actually wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if **[46:18]** he's an immoral person or a covetous man or covetous or an idolater or reviler or a drunkard or swindler, not even to eat with such a one. Um so let me just say for there's several things in my head that just immediately pop in. Okay, so one of them is don't eat with such a one. I think that we have to understand eating in their culture in their time was not just any kind of eating. In Corinth, they were having what they call these agape feasts, love feasts, where they would gather together as a church **[46:50]** to have something like a potluck type going on. Um a pot faith if luck offends you. Um I used to be really offended by the term luck. Now I I just I just don't think it means what I thought it meant before. So, um anyway, so let's say you did a a pot a potluck. And here it's a church gathering. Right? So, a lot of in my area Hispanic churches sometimes do this. After church service, it's literally just part of Sunday that they have like uh communal meal together. It's just part of the church service. Like I I **[47:20]** carne asada and some yummy salsa and all that kind of stuff. And this could be the context of Paul saying don't eat with such a one. He's he's saying I don't want you to be I don't want them to be considered part of the body. And in that sense I go, "Yes, there you go." This is consistent with what Jesus says. They're not part of the body of Christ. Right? But that doesn't mean you disfellowship them in this entirety type sense. Um like you have no relationship with them, you can't talk to them, you can't eat you can't have a meal. Like you can't go, "Hey, can we get lunch and **[47:51]** catch up and see how you are?" I think you can absolutely do that. Uh Jesus ate with the the the the sinners, right? You're just to treat them as an outsider not as an insider. So, they move to an outreach relationship instead of a fellowship relationship. And we see um an example of of how this works. Um uh marriage. Okay, so when the Bible deals with an unequally yoked marriage or a marriage where one of the people, say the wife is is a Christian and the husband is not. We are never **[48:21]** told that they're to separate from her husband. She's told to stay married and to honor her husband, right? To walk in all the ways a wife is called and that she might win her husband to Christ. So, she's in considered an active witness in his life through her behavior. So, when it comes to the fellowship, there's a sense of dissociation. But if you have other relationships with the person through business relations, through you go to school together, through um it's a friendship you've you've had since outside and regardless of the church, through being a brother, **[48:52]** sister, husband, wife, cousin, those relationships continue and it's now an outreach thing. I hope that that helps differentiate it from the abusive stuff we see in cults. Number nine, Tim Kusky says, "Did Jesus need to have suffered the most pain ever for him to be worthy to save us? How should we answer the objection that some people supposedly suffered worse pain from torture or like say the Holocaust?" Uh Tim, when I was a teenager, I totally thought that. I don't know where I got it from. I'm not going to blame like my my youth **[49:23]** leader um for it because I'm sure all sorts of things that he said I didn't listen to. >> [laughter] >> So, but I had this in my head, this idea that Jesus no one ever suffered as much as Jesus. And I remember my surprise when I heard that other people had been crucified. I was like, wait, I thought Jesus was the crucified other people got. And then I thought this crucifixion was so painful like that that was somehow connected to him saving us. I don't think that Jesus had to suffer more physical pain than anyone else in order for him to redeem us. The penalty is death. **[49:56]** I think that the pain is part of that, is connected to that, but there's nothing in scripture I'm aware of that suggests that like he had to have this many blows of stripes on his back. Like if one less and it wouldn't work. Or that it had to have the crown had to have this many thorns. This is how um somewhat apostate Brian Zahnd will characterize the doctrines of the Christian faith regarding Jesus's death and resurrection. Penal substitutionary atonement we call it. He'll say like, **[50:26]** oh, it has to have this many crowns and no less, right? Cuz cuz God wants to punish and have Jesus suffer a certain amount. I think it probably could have been more, probably could have been less. Um but there's a lot of symbolism in his suffering and that's intact. Jesus suffered and this represents the suffering I deserve, right? Jesus suffered pain the crown because he's taking the curse. Remember the crown is thorns and the curse was thorns and thistles the ground will raise up for you. Remember they ate of the tree and that brought death. Jesus goes to a tree and experiences death. **[50:58]** These stripes on his back are connected to the idea that that he's he's being his blood is being spilled and poured out for us that we might be saved. Ultimately though, what Jesus had to do Tim, is die. He had to die. Because our sentence was death. And so he takes on human form to represent all humans on the cross and die in our place. And so I think that the the you could you could find a person who physically suffered more than Jesus in the history of humanity. But they didn't do it for **[51:29]** the benefit of other's salvation. Not the way Jesus did, not their eternal spiritual salvation. And you can't really compare the physical suffering to the spiritual stuff Jesus went through. It's interesting that it says that he despised the shame. Now shame is a weighted thing, okay? Some people are sort of immune to shame and that's probably sometimes because they're just very shameful people. They don't care about the shame they're experiencing so it doesn't break their heart. But when you have a righteous and holy God who comes and lives a perfect and **[52:01]** spotless life, who then has all the sin and guilt and shame of the world dumped upon him, that matters. And that is hard to measure against anything else cuz nobody else