Theology 101
Grounded teaching for growing believers — exploring the deep truths of Scripture with clarity and reverence.
Welcome
Introduction
This channel exists to bring you academic-level theology in everyday language. Leave a comment to let me know of any topics or ...
Who Is God?
God's Existence
I go over the five philosophical arguments that attempt to prove God's existence. They are the cosmological, teleological, ...
Understanding the Trinity 1
The trinity is one of the most important Christian doctrine. It teaches that God is one who exists in three distinct persons.
Understanding the Trinity 2
A subscriber asked about the beliefs of Unitarianism versus Trinitarianism, which is the orthodox Christian view. Orthodox ...
Attributes of God
Understanding God's Attributes
It is difficult to imagine God. Many people think of God as a list of attributes. Many people think of God as a force with attributes ...
God is Spirit
Before talking about God's attributes, one must understand his nature. God is Spirit. But what does it mean that he is spirit?
God is Holy
I will explain what it means that God is holy. His holiness is expressed through his standard of righteousness and justice.
God is Love
I will explain how God's integrity is connected to his love. Integrity refers to a person who is not two-faced (hypocrite). What makes ...
God is Immutable
I will explain God's immutability. Immutability means that God never changes. Since God is already perfect, he cannot change for ...
God is Triune
The trinity is one of the most important Christian doctrine. It teaches that God is one who exists in three distinct persons.
Creation
Is Genesis 1-2 Literal?
I will contrast the differing views on whether Genesis 1-2 should be interpreted as a historical narrative or figuratively. Young earth ...
Billions of Years?
I contrast young and old earth creationism and the different theories they use to explain the age of the earth. Young earth ...
Ex Nihilo (Out of Nothing) Creation
I will explain how God created everything ex nihilo (out of nothing). Although it is clear that God created the world (Genesis 1:1), ...
Creation and Science
In a previous versus video, I compared the theories young and old earth creationism uses to fit Genesis 1–2 with current scientific ...
Angels and Demons
What Are Angels?
We often think of angels as cupid or a cute baby with wings. But that is not how angels are depicted in the Bible. The word, angel ...
The Angel of the LORD
There is a specific angel, in the Old Testament, identified as the "angel of the Lord." This angel refers to himself as God, while ...
What Are Demons?
In order to understand Satan and demons, we need to understand angels. Why? Because demons are angels who were judged ...
Can Christians Get Demon Possessed?
Demon possession is a term used to translate the Greek term daimonizomai in the New Testament. This term describes people ...
What Do Angels Look Like?
I answer a subscriber's question regarding how angels look. In popular culture, angels appear as babies or like cupid. But this ...
Who Is Jesus?
The Incarnation
I will explain the meaning of Jesus' incarnation and the different theories that wrongly explain it. I will focus on Philippians 2:6-8 ...
Why Did Jesus Become A Man?
I will provide two reasons why Jesus' incarnation matters for us today. Christians know that Jesus came to save us from our sins.
Fully God and Fully Man: The Hypostatic Union
I will examine how Jesus was fully God while being fully man. I will go over the heretical ways people have understood Jesus' ...
He Knows Our Thoughts
How did Jesus convince skeptics of his deity? The story of Nathanael and Thomas (John 1:43-51; John 20:24-29), two skeptics ...
How Did Jesus Perform Miracles?
Jesus was both fully man and fully God. But how did Jesus perform his miracles during his incarnation? Did he do it from his ...
Miracle 3: Feeding the 5,000 (John 6:1-15)
Jesus' fourth sign (John 6:1-15) is when he feeds a large crowd with bread and fish. This sign points to the Passover story when ...
Did Jesus Ever Claim To Be God?
I will examine Bart Ehrman's claim, from "How Jesus Became God," that Jesus and his followers never viewed Jesus as God.
Early Heresies About Jesus
I will examine early Christian heresies concerning the humanity or deity of Jesus. First, I cover Ebionism, which is the belief that ...
