Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
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 3, 2016
When I was a preacher in my 20’s, my best friend in the congregation was a man in his 70’s. Our unusual friendship was in the Lord. He was a retired electrician. One day he made an interesting comment: “I know how electricity works; I just don’t know why.” That same sentiment was in a […]
PHall | August 13, 2015
Did Peter and John lie? A good argument that the church treasury is for saints only might come from a passage that isn’t normally used. In Acts 2 and 4, even 5, we have several scriptures detailing the treasury being used for saints. In Acts 3 when a poor person, an unbeliever, asks for alms, […]
PHall | August 4, 2015
The reason the Winston-Salem church of Christ does not use instrumental music in our worship to God is the same reason why we don’t build arks. Noah was told to build an ark, Christians were not. Physical Israelites were commanded to use instrumental music. Christians were not. Unlike physical Israel, Christians don’t have a physical […]
PHall | July 31, 2015
When discussing how to establish authority, some have given up on commands, examples, and necessary inference (or better implication). If you see the acronym CENI, that is what this is. One common way to disparage it is to ask the seemingly unanswerable question, “Necessary to who?” The point then is made, what is necessary to […]
PHall | June 22, 2015
Come Join Our Unity Movement The “Christian” religious world is divided. The “Christian” religious world is united. No, that is not a contradiction, but rather a contradistinction. There is no denying that churches across the spiritual spectrum disagree on a host of important, indispensable and defining issues. Yet if we truly want to fulfill Jesus’ […]
PHall | December 2, 2014
Denominations exist often out of the sincerity of the founders for some important truth. This truth becomes the identifying marker for that denomination. For example, the Presbyterians emphasized a form of congregational government based upon presbyters. Baptists emphasized a form of “baptizing” that was immersion because baptism meant immersion. Pentecostals emphasized miraculous activities. So do […]
PHall | November 21, 2014
Matthew 26:6-13 – Just because a religious act is good, does not make it right. While in Simon’s house, a woman approached Jesus and anointed Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. When the disciples saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they ask. “This might have been sold for a […]
PHall | November 19, 2014
My High School English teacher often said of commas, “When in doubt, leave it out.” She didn’t realize she was also affirming a great hermeneutical principle to apply to Biblical authority. When members of the remnant tried to prove their priesthood, “These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be […]
PHall | May 6, 2014
Man loves religious titles. Just saw last week a new one for me, “Boss Lady.” Jesus warned about religious titles (Matt.23:7-10), and man keeps inventing new ones. I don’t call anyone Reverend, and I challenge all to obey Jesus in not giving religious titles to anyone. We are all brothers, Jesus said. Today calling a […]