The Rest of the Old, Old Story

How We Got Our Bible

Posted on 03/07/2026 by Paul Pavao

An Eastern Orthodox apologist, lampooning Protestants, described us as opening “a Bible compiled by fourth-century bishops at councils he does not recognize.”

I am relatively certain that most educated Eastern Orthodox believers know that the Bible was not compiled in the fourth century. They also know that, yes, there were regional councils that compiled a canon list (a list of canonized books, the ones that have authority in all churches), but they had no universal authority. One of those councils was the Synod of Hippo in 393, but …

Just a couple years later, Augustine became bishop of Hippo. In his book, On Christian Doctrine, he wrote:

Accordingly, among the canonical Scriptures [the skilled interpreter] will judge according to the following standard: to prefer those that are received by all the catholic churches to those which some do not receive. Among those which are not received by all, he will prefer such as have the sanction of the greater number and those of greater authority to such as are held by the smaller number and those of less authority.

If, however, he shall find that some books are held by the greater number of churches, and others by the churches of greater authority (though this is not a very likely thing to happen), I think that in such a case the authority on the two sides is to be looked upon as equal. (On Christian Doctrine II.8.12)

The new bishop of Hippo could not have written that if he believed that a synod had authoritatively confirmed a list of books that were to be accepted by all churches, and that just 2-3 years earlier in his home town! Can you imagine Augustine arriving in Hippo being completely ignored by the priests (elders) there, no one telling him about the synod, and Augustine being so apathetic about his new flock that he never asked anything about the flock’s history?

Wouldn’t it also have been extremely odd if Augustine, living just 60 miles away, diligently seeking the truth about life and godliness (cf. The Confessions of Augustine) did not hear about a synod authoritatively establishing the canon of Scripture for the whole world and for posterity? In fact, what authority could a town in north Africa with no apostolic legacy hope to have over, say Rome, the nearest church with an apostolic legacy, much less all churches everywhere?

The fact is, until the Council of Trent (1545-1563), I have not been able to find a council with any wide-spread authority that mandated a canon of Scripture. There are lots of early lists of canonical texts, but none from ecumenical nor authoritative councils. Even the Council of Trent had authority only over Roman Catholic churches in Europe. The Eastern catholic churches (which are today the various Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches) had excommunicated the Roman bishop centuries earlier, and the Protestant Reformation was in full swing, John Calvin leading the “church” in Geneva throughout the council.

Why Would the Early Churches not Establish a Canon?

From the beginning, before the Bible was ever compiled, the churches considered the apostles themselves to be inspired. Around AD 185, Irenaeus wrote:

We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith [cf. 1 Tim. 3:15]. For it is unlawful to assert that they preached before they possessed “perfect knowledge,” as some [gnostic heretics] do even venture to say, boasting themselves as improvers of the apostles. For, after our Lord rose from the dead, [the apostles] were invested with power from on high when the Holy Spirit came down, were filled with everything, and had perfect knowledge: they departed to the ends of the earth, preaching the glad tidings of the good things [sent] from God to us, and proclaiming the peace of heaven to men … (Against Heresies, Bk. III, ch. 1)

I have many more quotes like this at “Quotes about the Apostles” at Christian-history.org.

Because the earliest churches considered the apostles inspired, they would never have held a council limiting the books of Scripture. They could not have been certain that a letter from Thomas, being held by his churches in India, might turn up, or a letter, article, or book from Thaddeus in Syria, and any letter from an apostle, or the companion of an apostle, would be regarded as inspired. It would have to be added to the canon.

Thus, the early churches began teaching a rule of faith to all they baptized. Originally, this was nothing more than baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Later, though, Tertullian (c. AD 200) wrote:

To deal with this matter briefly, I shall begin with baptism. When we are going to enter the water, but a little before, in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of the president, we solemnly profess that we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhat ampler pledge than the Lord has appointed in the Gospel. (“De Corona” or “About Floral Crowns,” ch. 3)

I chose this particular quote just because it is interesting. This is part of a paragraph in which Tertullian lists practices and beliefs held by all churches purely because of tradition, not Scripture. The point of this quote, though, is that Christians in the second century learned a “rule of faith” at their baptism. Tertullian described it as “somewhat ampler” than the rule Jesus gave for baptism in Matthew 28:19.

I described this rule in a previous post and on Christian-history.org, quoting several early rules, all learned by Christians at baptism in the second and third centuries.

This rule guided their interpretation of Scripture. While the early Christians fully embraced the Scriptures as inspired and the highest authority, this is because the books of the New Testament were written by the apostles. Jesus gave the apostles their authority by giving them the Holy Spirit and promising them the Spirit would remind them of everything he said (Jn. 14:26). The apostles, then, having “perfect knowledge” (see Iranaeus quote above), passed on the Gospel and the Gospel message to the churches, mandating that they would preserve these without change.