Jesus: Prophet, Priest, and King
There are three main offices we see in the Old Testament: prophet, priest, and king. Prophets spoke Gods' word to his people, ...
The Importance of the Resurrection
The topic of a resurrection might seem to be an invention from the New Testament. But we see this concept first appear in the Old ...
Jesus' Seven Signs
Sign 1: Water Into Wine (John 2:1-11)
Jesus' first sign (John 2:1-11) is turning water into wine at a wedding. I will explain how Jesus contrasts the "water" of the law with ...
Sign 2: Healing The Royal Official's Son (John 4:46-54)
Jesus' second sign (John 4:46-54) is when he heals a royal official's sick son from a distance with a single sentence.
Sign 3: Jesus Heals A Paralyzed Man (John 5:1-16)
Jesus' third sign (John 5:1-16) is when he heals a paralyzed man by a pool called Bethesda. There was a superstitious belief that ...
Sign 5: Jesus Walks On Water (John 6:16-21)
Jesus' fifth sign (John 6:16-21) is when he walks on water to rescue his disciples during a life-threatening storm. Although the ...
Sign 6: Jesus Heals The Blind Man (John 9)
Jesus' sixth sign (John 9) is when he opens the eyes of a blind man. With this sign, Jesus addresses the problem of suffering.
Sign 6: Jesus Heals The Blind Man (John 9) - Part II
This is the second video going over Jesus' sixth sign (John 9), when he opens the eyes of a blind man. The former blind man is ...
Sign 7: Jesus Resurrects Lazarus (John 11) - Part I
This video will go over Jesus' seventh sign (John 11), when he resurrects Lazarus. This is the first of a three part video series ...
Sign 7: Jesus Resurrects Lazarus (John 11) - Part II
This is the second video going over Jesus' seventh sign (John 11), when he resurrects Lazarus. We will see how Jesus responds ...
Sign 7: Jesus Resurrects Lazarus (John 11) - Part III
This is the final video going over Jesus' seventh sign (John 11), when he resurrects Lazarus. We will see how it is possible for a ...
The Holy Spirit
Who Is The Holy Spirit?
When I say, “Holy Spirit,” I'm sure there are some misconceptions we might have about him. On one extreme, the Holy Spirit is ...
Jesus' Relationship With The Holy Spirit
To understand the relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we need to first understand the New Covenant. What does the ...
The Holy Spirit's Role in the Old Testament
When you look through each time the Holy Spirit appears in the Old Testament, we get a picture of the Holy Spirit's role and ...
The Indwelling of The Holy Spirit
The Greek word, πνεῦμα, appears 378 times in the New Testament. Of those 378 references, 261 of them refer to the Holy Spirit.
The Baptism of The Holy Spirit
Throughout the New Testament we see that believers are baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit. Are they referring to different things ...
The Doctrine of Salvation
Perseverance
I answer a subscriber's question regarding the belief that once we are saved, we will always be saved? Some argue that if a ...
Extent of the Atonement
The atonement of Christ refers to the belief that Jesus' death on the cross reconciled sinners to God. The extent of the atonement, ...
Substitutionary Atonement
When we talk about how Jesus saved sinners, there are different pictures that illustrate this reality throughout the Bible. The first ...
Reconciliation
One picture of salvation is that Jesus became our propitiation. Now, what does this word mean? Propitiation refers to a sacrifice ...
Regeneration
Whenever the gospel, or good news about Jesus' death and resurrection, is preached, it demands a response. Faith is the hands ...
The Order of Salvation
There is a debate amongst Calvinists regarding the order of salvation. Since Calvinists affirm predestination, which is the belief ...
Predestination
Predestination refers to the concept that God chooses certain individuals to be saved. Typically, there are two ways to understand ...
Calvinism vs Arminianism
Part 1: Do We Have Free Will? (Total Depravity)
I contrast the first of the five points of Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism is a theological system associated with the reformer ...
Part 2: Does God Predestine Us? (Unconditional Election)
I contrast the second of the five points of Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism is a theological system associated with the ...