has ever had that. The spiritual cost of the cross is something that I don't understand, but I have a tiny hint at it on those times in my life when I felt intense guilt and shame. Jesus experienced my shame and your shame, all of our shame on the cross. So there's there's more than the physical suffering. Number 10, whatever is lovely, says **[52:32]** Pastor Mike, how should I pray? I prayed for my husband's health and shortly thereafter he died suddenly and unexpectedly. Oftentimes I feel that my will is out of sync with Yahweh's. It hurts. Um well, I'm going to recommend a specific teaching. I'll I'll answer something that hopefully will help you today, but I want to recommend a teaching to you because this is a big issue and it's not just a big issue for you, it's a big issue for the church, it's a big issue for the disciples, and it's a big issue for Jesus. There's a teaching I did in the Mark in the Gospel of Mark series. Um and I think I called I think that the **[53:04]** thumbnail said how correct is Kenneth Copeland. In fact, one of the mods, can you put this in there as well and I'll link this down below for those of you to watch if you're interested, you can check this out. Um and in that I deal with the the the the contrast in the Gospel of Mark that we have it and you're feeling this too, I think. That we have these statements by Jesus. He's like, whatever you ask in my name, you'll receive. You ask believing, you'll get it. And then Jesus goes to to the Garden of Gethsemane and there he prays, "Father, deliver me. Take this cup from me. All **[53:35]** right, nevertheless not my will be done but yours." That there is this contrast in prayer, right? There is this incredible power of God to do anything and yet sometimes it's not his will. And if you believe him and it is his will, he's going to do it. He'll he will accomplish that miraculous, wonderful thing, but there is times where you can believe all you want, but that belief isn't according to the will of God and this is where you're like, maybe I'm out of sync with God. No, I don't think so because there's an just like Jesus, he he's a model for us here. **[54:06]** He says like, "If it be your will." All right, but he says, "You can do all things." There's faith there. All right, he's modeling for us, right? He's he's he's walking in humility and he's modeling human prayer as he does this and he says, "Father, you can do all things. If there's any other way, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless not my will but yours be done." And this is kind of what you did with your husband. Lord, I know you can heal him. I trust you. Please heal my husband. And for whatever heartbreaking reason **[54:38]** this does not happen, that doesn't mean that it was your prayer that was flawed. It doesn't mean that it's you that was flawed, just like it doesn't mean it was Jesus that was flawed in the garden when he still went to the cross and suffered that fate. He's modeling for us this difficult place where you find a whole new side of faith, which is trusting God when he says no. And it's the you would give anything for him to say yes. And so please please check out that um that video, how correct is Kenneth Copeland or I think it was called like um something about the best name it and **[55:09]** claim it verse. Hopefully it's been it's there in this in the in the live chat. I don't know. I don't I don't see it there. So I'll put it in the video description if if you guys don't get it in the live chat. Um I I hope you'll check it out. God bless you and help you whatever is lovely. We pray that the Lord encourage you and strengthen you and comfort you and and just carry you through. May he be the rock that you fall on when you can't hold yourself up and you just rest in him. Ben V has a question. Why do modern translators translations **[55:40]** hide so much mythology? Leviathan and Behemoth are animals. Isaiah 34:14, Lilith is an owl. Psalm 96:5, gods are idols and not demons. I fear this leads to materialism. Um okay Ben, I don't know if I'm actually on the same page as you on this. So um so it doesn't mean I'm saying you're wrong. Okay, I'm just suggesting that I can't grant the hypothesis. Like you're like, hey, why is this happening? I'm not sure that that's happening. Um **[56:11]** I I I'm very concerned about your use of the term mythology and applying it to all these different things. It is true that um some consider Leviathan, Behemoth as mythological type things. I think what translations try to do is they just try to translate the words. It would only be if you could find other ancient Near Eastern texts that suggest that these are being used symbolically mythological animals that are being used symbolically and not literal animals that Job is physically aware of. Maybe he knows about them because of their **[56:42]** It's kind of like if I told you guys about the Loch Ness Monster. I could use this and everybody knows what I mean and someone else might think I was I was talking about a real monster, which I'm not, or Bigfoot, you know. Um And so yeah, but but that's not exactly the translator's job. Like that's ancient Near Eastern studies. It's just I just don't think it's really the translator's job there. You give a couple other examples. Um Isaiah 34:14, Lilith is an owl. Um I'm not familiar with that one. Psalm 96:5, gods are idols and not demons. I fear **[57:13]** this leads to materialism. Um let's look at the Psalm 96:5 one, okay? Um and we do want to be aware of our the materialism of our culture can definitely impact our Christian faith, but the Bible's thoroughly supernatural. It con- continually presents a supernatural worldview. Um So Psalm 96:5, here's the NASB. For all the gods of the peoples are idols. Okay, this implies that they're just they're just pieces of wood, right? They're they're just fake. But God, he's the one **[57:44]** who made everything. So so he's bigger than that. Now let's look at this in a few other translations. Um ESV, all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, okay? NIV, uh all the gods of the nations are idols. There is a footnote here, um but it just refers us to Leviticus 19:4 that says uh do not turn to idols or make yourselves any gods of cast