Part of that preservation was to gather and keep everything they wrote. Part of that preservation was passing the “faith once delivered” to the next generation. This was “apostolic succession,” which was never authority apart from truth in the second-century churches.

Which Church Is Right?

The point is not that some church is right. There is only one body (Eph. 4:3-4). We are all one in Christ Jesus. If we have truth that others do not have, we need to be sharing it with one another. We cannot be held to account for individuals or groups of individuals that don’t listen to us. God is their judge. Let’s have Paul’s confidence that they will stand because God is able to make them stand (Rom. 14:4).

For those of us who would deem to teach others, let’s do our homework. Let’s not lazily hold to whatever some divided church has taught us. Let’s hold to the faith once for all delivered to the saints. If you and I are really called to teach, then let’s give ourselves to teaching the one faith the apostles handed down to their churches. It is not a puzzling mystery for the diligent student who wants the truth over personal preferences, though it does take time and effort.

In the end, it is God who is right, Jesus is right, and his apostles were gifted to know what is right. John Wesley once asked if “anyone who spends several years in those seats of learning, be excused if they do not add to that learning the reading of the Fathers?” He goes on to say that he is, of course, primarily speaking of the fathers before the Council of Nicea (AD 325).

The reference for this quote is really long, so I put it at the bottom of the article.

It seems wrong to me that the saints in America are not often told about the abundance of writings left to us from the time when all churches were one. Jude calls us to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints, but we have made no effort to even learn what it is! How then can we honestly contend for it?

*Reference for Wesley quote: “Address to the Clergy,” vol. x. p. 484, cited by The British Magazine and Monthly Register of Religious and Ecclesiastical Information, Parochial History, and Documents Respecting the State of the Poor, Progress of Education, &c, Vol. 22

Posted in Bible, History | Tagged apostles were inspired, Augustine On Christian Doctrine, bishop of hippo, history of the bible, how we got our Bible, rule of faith, synod of hippo, the faith once for all delivered to the saints, which church is right | Leave a comment

Fact Sheet on Evolution for Christians

Posted on 02/20/2026 by Paul Pavao

I am often asked why I write about evolution.

Evolution is not just a scientific issue; it is a theological issue that most Christians are interested in, whether to deny it or to learn about it. I think all Christians should know that experts in Hebrew and the Ancient Near East think Genesis 1-3 was a theological argument against the gods of the nations around them, not an attempt to describe the “science” behind the creation of humans and the universe except to claim that it was God who made everything.

Here’s a fact sheet on evolution.

The Fact:

The deeper we dig into the earth, the more different life is. It looks like life has changed over time for a very long time. (Anti-evolutionists deny this all the time, but it only takes a tiny amount of research to prove this is true. It is enough in this post to tell you that oil companies use the geologic record, fossils, and the strata of the earth to find oil.)

The Theories:

There are only two theories as to why life has changed over time:

A. “Descent with modification”

Individuals are not the same as their parents
These differences accumulate over time
The most suitable changes for any given environment are “selected” by which individuals survive best or get the most mates/descendants.
This was confirmed to almost everyone once DNA was discovered because it explained “how” descendants change. Also, the DNA of living animals, and some fossils, can be studied to see the history of evolutionary change.

B. The layers of the earth and the fossils were deposited by a worldwide flood.

The evidence is all against this.
The fossils look like development (evolution), not like the fastest runners or best swimmers made it to the top of the fossil records while poor-swimming animals are at the bottom.
The layers of the earth have layers within them. For example, the Haymond Formation in Texas has 1500 annual layers. These layers are in one of the middle geologic layers that the flood supposedly laid. This could not have happened during the one year of Noah’s flood.

Academic Dishonesty:

Because of points 1-3 above, honest scientists or scholars would have abandoned the flood theory as an explanation long ago.

Basic Dishonesty:

“Creation organizations” (really, anti-evolution organizations because all Christians, even those who believe in evolution, believe are “creationists” because they believe God created everything through his Word/Son) have an agenda they cannot abandon because they think they are defending the Bible. Unfortunately, the route they have chosen is slander against scientists, misrepresentation, purposeful misinterpretation of evidence, and outright lying.

Examples:

Oddly, when I pointed out the dishonesty, I was chastised for calling people liars, and the lying was ignored!