Part 3: Did Jesus Die for Everybody? (Limited Atonement)
I contrast the third of the five points of Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism is a theological system associated with the reformer ...
Part 4: Can You Resist God's Grace? (Irresistible Grace)
I contrast the fourth of the five points of Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism is a theological system associated with the reformer ...
Part 5: Can You Lose Your Salvation? (Perseverance of the Saints)
I contrast the fifth and final point of Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism is a theological system associated with the reformer ...
The Doctrine of Hell
The Eternal Nature of Hell
I contrast the views of annihilationism and eternal torment. These views have different understanding about the nature of hell.
The "Fairness" of Hell
This is the second part where I contrast the views of annihilationism and eternal torment. Annihilationism believes that an eternal ...
Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna
A subscriber asked about the differences between Sheol, Gehenna, and Hades. Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna are all terms the ...
The Church
Can Women Be Pastors?
I will contrast the differing views on whether women can be pastors.Egalitarianism argues that men and women are equal in their ...
Baptism
I will contrast the differing views on whether children should be baptized. Pedobaptism argues that children of believers should be ...
Is There a Gift of Prophecy Today?
I will contrast the differing views on whether the gift of prophecy exists today. Continuationism argues that all the sign gifts, ...
Is There A Gift of Tongues And Healings Today?
This is a second video contrasting continuationism versus cessationism. Continuationism argues that all the sign gifts, including ...
Tithing
I contrast the views of those who believe that Christians are still obligated to give a tithe (10 percent) of their income to God versus ...
Can Women Preach?
I contrast the differing views on whether women can preach. Egalitarianism argues that men and women are equal in their ...
The Birth of The Church
In order to know when the Church began, we first need to understand the role of the Holy Spirit regarding the Church. Have you ...
What Is The Church?
ἐκκλησία is the Greek word that is translated as “church” in the New Testament. Interestingly, this word was originally not a ...
Denominations
The CEO of every church in this world is Jesus. Look at how the Apostle Paul puts it: And he put all things under his feet and gave ...
Communion
What is the Eucharist? It comes from the Greek word, which means thanksgiving and refers to Jesus' final meal with his disciples.
Biblical Covenants
Dispensationalism vs Covenant Theology (Part 1)
I contrast the views of Dispensationalism and Covenantalism. Dispensationalism is a theological system that teaches biblical ...
Dispensationalism vs Covenant Theology (Part 2)
I contrast the views of Dispensationalism and Covenantalism. Dispensationalism is a theological system that teaches biblical ...
Dispensationalism vs Covenant Theology (Part 3a)
I contrast the views of Dispensationalism and Covenantalism. Dispensationalism is a theological system that teaches biblical ...
Dispensationalism vs Covenant Theology (Part 4a)
I contrast the views of Dispensationalism and Covenantalism. Dispensationalism is a theological system that teaches biblical ...
Overview of the Biblical Covenants
Imagine you were 7 years old, and I were to ask you how you knew your parents loved you. I think most 7-year-olds would say that ...
Noahic Covenant
When you look in the Bible, the colors God uses to paint a picture of Himself are His covenants. What is a covenant? A covenant is ...
Abrahamic Covenant
The Abrahamic Covenant reflects God's blessings for his people. The way the story of Abram begins is with God's command for ...
Mosaic Covenant
When I say the Mosaic Covenant, I am referring to what people often call the Law. The Law was a list of commandments that God ...
Priestly Covenant
When I say the Priestly Covenant, I am referring to the promise God made with Phinehas. If you don't know who Phinehas is, we ...
Davidic Covenant
The Davidic Covenant appears in 2 Samuel 7. The context of this passage is that King David is at his palace during a time of ...
New Covenant
The New Covenant first appears in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This covenant was given to the house of Israel and Judah. While Israel ...
Dispensationalism vs Covenant Theology (Part 3b)
When you look at the New Testament, we see that there are certain metaphors that are used to describe Israel that are now ...