metal. Um New King James, the gods of the people are idols. Um I wonder if I could get **[58:16]** I'll do real quick for you guys Psalm 96:5. The Hebrew for the word that's translated idols there, see cuz this is the question if it's a translation issue, then it'd be because the Hebrew itself has a problem. Uh-oh. Ah. So um the term idols is being it looks like it's being added by the translators. The actual word in the Hebrew is that that's they're translating worthless idols is um **[58:46]** I wonder if I could play it for you. You want to hear this? This is Logos. You can do this. All right, just a sec. Elil. Did you guys hear it? Elil. Oh, looks like it was really loud. Okay, I I've never done that before so I wasn't sure what would happen. Okay, um at any rate um the the meaning of the word, here's Brown-Driver-Briggs, which um is an Old Testament really reliable considered source on this sort of thing, right? So it refers to things that are weak, feeble, or poor, **[59:17]** um insufficiency, worthlessness. Um unfortunately, this is way too long of an article for me to read right now. Um but it does refer to worthless gods or idols. The word itself can refer specifically to idols. So I just I don't see that this is a problem. >> [laughter] >> So forgive me Ben, I know there's more that you you've probably like, "But Mike, I've got all these reasons." And forgive me, I don't know those reasons. I can't respond to them right now. But yeah, I don't know that this is a translation problem. Number 12, uh Tom Mortasha Smith says, **[59:50]** "I've had some really good conversations with friends at work about being a Christian. What are some good tips for me to continue talking to them without seeming like I'm pushing it on them?" You know Tom, I don't I don't know that I'm really all that great at this. I I I'm I'm sorry. >> [laughter] >> I'm not sure that I'm all that great at this. Um what I found, one thing that helps is people people care about things that you are excited about. Not just passionate about, excited about. There's a difference, okay? You can be passionate about things **[60:22]** and you can be excited about them. And so um there there's that. They also care about things that seem like they have some connection to their own life. But I've found this. When you talk to people about God multiple times, they will they will be making decisions on the spot about whether they are open to and receiving these things, rejecting these things, um and depending on how they respond, they will come with a sort of a predisposition to your next conversation. Let me Let me explain what I mean here. If they in your previous talks found **[60:53]** that maybe you you you were talking about God and it felt like you were giving them good reasons to believe in Jesus, but they don't want to. The next time you talk to them, they're not going to be comfortable with that. So no matter how you approach it, I'm not sure how much that's going to help. Here's where, you know, as a follow-up to witnessing, your character and godliness and compassion and your goodness as a person is a big deal because it will help reinforce those things to those people. But you can't make them make a choice. And the more you talk to them, you can't hide the fact that you were trying to **[61:24]** get them to follow Jesus, right? So um so you So I think yeah, those are some of the things I'm thinking about there. Um in some ways, I don't know how to deal with people who progressively close themselves off more and more because they can sense that you're pulling them to the cross and they don't want to go there. And for them, I think your character matters a lot, but there's a time where you say, um I don't I don't know how to proceed. I don't know how to push you to the next moment in this conversation. And at that point, I think my tendency is to just be **[61:55]** pretty straight with people. Hey man, I I I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I'm sensing that maybe there's there's I'm making you feel uncomfortable. And [snorts] because you're you're wanting to You You see that I want you to follow Jesus. And I do. I really do want you to follow Jesus. So but I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. I just I really believe it's it's that God loves you, that Jesus died for you, that that you can know him, you can walk in him, you can have forgiveness for everything you've done, and I want you to have that. And I I just get even more uncomfortable with people at **[62:25]** that point. [laughter] Um Christine, who are the Nicolaitans that are mentioned in Revelation 2:6? Thanks for your ministry. Okay, so boy, it's been a long time since I've looked into this. Revelation 2:6, I'll give you guys a few details here, but don't consider this my my final answer. Um he Jesus is is giving letters to the churches, the seven churches in Revelation. Each of them he gives them various things, usually something positive, something negative, sometimes all negative, sometimes all positive. Um here, one of the negative things that's **[62:55]** going on in the church is that there's this group called the Nicolaitans. And Jesus says, "Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." Um so there's been different theories about the meaning of these I mean, look at Look at how much data we have. It's like That's it. Like we don't have anything else about them. We have their name, Nicolaitans. Now, they could be followers of someone like named Nicholas. It could be like their leader's a guy named Nicholas and they're the Nicolaitans. Um or it could be Nicolaitan means power over the people. You see how it's laitan like laos, **[63:28]** people. Like So there's power over the people. That could be this thing that's going on there. So So some think, "Okay, well, this is the rise of um some kind of like um clergy-laity thing. Right? Where where where they're trying to take power over the over the believers and maybe devalue their own individual connection with God. And some things were going on there in the in late 1st century, early 2nd century, we have the development of a priesthood. There was no priesthood in the New **[63:58]** Testament times. But there is this sense in which power over the people was