My first encounter with the dishonesty with creation organizations was the slander of Donald Johanson, the found of “Lucy,” an Australopithecus afarensis specimen that was about 40% complete, by a 1995 television show put on every Saturday by the Kentucky Creation Museum. They told us that Dr. Johanson had found Lucy’s kneecap, critical evidence that A. afarensis was bipedal (walked on 2 legs), about a mile away from the skeleton. That was true, but they also said that Dr. Johanson did not tell anyone. I saw this show in 1995, and Dr. Johanson wrote a book in 1974 explaining where he found the kneecap and why he thought it belonged to the afarensis species, not to Lucy herself.

That story is lying and slander. It was a scientist who presented the argument on TV. Perhaps a layman could be excused for telling the world that Dr. Johanson lied when, in fact, he had written a book telling the truth 20 years earlier, but a scientist and non-profit organizations have to do better homework than that. They did not, instead they added deception to their slander by not reporting the “first family” find in 1975. Johanson found 14 partial A. afarensis skeletons that proved he was right. That kneecap was indeed from Lucy’s species.

I cover other documented cases of creationist dishonesty at “Lying for Jesus.” A good site for reporting other creationist dishonesty is talk-origins.org.

The Bible:

Here are short videos saying Genesis 1-3 is irrelevant to evolution because it is not about science, neither the age of the earth nor even the days of creation. It is an argument for one God who loves humans and created all things in contrast to the many warring gods of the nations surrounding Israel:

Wes Huff: “WOW! Joe Rogan interviews Wesley Huff and asks about Christians and Evolution”
John Walton: “Does Genesis Conflict with Evolution”

Wes Huff is a a PhD candidate in New Testament and Christian Origins and a popular apologist these days, and Dr. John Walton is an Old Testament scholar whose doctorate is in Hebrew and Cognate studies.

“Creationists” Adjust the Bible Based on Science

Genesis 1: I (Paul Pavao) made a diligent effort to interpret Genesis 1 literally as a young man, but I am way more honest with Scripture than most Christians. Genesis 1 says there are “waters above” the firmament. The firmament contains the sun, moon, and stars. This is not a problem if we, like Moses, thought the sky is a hard dome with the sun, moon, and stars in it. You can put water “above” the dome, but it is impossible to put water above an innumerable number of galaxies each containing an innumerable number of stars.

Creationist organizations argue that there was a vapor canopy around the earth before Noah’s flood. They don’t care that Genesis 1 says the waters were above the sun, moon, and stars. They put “the waters above” under the sun, moon, and stars. Why? Science.

Copernicus and the Heliocentric Theory: Everyone seems to have forgotten that Martin Luther, John Calvin, and the Roman Catholic Church all opposed both Galileo and Copernicus when they said the earth goes around the sun. Luther and Calvin pointed out that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, not the earth. Nonetheless, the creationist organizations don’t deny the sun goes around the earth. Why? Science.

Posted in Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Evolution, Evolution and Creation | Tagged academic honesty, Australopithecus afarensis, copernicus and heliocentric theory, creationist organizations, descent with modification, Do creationists take the Bible literally, Dr. Donald Johanson, evolution vs creationism, fact sheet on evolution, global flood, honest bible interpretation, Joshua commanded sun to stand still, Lucy, lying for jesus, Noah's flood and geologic layers | Leave a comment

Righteousness, Self-Control, and Judgment (Acts 24:25)

Posted on 02/15/2026 by Paul Pavao

As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.” (Acts 24:25)

Shortly after I was saved in 1982, I learned the Evangelism Explosion (1970, D. James Kennedy) method of evangelism as well as its outline of the Gospel. I used it throughout the 1980s and was taught a Southern Baptist version of it, “Continuing Witness Training,” in 1988.

Suffice it to say that neither of these training programs would ever lead to reasoning about “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” with a lost person. In fact, if someone had asked about the judgment to come, we would have told them that believing in Jesus would exempt them from it.

The Faith Once Delivered

The faith that was once for all delivered to the saints was delivered to a specific set of saints, to those who lived in apostolic times and were told to preserve and never change it.

The Church, having received this preaching and this faith, although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if occupying but one house, carefully preserves it … Nor will any one of the rulers in the Churches, however highly gifted he may be in point of eloquence, teach doctrines different from these … For the faith being ever one and the same, neither does one who is able at great length to discourse regarding it, make any addition to it, nor does one, who can say but little diminish it. (Irenaeus, c. 185, Against Heresies, Bk. I, ch. 10, par. 2)

The man who wrote this in the late second century and those who came before him are maligned today as legalists. This is mostly because until recently almost everyone knew nothing about the “early church fathers.” It is also because, like the apostle Paul, they did reason about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment.

I will first show you what Irenaeus said all churches believed about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment, and then outline Galatians so that you can see that Paul taught the same thing.