Dispensationalism vs Covenant Theology (Part 4b)
Paul says this in Romans 11:26: And in this way all Israel will be saved. What does not seem so clear is what those words mean.
What Is The Bible?
General Revelation
I will explain the three ways God reveals himself to everybody through general revelation. He gives evidence for his existence ...
Limitations of General Revelation
I will explain the limitations of general revelation and why we need special revelation. General revelation gives sufficient evidence ...
The Bible: Special Revelation
The Bible is considered a special revelation, in that it is God's revelation given to a particular group of people through a particular ...
Inspiration of Scripture
I explain what it means that the Bible is inspired. I go over the way God recorded Scripture through human authors, while allowing ...
Inerrancy of Scripture
I talk about the meaning of inerrancy and the different ways Christians understand the Bible to be inerrant. Inerrancy means that ...
How The Bible Was Put Together (Canonicity)
The canon refers to a group of books which are recognized as inspired and authoritative for the Church. I go over the history of ...
Hearing God's Word
How do we know if we really listen to God's word? James illustrates how it looks to truly listen to God's word: But be doers of the ...
OT Survey
Deuteronomy
I give an overview on the structure and themes within the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Old ...
1 & 2 Chronicles
I give an overview on the structure and themes within the book of 1 and 2 Chronicles. The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles are ...
Ecclesiastes
I give an overview on the structure and content of the book of Ecclesiastes. The book of Ecclesiastes is the twentieth first book of ...
Song of Songs
I give an overview on the structure and content of the book of Song of Songs. The book of Song of Songs is the twenty second ...
Hall of Faith
Evidence of Faith (Hebrews 11:1-3)
Hebrews 11 defines faith this way: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) ...
Abel Worships (Hebrews 11:4)
Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve. When we are introduced to them, we see their occupations (Genesis 4:2).
Enoch's Walk (Hebrews 11:5-6)
Genesis 5 explains why Enoch's faith is important. If you look at Genesis 5, you will notice that it is a genealogy. One phrase that ...
Noah Prepares the Ark (Hebrews 11:7)
Two phrases sum up Noah's faith: He was warned by God concerning events as yet unseen and in fear constructed an ark.
Abraham Leaves Home (Hebrews 11:8-10)
If there is one person that should come to mind when we talk about faith, it is Abraham. Abraham is called the father of faith ...
Sarah's Infertility (Hebrews 11:11-12)
Sarah's faith is going to be informed by one fact: she was barren. Barrenness or infertility was very big deal during the time of ...
Looking Forward to Home (Hebrews 11:13-16)
Often, we think of faith with certain actions. By faith, Noah built an ark. By faith, Abel offered a better sacrifice. By faith, Abraham ...
Abraham Sacrifices His Son (Hebrews 11:17-19)
The story of when Abraham was tested to sacrifice Isaac is what identified Abraham as the "father of faith." Abraham didn't have a ...
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (Hebrews 11:20-22)
When Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were on their deathbed, they all looked forward to what God promised for them beyond their ...
Moses Identifies With Israel (Hebrews 11:23-27)
Every scene in Moses' life is connected by how Moses' faith was expressed in how he identified himself. Moses was born an ...
Rahab Welcomes The Spies (Hebrews 11:31)
There is an unlikely person who appears in Hebrews 11: Rahab. Why? Because Rahab was a prostitute. However, her faith will ...
Faith and The Passover (Hebrews 11:28-29)
The story of the Passover and the Israelites overtaking Jericho have one thing in common: they illustrate how faith in God delivers ...
Gideon Overcomes Fear (Hebrews 11:32)
The story of Gideon appears in Judges 6. Who is Gideon? Gideon is one of the six main judges we read about in the book of ...
Barak Overcomes Fear (Hebrews 11:32)
The story of Barak appears in Judges 4. Israel has just experienced 80 years of peace. But during their longest period of peace, ...