happening as you had like special people who were called priests. Right? Yet the New Testament teaches that we're all priests. No one gets between you and your relationship with God. Even though I might be in assistance to you as a teacher, as a a Bible thinker, I'm not I'm not mediating your relationship with God, right? And so there's that That That could be something that's going on there. Um there are some other views on Nicolaitans that I just can't remember right now. And um it's been a while since I looked into **[64:29]** it. So I hope that a few of those slides give you something to consider. I'd read several, not one, several commentaries on the topic of Nicolaitans. Um if you guys are looking for a site that has some decent stuff that for free, blueletterbible.org is what I would recommend. And question 14, this is from Ryrand Wevo who says, "Job 1:6 states that the angels and Satan present themselves before the Lord and they proceed to have a conversation about Job in the ensuing verses. Who was there to witness and record the conversation?" It's actually **[65:00]** a fantastic question. Um Job 1:6. So um let's read the passage then we'll then we'll work through the answer. Now um there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, "From where have you come?" And Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it." And scripture elsewhere tells us Satan does this seeking who he whom he may devour. He's trying to cause problems. **[65:30]** Then they have a conversation about Job. And Satan brings up a challenge like, "Hey, Job would Job would would reject you. Yeah, he believes but if you didn't bless him, if you didn't just make his life comfortable, he would curse you to your face. He doesn't really love you for you, God. He doesn't really trust you. He only believes in you because of the blessings he has, because his life is going well." And so then the challenge is is thrown out like, "What if his life went horrible? Would he still trust in God?" And there ensues the book of Job. So the question is like, how did they **[66:00]** know about this? Like obviously no human was there. I Okay, I shouldn't say obviously. It seems It seems that no humans were there to experience this conversation. So how did they know? This leads us to another question. How did they know about the rest of the book of Job? We We have really long conversations happening in the book of Job. Like chapters long where one person talks for multiple chapters. How did they get all this data? Was somebody there writing down all the things that these people were saying back and forth **[66:32]** to one another? Some people think that there's some poetic license happening in the book of Job in that some details are not exactly as they happened, but are still inspired and accurate for the sake of telling the story. Um I mean, I I It's that's in the realm of possibility, um but obviously it brings up a lot of questions. My thought is this. And this is my opinion on the book of Job at the moment. Um is that whoever wrote Job, which we don't know the right answer to that or **[67:03]** exactly when it was written, um I believe they wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When When you know, writers of the Bible are inspired by the Holy Spirit, they can write things that they could never have known humanly. Do Do you see what I'm saying? Like it It's not that the Bible's just dictated, but it doesn't mean that none of it's dictated. Uh there There's parts of it where it's just God says this word for word. This is what God said. So I don't really see a problem with this. If you hold a view that the Bible **[67:35]** is inspired, then you really don't have a problem with this. Now, if you don't think the Bible's inspired, then you're probably asking the wrong questions anyways. You probably should look at fulfilled prophecy and not trying to explain where did this information come from in Job 1:6 cuz the answer is going to be because it's inspired. So this is a a simple thing to me. Um you know, men of God wrote as they were led by the Holy Spirit and that the scripture itself is God-breathed. So the information that couldn't have come from the mind of man must have come from the mind of God is is my answer on that. **[68:08]** Carl has a question. How did the animals get onto Noah's Ark? Greetings and thanks from the UK. Well, hello to the UK. Cheers to you. Um How did the animals get onto the ark? Um well, I mean, they they they walked. >> [laughter] >> And so um it doesn't really give us much in the scripture. If you If you actually look at some for specific details here, we don't really have a lot. So like didn't didn't Noah Okay, if you take sort of the strictly **[68:40]** I want to be careful with my words here. Um if you if you take um a more wooden I'm not trying to say this in a derogatory fashion, either. But if you take that that more wooden kind of, you know, interpretation approach to that passage, what you've got here is um Noah has like 100 years to build the ark. He's going to get two of every animal and bring them in. And we're not really told how he does that. Two of every animal, seven of the clean ones, right? And so we're not really told how this takes place. **[69:12]** So the answer is we don't know. So then we're left to theorize. When scripture doesn't outline this stuff, we theorize. Oh, well, he had a lot of time. The The he could have commissioned people. And some people think, "Well, the earth was very different back then." And so two of every animal was easier to do. The shape of God maybe brought animals and they migrated somehow from different locations and God could have started that process at any point in time. Okay, all these are like viable answers to some regards and they they have other issues in other **[69:42]** places. But then that is the view that's based upon it being of course a global flood. Okay, and I use the term global here. So another perspective and I don't know for sure what my view is on this. Okay, forgive me. I just don't know. I I really don't. I'm I'm a little bit open on some of these issues. And another view is say Hugh Ross's view. So Hugh Ross, their view is it was it was worldwide but not global and what they mean is well