Righteousness, Self-Control, and the Judgment

Right before telling us that the Church, scattered throughout the world, carefully preserves one faith, he told us what that faith was. One of the things he included was:

… and that he should execute just judgment towards all; that he may send spiritual wickednesses and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but may, in the exercise of his grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept his commandments, and have persevered in his love. (Irenaeus, c. 185, Against Heresies, Bk. I, ch. 10, par. 1)

If this is not stated clearly or strongly enough, I have compiled some quotes from Irenaeus’ predecessors and peers at https://www.christian-history.org/judgment-quotes.html.

I did not copy those quotes from a list somewhere. I read 5 volumes of a 10-volume collection of Christian writings, everything from Rome’s letter to Corinth towards the end of the first century to Cyprian’s letters and treatises in the 250s. I then went back and read them again. It took 5 years reading one hour per day because I both took notes and wrote quotes onto 3×5 cards. In the early 1990s, the average person could not get on the internet, much less copy and paste from it.

In 1990, I was aware of the conflict between eternal security and those who believed a Christian could lose his salvation. I had been listing faith and works verses in the back of my Bible for years. The last page and the inside back cover were covered in references I was puzzling over.

Bible Conflicts: Saved by Faith? Or by Works?

The most well-known faith-and-works conflict is between Romans 3:28 and James 2:24. Martin Luther famously challenged anyone to reconcile “justified by faith apart from the works of the law” and “justified by works and not faith only.”

The conflict that most puzzled me, though, was more local: Ephesians 2:8-9 and Ephesians 5:5.

… for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. (Eph. 5:5)

Are we saved apart from works? If we are, then how can our immorality, uncleanness, and greed (covetousness) keep us out of God’s kingdom?

When I found the following in an early second-century letter from the bishop of Smyrna to the Philippians, I was thrilled!

… our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave. In whom, though now ye see him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that by grace ye are saved, not of works,”but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.

Polycarp quoted both Peter and Paul in describing the glory and joy of being saved by grace through faith. But then, 3 sentences and 90 words later, he added:

But he who raised him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do his will, and walk in his commandments, and love what he loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing …

These seemingly contradictory quotes from Polycarp are even closer together than Ephesians 2 and Ephesians 5. These passages in Polycarp’s letter don’t explain the conflict between Ephesians 2 and 5, but the fact that Polycarp didn’t explain why he could write both passages any more than Paul did. They do, however, indicate that Polycarp understood why Paul could say we are saved apart from works but can be banned from the kingdom by doing evil.

Not only that, but the Philippians must have understood as well because Polycarp felt no need to explain it to them.

Resolving the Conflict: Righteousness, Self-Control, and the Judgment to Come

It was another 2 years, on my second read of the anonymous letter to Diognetus, which falls right before Polycarp’s letter in the Ante-Nicene Fathers series, that I found:

… being convicted in the past time [in Old Testament times] by our own deeds as unworthy of life, we might now be made deserving by the goodness of God, and having made clear our inability to enter into the kingdom of God of ourselves, might be enabled by the ability of God. (ch. 9)

This may not leap off the page at you, by the time I read this, I had read 3,000 pages of fine-print writings from second and third century Christians. To this day I cannot understand how I missed the obvious explanation for the Ephesians 2 and Ephesians 5 conflict. I cannot understand how I missed it in the Bible, which I had read at least 10 times by then, nor how missed it after reading through thousands of pages of early Christian teaching and testimony.

When I read this the second time, though, that I had missed what it means to be saved by faith. “Saved” in Ephesians 2 does not mean “going to heaven.” Neither “going to heaven” nor “inheriting God’s kingdom” is mentioned in Ephesians 2. In Ephesians 2, saved means being transformed from being a sinner, dead in my trespasses and sins (v. 1), to being “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (v. 10).

Such a transformation is truly “so great a salvation,” and we are warned not to neglect it (Heb. 2:3).

Rather than saved, at least in Ephesians 2, meaning we are guaranteed heaven, it means that we were “enabled by the ability of God” to “enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

Everything Clicks into Place

In Ephesians 2, Paul tells us that we were changed from sinners, dead in our sins, to God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. This enables us to …

put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. (Eph. 4:22-24)

According to Paul, this is what we should believe “if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus” (Eph. 4:21).

If we “don’t put away the old man,” but instead are immoral, unclean, or greedy, living like the sons of disobedience, then we will receive the wrath of God with them because “it is because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6).

That same verse tells us not to be led astray about this.

In fact, Paul tells us 3 times not to be deceived into thinking that those who live unrighteously, or by the flesh, will inherit God’s kingdom: here, in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and in Galatians 5:19-21.