Samson's Restoration (Hebrews 11:32)
Of all the people listed in Hebrews 11, I don't think any of them compares to Samson. If you heard the story of Samson, you would ...
Jephthah's Sacrifice (Hebrews 11:32)
Jephthah lived before Samson's time. During the time of Judges, there were four nations who were enemies of Israel: Canaanites, ...
David (Hebrews 11:32)
The story of King David is one of redemption. David lived his life as an anonymous shepherd but eventually became the greatest ...
Samuel (Hebrews 11:32)
Unlike King David, Samuel was not a king, but a prophet. And what we will see is that the way Samuel accomplished so much for ...
Enduring Faith (Hebrews 12:1)
The readers of Hebrews 11are thinking about walking away from the Christian faith. So, the author of Hebrews wants to give ...
Jesus the Author and Perfecter of Our Faith (Hebrews 12:2)
Hebrews 11 is filled with different Old Testament characters who overcome obstacles and endured trial because of their faith in ...
Eschatology - Understanding End Times
The Rapture
I contrast the views of post-tribulation and pre-tribulation rapture views. The word, rapture, comes from the Latin word which ...
The Tribulation
I contrast the views of post-tribulation and pre-tribulation rapture views. The word, rapture, comes from the Latin word which ...
The Kingdom
Kingdom is a compound word of king and dominion. So, God's kingdom refers to God's dominion. We see that God used human ...
Preparation for Christ's Return
After Jesus resurrected, Jesus gave his commission to his disciples to make other disciples of every nation (Matthew 28:19).
Christ's Return
In His first coming, Jesus Christ came to earth as an infant in Bethlehem, just as Scripture prophesied (Matthew 2:12). Prophecies ...
Christ's Reign
The word, millennial, comes from the Latin word for 1000. So, the millennial kingdom refers to the time when Jesus will return to ...
The Antichrist
The Antichrist refers to a figure described during the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation refers to the last half of the ...
Glorified Bodies
What will our bodies be like in heaven? The first thing we must understand is that our resurrected bodies will be like Jesus' ...
Understanding Popular Verses (Hermeneutics)
Matthew 7:1
In this series, I will examine popular Bible verses that are often misinterpreted and misapplied. Matthew 7:1 is often referenced as ...
Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 29:11 is often quoted as a promise of hope to people who are discouraged. People assume that this verse teaches that ...
Revelation 3:20
Revelation 3:20 is often quoted as to unbelievers saying that Jesus is knocking on the door to their hearts and that they need to let ...
Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28 is often quoted to teach that God works everything for good. Is it true that no matter what you go through that God will ...
Malachi 3:10
Malachi 3:10 is often quoted to teach Christians that they need to tithe to their local church in order to be blessed financially.
Philippians 4:13
Philippians 4:13 is often quoted to say that Christians can accomplish anything with the power of Jesus. However, the context of ...
Matthew 18:20
Matthew 18:20 is often quoted to say that Jesus is in the presence of Christian gatherings regardless of its size. However, the ...
1 Timothy 6:10
1 Timothy 6:10 is often quoted to say that money is the root all evil. Christians might assume that this verse teaches that those who ...
1 Corinthians 10:13
1 Corinthians 10:13 is often quoted to say that God will not give us more than we can handle. However, the context of this verse is ...
John 14:12-14
John 14:12–14 is often quoted to say that Christians will be able to perform greater works or miracles than Jesus. Or that whatever ...
Genesis 2:21-24
I answer a subscriber's question about the meaning of "two become one flesh" from Genesis 2:21-24. What does it mean that Eve ...
Q&A
Can I Marry Somebody I Disagree with Theologically
A subscriber asked if a complementarian (one who believes that men and women have different authority and roles in ministry ...
Other
Impeccability vs Peccability of Jesus
I contrast the views of impeccability and peccability of Jesus. These views have differ on whether Jesus had the capability to sin in ...
How Does God Control the World? | Understanding Divine Providence
I will explain the meaning of divine providence and how God sustains and conserves his creation. The doctrine of divine ...