the Bible uses the term world to talk about the where mankind **[70:14]** lives and not the planet. And I'm not saying that view is correct. I'm just explaining to you a perspective people have on this for at least clarity. So they'll say well that means that the animals you didn't need penguins on the ark because they're unrelated to the area in which mankind is living at the time in the in the Mesopotamian area, the region that's there. And so you don't need to bring animals from everywhere in that regard. All around the globe, you just need to bring them **[70:45]** from all around the world which means the world of mankind. So yeah, I don't I don't know what the right answer is there because the scripture is not super clear to me on how that took place. And so I I'm open for entertaining a few different options where there's lack of clarity in my mind at least. Number 16, Malcolm T says, "When I pray sometimes it feels like I'm so deep in God's love but other times it feels like I'm talking to a wall. How can I be sure that I'm praying correctly and not just blabbering mindlessly?" **[71:16]** Well, Malcolm I want you to encourage you to make a giant shift in the way that you view your prayer life. That is look at it the way that you talk to your friend, your dad, your your co-worker, a person on the phone. You ever had a conversation where you're talking to someone and you just you feel like they're not like I mean you just feel kind of nothing in the conversation. Other times the the talk is like wow, it's such a great talk. But never do you think to yourself, "Maybe I'm not even talking to **[71:48]** them." Right? Like it never occurs to you. Maybe I'm not even having a conversation right now even though it's not maybe a feel-good one, it never occurs to you that it's just not actually happening. The problem is that with God you're evaluating whether God's listening based on how you feel in the moment and that is a very hazardous thing. That's the shift I'd want I'd want to encourage you to make. Do not evaluate God's listening to you with you feeling like God is listening. **[72:18]** This will put you on a permanent roller coaster of thrills and chills in a bad way [laughter] of you feeling like wow, oh God was there. He was really there and and it's like we we turn into this sort of um these people that need confirmation at all times but we never listen to previous confirmation. We just need it again right now. Lord, I take that wonderful feeling of prayer as an answer that you were listening to me. **[72:49]** Next time I pray, I'm not feeling it. I guess he's not listening. Wait a minute. Did he or did he not show he me he was listening? But but I need to feel it all the time. We become slaves to our emotions and we actually start judging God. Get this based upon our hearts. And your heart, Malcolm, like mine is really stupid. It goes up, it goes down. Sometimes you're upset and you don't even know why. Sometimes you're happy and you don't know why. Sometimes you're just feeling nothing and there's no good reason for it. But your heart is not the way to test the truth of things external **[73:19]** to your heart. Just pray and trust God. Lord, I know you're I know you're listening. I know you hear me. How do I know this? Not cuz I feel like you hear me but because Jesus died on the cross to become the bridge so that I could have constant and permanent access to you. I come boldly to the throne of grace through the veil that is his flesh that I may enter the presence of God and he hears me because of Jesus. Now if I don't feel it, that's just my heart that's being weird. Number 17, the physics and theology nerd **[73:50]** has a question. In Leviticus 12, women are unclean and excluded from worship in the temple after giving birth. That the time is doubled if the baby is a girl has troubled my wife. Do you know the reason for this? Um [snorts] uh uh So I don't know the reason for this. I'm familiar with the passage. Okay, so you you you summarized it well, physics and and theology nerd. You've summarized it well. Um the the duration that the mother is unclean after giving birth is doubled in the case of a girl. **[74:22]** The text never tells us why this is. So some theories are thrown out there by people, right? Like um well maybe women are just generally more sinful. Okay, but here I already want to pause. There's different kinds of uncleanness. There's the uncleanness of sin and there's the uncleanness of physical uncleanness that has nothing to do with value, worth, dignity, or sin for that matter. For a man who has a weird spot on his head, he's considered unclean until you confirm it's not something like that **[74:54]** could cause a plague. That has nothing to do with sin. For a man that has like if I if I reach down and touch a carcass, I can't go into the temple. But that's not cuz I sinned by touching the carcass. Like I had to you got to touch carcasses in life at least if you're not American. You got This is like part of normal culture for most people who've ever lived is you would just have regular periods of uncleanness. You try to avoid it happening around the time when you really wanted to go to like the feast or something like that. So one of the big problems we have when we approach this is we presume that the **[75:25]** woman's unclean because of some sinfulness. But yet the the Old Testament frequently uses the term unclean to refer to just a ceremonial uncleanness that is not inherently sinful, doesn't reflect of anything bad about the person or anything that they've done. Um so is there an is there an Old Testament ex- example of something that might make her more unclean in a ceremonial sense, not a sinful sense, after um having a woman a daughter instead of a a son? The only thing I can think of **[75:56]** that that actually connects to the Old Testament in some way is that a woman has a regular menstrual period. And so this might simply be a reminder, right? There's a ceremonial lesson here that that the woman who has a forgive me if there's kids listening and this is inappropriate, you guys parents, you got to you got to be quick sometimes if I don't think about to warn you about these things. So I'm sorry about that. But the woman during her menstrual