Excursus: What the Judgment by Works Is and Is Not

If you have never heard that Christians who have not lived like Christians will be condemned at the judgment and denied an inheritance in the eternal kingdom, you need to know several things before I outline Galatians 5-6 to show those chapters mimic the early Christian teaching on faith and works:

Now that you have heard that Christians might be condemned at the judgment, you are going to see it all over the New Testament (e.g., Revelation 2-3).
Calvinists have it wrong. God requires a pattern of good works, not sinless perfection (Rom. 2:5-8, which is not “hypothetical”; 1 Jn. 3:7, which also tells us not to be deceived).
The primary purpose of Jesus’ death (and grace) was righteous living (Titus 2:11-14; Acts 3:26; Rom. 14:9; 2 Cor. 5:15; 1 Pet. 2:24). Notice that the first reference, Titus 2:11-14, is followed in verse 15 by an exhortation to Titus to teach this with authority.
The Greek word translated “forgiveness” throughout Paul’s letters is aphesis, and it primarily means release. According to Luke 4:18, Jesus came to preach aphesis to the brokenhearted and the captives. Neither group needs forgiveness; they need release, one from pain and grief and the other from captivity.
That same word, aphesis, is used to translate Jubilee (Lev. 25) and the 7-year “release” from slavery and debt (Deut. 15) in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures). There is no way that the apostle Paul, who often quoted the Septuagint, did not know this.
Thus, Ephesians 1:7, a description of the atonement repeated in Colossians 1:14, says, “In him we have our ransom through his blood, the release/jubilee of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” In other words, when we read “forgiveness of sins” we should be thinking forgiveness and release from both the debt of sin and the slavery to sin.

An Outline of Galatians 5-6:

I will proceed as though Ephesians 2 & 5 and the consensus of those who received the faith once for all delivered by the apostles were not enough. I know that, by teaching the above, I am refuting a very popular and very entrenched theological system.

Galatians 5:16-18: There is a war with the flesh that we can win because we have the Holy Spirit and are not under the law. (Note that “the flesh” is “the body,” not “sinful nature.” “Sin in the flesh” is condemned (Rom. 8:3) and “done away with”—Rom. 6:6).

Galatians 5:19-21: Paul lists examples of works of the flesh and tells us that those why practice those things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:22-23: Paul lists examples of the fruit of living in the Spirit. He points out there is no law against these fruit, I assume to establish that the Spirit will fulfill the righteousness of the law without or having to keep the law, something expressly said in Romans 8:3-4.

Galatians 5:24: Paul tells us that to be Christian is to be overcoming the flesh. This, too, is said in Romans (8:13). In Romans 8:12-13 we are told that not to do this is to “die.” In Galatians 6:7, which we are about to outline, Paul says not to overcome the flesh is to “reap corruption.”

Galatians 6:1-6: Paul gives direction that overcoming the flesh, even when we have the Holy Spirit, requires helping one another to do so. If he wrote Hebrews, then he said it even more clearly in Hebrews 3:13 and 10:24-25.

Galatians 6:7-8: To think that we can proceed in the Christian life without “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Php. 2:12-13) is to mock God and to be deceived. If we neglect so great a salvation as is described in Ephesians 2:1-10 and Titus 2:11-14, and walk in the flesh instead, we will reap corruption rather than eternal life, which is rewarded to those who walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 6:9: Paul does not leave us wondering about the application of “sowing to the Spirit.” We must not grow weary in “doing good” if we want to reap eternal life.

Thus we see that the book most known for denying that works are necessary for receiving eternal life and inheriting the eternal kingdom actually teaches that they are necessary, just as the other books Martin Luther loved (Romans, Ephesians) do.

In another post, I addressed the fact that the apostle John uses “eternal life” more than any other apostle and uses it differently than the other apostles. I have written a short book that covers all these things called Rebuilding the Foundations.

Posted in Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Early Christianity, Evangelicals, History, Modern Doctrines, Rebuilding the Foundations | Tagged Acts 24:25, Ephesians 2 and 5 explained, Epistle to Diognetus, eternal security, final judgment, Galatians 5 & 6, Irenaeus Against Heresies, Jude 1:3, Polycarp epistle to the Philippians, righteousness self, righteousness self-control and the judgment to come, the faith once delivered to the saints | Leave a comment

A Fair Summary of Paul’s Gospel? Salvation, Perseverance, and Judgment in His Own Words

Posted on 02/11/2026 by Paul Pavao

What does the apostle Paul actually teach about salvation when all of his words are read together—his promises, his warnings, and his description of God’s grace?
The answer is often assumed, but rarely examined in full. even though the apostles consistently describe salvation as something past, present, and future.

