Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | May 21, 2018
From one extreme to another. After the close of the inspired NT writings, Christians thought baptism so important they added many steps that had to be accomplished for emphasis before baptism: fasting, exorcism, exsufflation (blowing on their faces), standing on sackcloth or hair shirts, even removing clothing to symbolize putting off the old man. Today […]
PHall | May 21, 2018
When Jesus healed someone, including from death itself (Luke 7:11-15), He almost always touched the person (John 9:6) or at least spoke (John 5:8). Early writings by Christians (Tertullian, Ambrose, etc.) rightfully made comparisons between these physical healings and our spiritual healing received in baptism. One of the common references was to the blind man […]
PHall | May 21, 2018
One truth exalted above all other truths becomes an untruth (N.T. Wright). Let’s discuss two truths exalted above others. Baptism. Does baptism save? According to an apostle it does: 1 Peter 3:21: “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good […]
PHall | May 21, 2018
You have seen it many times on bumpers, but what does it mean? I am referring to the fish sign symbolizing Christ and Christianity. It was a well-known fish acrostic that considers each letter of the Greek word (ichthys) to signify one word of the title Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior (Iēsous Christos Theou […]
PHall | February 9, 2018
If you consider yourself saved yet have never been immersed in water, why do you consider baptism so unimportant when: 1) it was done in Jesus’ name (Acts 2:38); 2) it was the first question asked after a sermon on Jesus (Acts 8:35-36); 3) it was ordered to be done (Acts 10:48); 4) it was […]
PHall | February 9, 2018
Would you be surprised if you talked about the best restaurant, someone would ask about their food? Can you discuss the NBA without it being somehow connected to basketball? If someone preaches about Jesus, should it lead to the hearer wanting to be baptized? That is exactly what happened when Phillip taught about Jesus beginning […]
PHall | February 3, 2017
“What about the thief on the cross? He had no outward manifestation of his faith.” This statement was made to me when doing evangelism at our Coffeehouse Evangelism by someone who believed baptism was not necessary. So we revisited the thief on the cross. That believer said, “Don’t you even fear God, since we are […]
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 | June 8, 2016
Anyone who really thinks Samson’s strength came from his hair and not the Lord, only has to grow long hair and realize they are just as weak. And yet, as soon as his hair was cut Samson lost his strength. And yet again, as soon as his hair grew long Samson was strong again. God […]
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 […]