period she's she's has blood, right? And any blood, any bleeding of any kind is is an unclean maker. Okay, so it's not like this is against her. It's just coincidental that **[76:28]** it's blood related. Um and so when she has a daughter, that daughter also will have that same issue. Maybe there's a connection there. I don't know. Um I could be right. That's the only thing I can think of that connects. But I will just want to really reiterate this. If we presume that the uncleanness is moral problems with the woman, then we presume something the scripture doesn't say and it doesn't work with so many passages, so many other passages. There's places that are unclean because there's like a there's like a bacteria that's there. There's places that are **[76:58]** unclean because um like you you can't eat when um what's his name? Samson ate honey out of a out of a dead lion. That was unclean. Not because it was sinful because it's it's it's in a dead animal. Like you shouldn't eat there's a honeycomb being built in the rib cage of a dead animal. Don't eat it. It's tainted ceremonially. Okay. Next question. Danny uh Arna- Arna- Dova? Arna- Dova says, "Is there such a thing like a white lie for the benefit of **[77:29]** something?" Um sort of. >> [laughter] >> I'm going to make everybody upset with me now. I say this not because I lie, not because I'm secretly going around lying. Um I say sort of though because I don't think we should use the term white lie. So white lie means my lie was so small that it's okay for me to say. Rather, scripture does seem to encourage **[78:00]** or endorse or at least in hindsight support a couple of instances of lying. And this is like um very different than a white lie today. So there's the Egyptian midwives. Um the Pharaoh told the midwives who would help the Hebrew women give birth, right? They were supposed to be there. Maybe they were supposed to count how many, you know, catalog boys and girls and how many kids and stuff like that and assist in giving birth. He tells them, "Kill every male that you that you **[78:31]** that you give birth to." And so the Egyptian midwives go and they don't and they tell the Pharaoh a lie. "Hey, you know, these Hebrew women are really hearty. They're real strong and they give by the time we find out they're in labor, we go there and they've already given birth so we can't do this little, you know, kill the baby, murder the baby to try to appease you." And they seem to be blessed by God for lying to the Pharaoh. Um whereas they get families of their own, it says in Exodus. Okay, so there's another example with Hagar. Hagar, she **[79:01]** is this woman in Jericho and Jericho is going to be destroyed by God, right? But they send spies into Jericho and they stay with Hagar. She's actually a prostitute. They stay with her to be protected, not for any weird reasons. And um the city guard comes up. "Hey Hagar, we thought there was a couple weirdos who came into your house." And she goes, "Oh no, yeah, they went out that way." And she lies to them, so the guard goes out a different way, and it saves the lives of these Jewish um spies. Which spying is a form of lying, in all **[79:32]** reality, anyways. So, you've got those examples. Then the New Testament seems to affirm that Hagar did something good when she sent them out the other way. This is implying she did good by covering up where they were and not telling the truth. This to me is kind of like uh it's not parallel, but it's it's on along the lines of Corrie ten Boom, who when the Nazis came to her door and knocked and said, "Are the Jews here?" She goes, "No." And she hides them. I think that was good. So, how is that different than a white lie? Well, a white lie is, "Hey, my lie is so small, it's not a big deal. Haha." Okay, that's **[80:04]** just a compromise of your own character, I think. This is, "Hey, this might be a lie, it may not be a truth, but what I'm doing is I'm protecting a life you're going to murder because misleading you is the right thing to do to protect and not betray this person to their wrongful killing." So, the only example of lying in this regard that I think is seems to be endorsed in scripture. I I spent a lot of time thinking about this, you guys. Took me a long time to come around to say it. It just seems to be the case to me. I **[80:35]** could be wrong. I'm very open to someone showing me where I'm wrong, other than just calling me names, cuz I get that, too. Um is that lying in order to protect a life from a wrongful killing, wrongful killing, that that is appropriate. Yeah, so the Nazis come to my door. Hey Mike, are the Jews here? We're like, "Um no, Jews. I haven't seen any Jews." I I think that that would be the a right appropriate time. Is that a white lie? No, that's a huge lie. **[81:06]** But it's But it's appropriate. So, white lies are is based on, "But it's so small, I can I can deceive people." It's just like you're just going to watch your whole character get eroded from the inside out if you get into that habit. Number 19, Anonymous question, "As Christians, what should our attitude and mindset be towards end times stuff?" I personally know many strong Christians who seem to be almost too focused or concerned about the end times things. Boy, I've been there. Um I was telling the wife the other day, I used One of my favorite things **[81:38]** used to be like prophecy updates. >> [snorts] >> Like this is Okay, this is like maybe it's a Calvary Chapel thing. It's some Calvary Chapels do this. Okay, but I I really loved it. And it's only some that do this. But it was like, "Hey, it's the end of the year, and the pastor's going to get up, and he's going to talk about events this year and how they play into like prophecy in scripture about the end times." But after studying the Bible a lot more, I feel as though in the in the times I'd experienced it, they were playing fast and loose with a lot of scripture. And so I it's like became a cringe to me. I was **[82:11]** I saw a local uh church, relatively local church, uh to where I live, where they did this. I was looking them up online, and I saw they had a this prophecy update thing. I was immediately like, "Ugh." So, I'm with you, man. Um when our when Let me put this