The following paraphrase gathers Paul’s own statements from the passages cited below and places them into a single continuous flow.
The question is simple: Is this a fair summary of Paul’s gospel?

“Don’t be deceived into thinking y’all are eternally secure (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 6:7-9; Eph. 5:5-7; 1 Cor. 10:12). Because you were dead in your sins (Eph. 2:1-3) and enslaved to sin (Rom. 6:17), and because you proved for 1500 years that you can’t keep the law (Rom. 7, Gal. 3:21), God sent Jesus to die for you (e.g., Rom. 5:8). Because he died for you, if you will have faith in Jesus the Lord and Son of God (Rom. 1:1-5; 10:9-10), he will show you mercy (Eph. 2:5), saving you by his favor (Eph. 2:8-9), and make you a new creation (2 Cor. 5) that is his workmanship, created to do good (Eph. 2:10) and to be zealous for good works (Tit. 2:13-14). You will no longer be a slave to sin (Rom. 5:19). In fact, God’s favor will end sin’s dominion over you (Rom. 6:14) and teach you how to live godly, righteously, and sensibly in this present age (Tit. 2:11-12).

“If you will steadfastly continue in this faith (Col. 1:23), living in the Spirit and putting to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom. 8:12-13; Gal. 6:7-8), then you will be presented blameless before God on the last day (Col. 1:22), rewarded with eternal life for your patient continuance in the good works that God created you to do (Rom. 2:7; Gal. 6:9), the righteousness that you lived in (Rom. 5:21), and the holiness that righteousness produced in you (Rom. 6:22).

“If, however, you live in the flesh, you will die (Rom. 8:13) and reap corruption rather than eternal life (Gal. 6:7-8). You will receive no inheritance in the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-11), but instead you will reap wrath with the children of wrath (Eph. 5:5-7).

“So I tell you, and want my students to confidently remind you that you should be careful to maintain good works (Tit. 3:8).”

I may be mistaken, and I welcome careful correction from the Scriptures themselves and from the testimony of the earliest Christians who followed the apostles. But if this is a fair summary of Paul, then we should let his whole message—promises and warnings together—shape how we speak about salvation today.

What do you see in these passages?

The safest course, then, is not to rely on summaries—ancient or modern—but to return to Paul’s own words and read them patiently, letting the whole of his teaching shape our understanding of salvation.

Posted in Bible, Evangelicals, Gospel, Modern Doctrines, Rebuilding the Foundations | Tagged bible interpretation, faith vs works, Gospel, Holiness, judgment, righteousness, salvation | 3 Comments

Jesus Is Building His Church on Peter’s Confession; Are We?

Posted on 02/08/2026 by Paul Pavao

I was interviewed recently on the “Church Talk” podcast about my book, The Apostles’ Gospel. This is a short summary of what the book and the interview were about.

We all know Matthew 16:16 because we want to refute the Catholic claim that Jesus was establishing Peter as the first pope. Thus, we only know it negatively. We argue that Peter’s confession is the rock in that verse, but we only use it to refute the Catholics.

What we don’t do is pay attention to the fact that Jesus builds his church on the confession that Jesus is Christ and Son of God. As a result, we go on our merry way building the church on the confession that Jesus died for our sins, and we reap mountains of backsliders and nominal Christians.

It’s so bad that we read Romans 10:9-10, which tells us we’re saved by confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in the resurrection, then use the passage to teach converts to pray a sinner’s prayer focused and Jesus’ death and Jesus as Savior.

You don’t need a seminary degree to see we’re missing it on those 2 passages.

Note: If you’re interested in a deep look at Matthew 16 and how the church in Rome came to claim that their bishop is “the pope” with “full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church,” I wrote Rome’s Audacious Claim, going one by one through the writings of the earliest Christians.

Posted in Bible, Evangelicals, Gospel | Tagged Jesus is Christ and Son of God, Matthew 16:16, Paul Pavao, Peter's confession, roman catholic church, Romans 10:9-10, Rome's Audacious Claim, sinner's prayer, The Apostles Gospel | Leave a comment

King David’s Secret Sauce: Works Are the Prize, Not the Price

Posted on 01/10/2026 by Paul Pavao

There’s a whole paradigm, a worldview, packed into Psalm 119:56: “This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.”

It is a blessing to keep God’s precepts. Titus 2:13-14 tells us that Jesus purchased a people for himself that are zealous for good works. Somehow, good works became tied to law, to requirements, to condemnation. That is a turned-around mind!

I love the German word “verrückt.” It means “turned backward.” We have turned good works backward. Good works are God’s primary gift to us. By favor, through faith, and according to mercy he saved us so that we might be God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 3:5-8).