Why Does God Allow Evil? | Understanding Theodicy
There is tension between God's providence and the existence of evil. If God is all powerful, why doesn't he stop evil? David Hume ...
Does God ALWAYS Heal Through Laying Hands? | The Purpose to Laying Hands on People
A subscriber asked if about whether laying hands on a person, as prescribed in Scripture, always leads to the physical healing of ...
What is the Image of God? | How God and Humans are Similar
On the final day of creation, God said this: Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The Hebrews word for ...
Was Adam a Real Person? | Examining the Four Views on the Historical Adam
A book written in 2013 is called, The Four Views on the Historical Adam. It is a debate book that has four theologians arguing for ...
Splitting the Adam | The Makeup of the Inner Man
There are two different views regarding the relationship between our bodies and souls. The first view is called the trichotomist ...
What's Inside a Person? | The Pictures of the Inner Man
There are two parts to every person: the inner and outer man. The outer man refers to the physical part of a person, while the inner ...
Is Loving One's Country Wrong? | Examining Christian Nationalism
I answer a subscriber's question whether Christian nationalism conflicts with the command to love one's neighbor. There needs to ...
Did Jesus Descend to Hell? | What Jesus Did After His Death and Before His Resurrection
Many Christians recite either the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed on a weekly basis. These creeds summarize the ...
Are Nations a Result of Sin?
Some Christians assume that the nations we see in the world today is a result of sin because of the Tower of Babel story (Genesis ...
What is Sin?
There are different ways people define sin. I want to share what I find to be the most helpful definition of sin, according to the ...
Are People Good?
People tend to categorize people as “good” or “bad.” We might even refer to some people as he is a good man, or she is a good ...
God's Law vs. God's Grace | What’s the Difference?
Throughout the New Testament, the apostles would contrast God's grace with God's law as a basis for one's salvation. Often ...
Should We Be Bible Thumping Christians? | Overview of American Fundamentalism
I answer a subscriber's request about going over the history of fundamentalism in America. Fundamentalism refers to a form of ...
Are There Generational Sins? | Examining Generational Sins in the Old Testament
I answer a subscriber's request about what generational curses are from passages in the Old Testament. What are generational ...
Why We Should Listen to Jesus' Brother!
The book of James is one of the most important books of the Bible. We will hear from a person who knew Jesus very well but didn't ...
Why Does God Allow Us to Suffer? | The Purpose of Trials
If you are a Christian, you should expect to experience trials. Jesus said in John 16:33 to his disciples that they will experience ...
Why Is It Difficult to Trust God?
James begins his letter by explaining the different tests we will go through in our Christian walk. James began by commenting on ...
Should Christians be Rich or Poor? | The Test of Our Treasure
Should Christians be rich, or poor? Some of you might think, “Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a ...
Why Do We Get Tempted To Sin? | Knowing How To Fight Temptation
The word translated as, temptation, is the same word translated as trials. Earlier in James 1, James talked about the test of trials ...
The Problem with Favoritism | Sin of Partiality
What is favoritism? Favoritism is giving unfair preferential treatment to one person at the expense of another. Favoritism is not ...
Is Your Faith Dead or Alive?
Is your faith dead or alive? How do you know? James argues that a saving faith always works and a faith without works never ...
How to Control Your Tongue!
Wars have been started and ended because of this. People cry tears of joy and sorrow because of this. People get married and ...
How Does it Look to Be Wise?
The central theme of the book of James is wisdom. Now, James is not the first one to talk about wisdom in the Bible. The book of ...
Why Do We Fight?
How many of us have been in a fight? Why do Christians fight with others if we have God's wisdom? Let's look at the root cause of ...
How Should We Plan our Time?
When you were 10 years old, what plans did you have for your life? Maybe you had a certain college you dreamed of going to or a ...
God's Warning About Money!
James will talk to the rich because Jesus often spoke to the rich. Jesus said that nobody could serve two masters, nobody can ...