way. When our confidence about eschatology goes beyond the clear interpretation of scripture, that's when it's a problem. And that's what I see happening a lot. So, I do have a video called six Christian views on on end times, on **[82:41]** Revelation. And I would recommend you check it out. I try to model as best I can what I think is a good attitude to have on these topics, while not being afraid to talk about them, not just abandoning the issues. And yeah, I think that um when I hear like, "Oh, a wars and rumors of wars." But then I turn that into, "In the news report last week, this happened, and that's wars and rumors of wars." Now I'm being a bit presumptuous. And so um what should our attitude and mindset be? We should simply be humble enough to not presume too much. And the thing **[83:12]** that humbled me the most on prophecy, well, two things. One, realizing that some of my verses I I was using out of context previously. Um not in teaching I have online, to my knowledge, but in my own experience before that. And two, realizing how long it's been since Jesus' time. And that every generation seems to think they're the last one. And I was like, "Yeah, um I've lived long enough now to hear people saying that they don't think they think we've only [clears throat] got maybe 10, 15 years **[83:43]** at the most." And then 10, 15 years later, they go, "10, 15 years at the most." And then 10 years later, they're like, "10 years at the most." We're just not very good at predicting that kind of stuff, so. Number 20, AD Chan has a question, says, "Proverbs 16:33." Let's look at the verse, and we'll do the question as well. I'm going to mute my mic just to cough for 1 sec. There we go. All right, so that uh um **[84:14]** cleared [clears throat] things out. AD Chan, here is your question. It's on this verse. "The lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord." Okay, um the question is, by the lot, by the way, is like a die, like rolling dice. Think of it like rolling dice. It's like that kind of thing, a random thing, yet it's every decision is from the Lord. So, um your question is, "The lot's cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord. Does this mean we can roll dice to get answers from God?" **[84:45]** Um >> [clears throat] >> I mean, can't Do I have I don't have any dice. I don't I I could flip a coin. I don't even have a coin. Look, I have this washer. I'll flip the washer. And if it if it lands like like face up, that means we can flip washers to get answers from God. And if it lands face down, then God's saying we can't flip washers to get answers from God. But wait. But wait, if it lands face down, I'm thinking that the answer from God is that we can't get answers **[85:17]** from God, which means I'm relying on it being So, I'm assuming it's true in order to prove it's true, and that's going to be a problem. This leads us into a lot of problems. So, how do I understand Proverbs 16:33? I'm not going to tell you what what the washer did, cuz some of you guys are superstitious enough to actually think it matters. Um so, [clears throat] the lot cast into the lap, it's every decision is from the Lord. This could be a statement simply that God is in control of the random things in life. Um that can feel a little bit lacking. Um it's it fits that Proverbs is a book of wisdom. It's not a book of rules. Okay, rules and wisdom are very **[85:48]** different things. But it's wisdom. It's, "Hey, here's a piece of wisdom for you. You know, God's the one in control of the random things that you think are random. Lots cast in the lap." Yeah, but but God's the one who's in control of that random stuff. Um but there's another view that would say, "Oh, no, no, I'm actually getting a decision from God. It's not just it's every result is from God, it's it's every decision is from the Lord." And here it might be a reference to something that the priests used to do in the Old Testament law, when the the um the king **[86:20]** has a question, and he's like, "I'm going to go and" The phrase you get in the Bible is, "I'm going to inquire of the Lord." And then they would go, and they would ask the priest, and the priest would go and inquire of the Lord. Then he would answer, "Here's what God says." Like David does this when he's he's like, "Hey, if I go to the city, are they going to deliver me over to Saul?" And God The priest inquires of the Lord for him. So, there was a process that they that they inquired of the Lord. And it seems that this process may have involved some use of a random random number generator type thing, right? Like where there's dice or there's somehow the Urim and Thummim, um **[86:52]** getting into more details there that I don't have time to explain. These these rocks that were on the priest's garments. Um getting into those things. So, [clears throat] it might be simply an affirmation that, "Hey, um when you inquire from God, you have your answer from God." But you can't just say this was pure randomness. So, even if this is about decisions that are random being from God, you can't just apply this to you rolling dice today. And And here's a few reasons why. Um one, even in that inquiring of God, even though there was **[87:23]** probably some way in which God would use a random thing to demonstrate his will, to reveal the answer to the priest, it was not just random. See, cuz when I do a Magic Eight Ball, I always get I should use a better example. When I use a die, or if I I I flip a coin, I always get an answer. But there were times where they went to inquire of God, and the priest is like, "God's not telling us." Okay, so it's not just pure randomness. It's not like a guarantee it's always going to happen. It's also tied to So, you can't just roll dice every time and think God's always going to answer you. **[87:55]** But it says every decision. Okay, but that's the nature of Proverbs. This is This is uh wisdom poetry. Um so, you shouldn't take it that strictly. But there it's also um connected to the priesthood. You see, they didn't just roll any dice. It was only associated with the priesthood that they trusted this kind of ran- randomness. So, that's [clears throat] that's um that's one way to say, "Hey, okay, it could be about those kinds of