Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | May 12, 2021
“You have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4). Paul wrote that simple statement although many good-hearted religious folks will say the exact opposite, “You cannot fall from grace.” It is a reality, but do we grasp the immediate meaning? Paul is not writing about people who give up and go back to the world. Yes, they […]
PHall | May 11, 2021
Can a church scripturally exist and operate without elders? If your congregation does not have elders, this is a question that comes up. Let’s look at Acts 1 for the answer. Judas is dead, abandoning his post. That post is called an episkopē (Acts 1:20) from which we get “overseer”. As the apostles were […]
PHall | May 7, 2021
A Praying Commentary – 1 Thessalonians 3:1,5 – Better to Be Left Behind than to Leave Behind PRAYER: Dear God, let us examine ourselves to see if we care enough about others to check on them before it is too late and the tempter has won them over. May they know our concerns are about […]
PHall | May 6, 2021
While Matthew 28:19 is often recited 28:19 before baptizing, Galatians 3:28 was possibly a Pauline “baptismal statement”. Let’s add the other similar baptism statements by Paul. • Colossians 3:11 – In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. • 1 […]
PHall | May 5, 2021
No one has figured out exactly what is the problem in Colossae. I am smart enough to know I am not smart enough to outsmart those smarter. Yes, I had fun writing that. So, I would like to tackle it from a different angle. Instead of looking only at Colossians or comparing Colossians to Ephesians, […]
PHall | April 10, 2021
The truth is, who speaks the truth matters too much. If we respect or just like the person, that matters too much also when it comes to accepting truth. If we are part of the same religious “tribe”, that matters too much in determining truth. We all have experienced that the WHO matters too much. […]
PHall | April 8, 2021
Like reverse engineering, we can take the book of Galatians and learn how people persuade others to follow false teaching: Discredit Leader (1:1) – Paul immediately defends his apostleship because one way to dissuade people from believing what they already believe is to discredit those who teach it. Beware of those who insult and smear […]
PHall | March 25, 2021
The truth is, who speaks the truth matters too much. If we respect or just like the person, that matters too much also when it comes to accepting truth. If we are part of the same religious “tribe”, that matters too much in determining truth. We all have experienced that the WHO matters too much. […]
PHall | March 5, 2021
PRAYER: God, it is Your kingdom not mine. You are the king and the inviter. Let us all go to the sideroads and backroads to find the unwanted, who are by You and now me, wanted and loved. Amen. DEVOTIONAL: Read the text tomorrow and you might emphasize how Paul acted as a father to […]
PHall | January 25, 2021
A – “YOU”- 19) You-all know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. B – DEEP-SEATED EMOTIONS: Everyone [pas] must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger [orgē]: 20) for man’s anger [orgē] Anger/orge has agricultural roots. C – RIGHTEOUSNESS: does not accomplish God’s righteousness. C’ – UNRIGHTEOUSNESS: 21) Therefore putting away all […]