Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | November 21, 2024
Is Baptism Just A Ceremony? “If Jesus preached against ceremonialism, why did Paul talk about baptism?” That question got asked while doing Bible Jeopardy. Good question! First I pointed to Jesus himself who practiced baptism in John 3 and 4, even if it was his apostles who did the physical act. It was by his […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
It Doesn’t Matter What You Believe This might surprise you, but I agree. I spoke with an agnostic whose family had been persecuted by so-called Christians. They fled from their homeland for American freedom, much like many others fled who believed in Jesus. Ironically both pagan and believer fled from persecution seeking religious freedom. The […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
Doing Good to All Men? The word “good/agathos” is only used twice in Galatians, both within the same pericope. This is important because of the misuse of Galatians 6:10. That misuse is cited for church financial support of both needy saints and those not saints. The common argument used against this view is Galatians 6:10 […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
A High Value Man Is A Worthy Man A term used within our modern culture to describe men and women is “high value”. Sadly, “high value” is not God’s value. A “high value” man is judged based upon income, height, looks and other “biblically low values”. Also, a “high value” woman can look very little […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
What does one give up when leaving a “church of Christ” to belong to another church? 1. If they attend a denomination, then they give up the ideal like the churches in the New Testament of which none belonged to a denomination. 2. If they attend a church that doesn’t practice immersion but instead […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
In dealing with addiction, the following point was made in our meeting: There is a difference between regret and shame. We should always regret our sinful actions, but we shouldn’t forever live in shame. Here’s why: If shame comes from guilt. If guilt comes from sin. If sin is forgiven. Then guilt is removed. If […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
Encouragers can tend to hide their discouragement from others. Encouragers can be so busy filling up others that they become empty. Encouragers can become weary in doing good because they are overused and therefore abused. Encouragers themselves have times of doubt and hardship and need encouragement, but people don’t reciprocate not knowing they need it […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
10 Ways to Be a Modern-Day Barnabas 1. Be willing to change our ways and minds (Acts 4:36-37) 2. Be part of a culture of volunteerism (Acts 4:32-37). 3. Do the hard work of forgiveness (Acts 9:26-27). 4. Believe in people and stand beside them when others doubt (Acts 9:26-27) 5. Consider people more important […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
I had a conversation with a young man considering Roman Catholicism. Here’s how the brief conversation went: ME – “Can you find the Roman Catholic Church in the Bible?” Him – “I’m having trouble” Me – “That’s because it isn’t there” Him – Saying something about “Mother Mary”. Me – “She isn’t my mother?” Him […]
PHall | November 21, 2024
Hands in the Deborah Pericope (I’m writing a chapter on Deborah in my book on The Genesis of Gender Roles, and this is just extra thoughts not in the book) The word “hand” is one of the key words in the Deborah narrative, both metaphorically and physically. Hand means “power”. God’s hand is the ultimate […]