Peter tells us that we will LOVE LIFE and SEE GOOD DAYS if we turn from evil and do good (1 Pet. 3:10-12). Psalm 119 is filled with David crying out to God to help him keep God’s precepts so that he can be at peace, overcome his enemies, have life, take comfort, walk in a wide place, etc., etc., etc. David loved God’s commands so much he said, “I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love!”

That’s a little weird, but wow.

It’s not “Sadly, I am obligated to keep God’s commands and miss out on the pleasures of life”; it’s “JESUS EMPOWERED ME TO DO GOOD, AND NOW MY LIFE IS FILLED WITH THE PEACE AND OVERFLOWING JOY! WHOO HOO, LET THE HEAVENS RING WITH MY PRAISES AND THANKSGIVING!”

Let’s learn from David, praise God for his favor’s power over sin (Rom. 6:14; Tit. 2:11-12), and offer it to others: there are plenty of people out there reaping the pain and depression of not being able to make good choices nor do good to others.

Good works are good. Go grab the first reward of your faith, virtue (2 Pet. 1:5).

Posted in atonement, Gospel, Rebuilding the Foundations | Tagged a paradigm of virtue, benefits of good works, benefits of virtue, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, fruit of obedience, God's commands, good works are good, Jesus' commands, Psalm 119, Titus 2:11-15, works as the prize not the price, zealous for good works | Leave a comment

Do You Like the Bible? Or Only an Imaginary One?

Posted on 01/09/2026 by Paul Pavao

Do we believe our Bible? In fact, do we even like our Bible? Or do we prefer a Bible made in the image of our wishful thinking?

I am a Bible believer, but I believe the Bible we have, not the one we wish we had. I love it, do my best to live by it, and believe it is inspired by God. That is why I make every effort to be honest about what it says.

The Bible we have says Joseph and Mary’s home town was Nazareth in Luke 2:39, but Matthew 22:23 is clearly implying their home town was Bethlehem. The census Luke described that caused Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem almost certainly happened when Jesus was around 20 years old, not at the time of his birth, and no one has been able to discover a census at the time of his birth for 2,000 years.

The Bible we have says that the sky is a hard dome (Job 37:18) with the sun, moon, and stars in it and waters above it (Gen. 1:6-8; 14-18). It says that dome is set on pillars (1 Sam. 2:8). A few centuries ago Luther, Calvin, and the Catholic Church argued against Copernicus because Joshua commanded the sun to stand still in the sky rather than commanding the earth to stop its revolution around the sun. Besides that, Psalm 104:5 says the earth cannot be moved.

I know that we tell ourselves that we were alive at that time we would not have misused those verses … but would we really?

When we insist on making Genesis a science book, we lose what Genesis is actually trying to say to us (e.g., Wes Huff, John Walton). But even that is not the deepest tragedy. The most important thing is that Paul and John warn us 4 times not to be deceived into thinking that we can live in the flesh and still inherit eternal life (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 6:7-9; Eph. 5:5-7; 1 John 3:7-12). We pit verses against each other and explain those warnings away because they belong to a Bible we don’t really want.

Way too many of us don’t like the real Bible; we only like the one we imagine and wish for.

Posted in Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Evolution, Evolution and Creation, Modern Doctrines, science | Tagged Biblical hermeneutics, Do you love the real Bible?, don't be deceived NT verses, Genesis and science, Is the Bible inspired?, Is your Bible imaginary?, Luke's census under Quirinius, salvation and living by the flesh | 2 Comments

Working Out Salvation with Fear and Trembling in a Wealthy World

Posted on 12/19/2025 by Paul Pavao

Apparently, there are people who think that when Jesus sits on his glorious throne and puts the sheep on his right and the goats on his left, that he will say to Mother Teresa, “I was hungry, and you did not feed me; I was sick, and you did not visit me.” In Jesus’ recounting of this future event, it is only those who are sent into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Meanwhile, they also believe that in their comfortable, middle-class American lives Jesus will say to them, “I was hungry, and you fed me; I was sick and you visited me.” It is only those who will enter the everlasting kingdom.

God once said, “This one will I look upon, he who is of contrite spirit and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66).

It is so hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven that it takes a miracle. Many of us do not recognize how wealthy we are in worldly goods. There is a reason that Paul taught us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. God have mercy on my soul that I might care even 1/10 as much as Mother Teresa did for “the least of these” and that the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches do not pierce me to death with their thorns.

Posted in Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Evangelicals, Gospel, Modern Doctrines | Tagged contrite spirit, deceitfulness of riches, fear and trembling, Isaiah 66:2, judgment of the sheep and goats, Mother Teresa, Philippians 2:12-13, work out your salvation with fear and trembling | Leave a comment

Bathing in the Scriptures and the Presence of God

Posted on 12/07/2025 by Paul Pavao

Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get important reminders from Scripture. Today:

Prov. 25:26 – Like a muddied spring … is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.–I have done that so much in my life.