decisions." But there's one New Testament passage that relates to this as well, and it's in Acts chapter 1, **[88:26]** where um Matthias is chosen. Okay. Let's look [clears throat] at it. This could push back a little bit on on what I'm saying, but I'm going to suggest that it's slightly different. You think about it what you what you Whatever you can think about it. Not that I could stop you, anyways. Acts 1:12. So, they they come back to Jerusalem [clears throat] from the Mount of called Olivet, or the Mount of Olives. And they they've got an issue, right? Uh they had this guy Judas. He killed himself. Now they're missing one of the apostles. There's only 11, and whoever was partnered with Judas, cuz they were went two by two, doesn't have a partner. **[88:58]** So, they decide, [clears throat] "Hey, um Judas was going to go, but we need to replace him, right? Let another take his office," Peter says. So, then they give out requirements. Like of all those men who've accompanied with us, they've been with us the whole time that we've been with Jesus, we're going to pick one of them. And they picked two. They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who is called who is also called Justice, and Matthias. It was normal for them to have lots of names back then for different reasons. So then they go, "Hey, we're praying." And they ask for God to use a random **[89:29]** event to tell them which one they should use. And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you've chosen and take the place to take [clears throat] the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the 11 apostles. Um there's actually another example that also comes up in my mind, which is um casting lots to figure out who took stuff from Ai. Um after after Jericho, **[90:01]** there's Ai, and someone stole some things from Ai they weren't supposed to, and they used lots to figure out who it was, and God guided that. And it seems as though God was guiding this, or at least they expected him to. Some people think this is a mistake. I don't think so. But um the casting of the lots at the Ai is again with that official Mosaic leadership in place. Okay, that's different than what we have today. But the casting of lots here is more close to home. And here I'm going to say, if you are going to do it, perhaps you do it when you have multiple good options. Perhaps. I'm not suggesting you do this, **[90:32]** you guys. I'm trying to limit you so you don't over use it. Um the the example in Acts 1 would be doing it um when you have multiple good options and you just can't decide between the two, and you go, "Okay, I'll just flip a coin, and I'll pray, God, please guide and direct me in this." That would actually be consistent with what they did in Acts 1. Now, some suggest, "No, don't copy Acts 1 there because that was before the giving of the Holy Spirit." And so they have a problem with it there, and I'm I don't lean that way. Um so perhaps there could be an application **[91:05]** connecting to Acts where you have multiple good options, you can't decide between them. You pray, and you cast lots, flip a coin, that kind of thing. I don't know. I don't know. I don't really know how else to interpret that other than what I just shared with you. All right, last question, little bonus question for you guys. And this is from Elijah Rock92. Who do you think will win the Super Bowl on Sunday? All right. I'm going to offend some of you guys right now. I don't know who's even playing in the Super Bowl. **[91:36]** And I I couldn't care less. So I'm not bothered by it. You enjoy it. If some of you enjoy it, you love it, that's fantastic. Go for it. The only thing Super Bowl means to me is like usually around that time I get some good food, and I that I like. That I like. But I I just couldn't I could not care any less. I I just it doesn't matter to me. I don't doesn't doesn't even think about it. Don't even know who's playing. So um whoever gets the most home run home runs, that's who's going to win. All right. So thank you guys for joining **[92:06]** me. Um quick announcements before I go. I will [clears throat] put some video links below the things I talked about earlier, the the understanding the Old Testament law, those two videos. I really recommend you check those out. Like not for my sake. Uh I think it will bless your socks off uh when you understand these things well. The Old Testament becomes understandable, and it becomes a treasure trove of great wisdom. Um let's see. Other than that, there's a couple other announcements. Um there's an apologetics conference coming up February 25th and 26th. This is coming up real quick, 2 weeks from now. And you **[92:37]** can watch it online [clears throat] if you want, and it's half off if you use a promo code I've got down below in the video description. So it's at desertapologetics.com. And there's a link, and the promo code is Winger10, my last name and the number 10. So I'm going to be there, [clears throat] Sean McDowell's going to be there, Craig Hazen, Natasha Crane, Lenny Esche Garrison, and a couple others as well. And it's about the battle for the next generation. I'll be talking about some progressive stuff and influencers and stuff like that. It'll be interesting. There's no Q&A for the next two Fridays I mentioned before. That's next Friday **[93:08]** and the Friday after that. I'll be at the conference at the end of February. March 4th is the next Q&A. I'm sorry to make you guys wait. But uh such such is life. So thank you for being here. Thanks for hanging in with me, and I pray that God has blessed you with some wisdom today, and that again you're not seeing me as the guy who has all the right answers, but rather somebody who after God willing, after you listen, you go, "I I'm better at thinking biblically. I'm just getting better at that. **[93:39]** Processing and working through things biblically and and that's going to bless your entire life and make you a blessing to others because read Psalm 119, man. There are so many countless blessings in the word of God. It's way better than any of us think it is, any of us think it is. And the more we just meditate on it, right? We'll be like a tree planted by streams of water. So. That is all. Have a good one.