Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | January 27, 2018
An exercise: How much do you have to know to be saved? Some might counter, “Not ‘how much’, but Who?” Fair enough. “How much do you have to know about Jesus?” The obvious answer is “That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). Fair enough, but by “Son of God” do you […]
PHall | September 13, 2017
I saw a t-shirt with the slogan “Hear Feel Do – John 4:23-34”. Not sure that is the best verse for that slogan. Acts 2:37-38 fits perfectly though: “And when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and asked, what must we do? Peter said, ‘Repent and be baptized, everyone of you in […]
PHall | February 13, 2017
Each church needs a eugenics program. Properly defined, eugenics is, “the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. Developed largely by Francis Galton as a method of improving the human race, it fell into disfavor only after the perversion of its doctrines by the Nazis.” […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
Jewish tradition states the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 took place on the same calendar day as God came down on Sinai to deliver the Law to Israel. Historically then in order: 1) the Israelites “plundered” the Egyptians; 2) The Israelites crossed the Red Sea; 3) The Israelites received the Law. When we come […]
PHall | December 7, 2016
I got denounced on a forum as a “self-styled scholar.” I have learned to some that others can’t be intelligent unless they cite others for making their point. I love education and would never denounce someone with or without formal degrees. Recently I heard a man cry in his prayer, which meant more to me […]
PHall | June 30, 2016
Levels of Acceptance – Years ago I read a study on the three levels of accepting truth: Intellectual, Personal, Universal. When a sinner studies baptism and accepts the truth, the first stage is intellectual. Unfortunately we all have seen sinners stop there. They know baptism is when we accept God’s grace, but they will not […]
PHall | March 25, 2016
Can what we believe doctrinally change what we believe is the gospel? Recently I read the gospel is defined as the “deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus.” Notice anything missing? Unlike Paul’s description of the gospel (1 Cor.15:4), this gentleman (and rightfully respected scholar) left out Jesus’ burial. Many treat it as superfluous, and I […]
PHall | January 28, 2016
Acts 1:1-11 (NASB) A – RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION (1) The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach (2) until the day when He was taken up (analambanō) to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. (3) To these […]
PHall | January 26, 2016
Paul called Elymas the “son of the Devil.” No doubt he deserved this new name because he was a sorcerer, full of all deceit and all fraud, and an enemy of righteousness who perverted the straight paths of Jesus. And maybe because Elymas wasn’t living worthy of his other name – Barjesus. That means “Son […]
PHall | January 16, 2016
The gospel progresses in Acts in succession to Jews (Hebraic, Hellenistic, Proselytes), Samaritans, and finally to Gentiles (Acts 1:8). This is more than just geographic advances; this shows an advance spiritually with whom they were willing to fellowship in Christ – those far off (Acts 2:39-40). From the comfortable and religiously righteous (Hebraic Jews); to […]