20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 99)

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:01 {Infinite Punishment for Finite Crimes?} Why does God give infinite punishment for finite crimes? Even from a biblical point of view, not every crime is prescribed the same punishment. So why, then, can a person never serve the entirety of their punishment in Hell? 28:35 {Why Did God Allow Sin?} If God knew that humans would fall into sin, why did He allow us to live in this fallen world and not take us straight to Heaven? 34:36 {Has Christianity Changed Over Time?} How do you know the Christianity you believe is the same they were practicing in the early Church if history says Constantine and the Greeks changed things? 39:06 {Why Won’t Christians Marry Non-Christians?} A woman stopped dating me because of worldview differences. I believe in a higher power and wouldn’t have pulled her away from her faith. It hurt badly. Why do some Christians do that? She seems indoctrinated (“can’t marry a non-Christian”). 43:49 {Is Christianity Itself a Cult?} How is Christianity like (or not like) a cult in either definition and/or practice? 47:46 {Is Every Good Thing an Answered Prayer?} Why are some people so quick to celebrate when God answers “small” prayers, but they overlook the fact that He didn’t answer “bigger” prayers like healing someone of cancer? 53:12 {Why Aren’t Mormons Christians?} Ex-Mormon here. Surely all Christians believe things about God that are incorrect, but they're still saved. What makes the LDS different? How are my misconceptions acceptable when theirs aren't? 1:02:12 {Are Miracles Unreliable?} If Satan and his workers can perform miracles to mislead people, why should I believe Christians when they tell me to look at miracles, or when Jesus says to look at His miracles? 1:07:05{Why Does God Allow Painful Grieving?} Why did God allow My cat to be attacked by a dog if He could have stopped it? We are heartbroken. 1:10:07 {Did Jesus Know He’d be Resurrected?} Did Jesus know He was only going to die for 3 days and it wouldn’t actually be for eternity? And why did the father require a sacrifice if it wasn’t for eternity? 1:14:18 {Did Jesus Exist & Is Scripture Really Inspired?} What proof is there that Jesus really existed, and if the Gospels were written by man, how do you prove they were inspired by God and not by man? 1:20:55 {Why does God Require Prayer?} Why would God require prayer for what He knows He SHOULD heal? 1:25:07 {Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?} Are there any good rules of thumb for atheists attending a church service for the purposes of learning? Assuming they have no intention of conversion, is this considered rude or invasive? 1:27:23 {Is God Egotistical?} Isn’t it egotistical for God to ask us to worship Him? 1:31:14 {Why does God Expect Perfection?} The Bible says, “Be perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect.” Why would God, knowing that we will always be sinful when we are in flesh, expect perfection? 1:34:46 {Is the Bible Just a Storybook?} How can you believe in a storybook (referring to the Bible)? This was actually a question I faced several times when I stayed in Germany for a while. 1:37:21 {Does God Know Every Choice We’ll Make?} Does God already know what choices we will make? Does He just know the outcome of every single option, or are there maybe two or a couple possible options for everyone’s choices? If the first, what's the point? 1:40:48 {Was YHWH a “Storm god”?} I have been hearing atheists & Muslims saying our God YHWH was originally a storm god. Has this been proven archeologically? Any implications on our faith? Any thoughts on that? 1:42:01 {Stumbled by Theological Doctrines?} The different theologies like cessationism & continuationism can be a stumbling block for unbelievers and cause confusion. How can th...