Prov. 25:28 – A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.–Yikes. I’m working on losing weight because of high blood-pressure and a pre-diabetic A1C. It’s the holiday season, and I am not a bastion of self-control.

Prov. 25:5-10 – I found references to Jesus teachings.

Ps. 82 – I just enjoyed reading about the divine council; grateful I was taught about it. I took note of what God wanted from the sons of God to whom he had given the nations to judge.

Ps. 84 – I filled my own soul with longing for the courts of God, and I remembered the joy of long hours of prayer and worship with God’s presence filling the room. I need more of that in my life.

Ps. 84:5-8 – There is power in those who are longing for a city that was built without hands. Their tears (“Valley of Baca” means valley of tears) make springs wherever they go, they get stronger and stronger, and EVERY ONE OF THEM appears before God in Zion.

How great is our God! A day in his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere!

Finally, Psalm 85. God forgave the iniquity of his people; he covered all their sin. Our God is the God of Israel and the apostles, who is filled with mercy and lovingkindness as his central trait. It is his mercy that is the central mark of his holiness, not judgement and condemnation. Yes, “Righteousness will go before him,” his mercy is to enable our righteousness, and the righteous live in his ongoing mercy.

Be upright in heart, then, saints. Praise his name continually, long for his house, the fellowship of the saints, for he lives where we gather even if it is twos and threes. Assemble, pray, encourage, hear the Word of the Lord.

Posted in Bible, Holiness, Miscellaneous, Testimonies | Tagged city built without hands, city whose builder and maker is God, divine council, self-control, sons of God rule the nations, stand against the wicked, Valley of Baca, Valley of weeping | Leave a comment

The Role of Early Church Unity in Strengthening Modern-Day Faith

Posted on 12/02/2025 by Paul Pavao

This is a guest post by Merry Usman.

In a world increasingly fragmented by denominational divisions, cultural conflicts, and personal preferences, the church is called to stand as a beacon of unity. Yet, this call often feels difficult to realize amid doctrinal disputes and diverse interpretations of Scripture.

The early church, however, provides a powerful model of unity that transcended differences and glorified Christ. By examining the unity displayed in the Book of Acts and the writings of early church fathers, we can uncover profound lessons for cultivating togetherness within the body of Christ today.

Unity in the Early Church: A Biblical Model

The Book of Acts offers one of the most vivid portrayals of unity in the early church. From the moment the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost, a supernatural bond was formed among the believers. Acts 2:42–47 describes a community devoted to four key pillars: the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. This shared commitment created an atmosphere of mutual care and generosity, as “they had everything in common” (Acts 2:44, NIV). Those who had resources freely gave to those in need, ensuring that no one went without.

This unity was not a product of human effort but a result of their shared identity in Christ. The early church was composed of people from diverse backgrounds: Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, men and women. Despite these differences, they demonstrated a remarkable commitment to one another. Their unity had tangible effects—not only did it meet practical needs, but it also served as a powerful witness to the watching world. Luke records that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47, NIV).

The challenges to unity in the early church were real and frequent, yet they were met with grace and wisdom. In Acts 6, tensions arose between Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking believers over the distribution of food to widows. Rather than allowing this issue to fester and create division, the apostles appointed deacons to address the matter. This collaborative and Spirit-led response preserved the church’s unity and allowed the apostles to continue focusing on prayer and teaching the Word.

Lessons from the Early Church Fathers

The writings of the early church fathers further underscore the importance of unity. Ignatius of Antioch, writing around AD 110, urged Christians to maintain harmony and avoid schism. He emphasized that unity under Christ—reflected in obedience to church leadership—was essential for the church’s mission and testimony:

“Be eager, therefore, to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and the presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles” (Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Magnesians).

Similarly, Cyprian of Carthage wrote extensively about the dangers of division. In his treatise On the Unity of the Church, he likened the church to the seamless garment of Christ, which was not torn even during His crucifixion:

“God is one, and Christ is one, and His Church is one; one is the faith, and one the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body” (Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church).

These early leaders understood that division weakens the church’s ability to fulfill its mission. They called believers to prioritize unity, not as an optional virtue but as a reflection of God’s own nature.

The Theological Foundation of Unity

The unity of the church is deeply rooted in theology. Ephesians 4:4–6 reminds us:

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Unity is not simply about getting along or tolerating one another. It is a reflection of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—whose perfect unity serves as the ultimate model for His people. When believers come together in unity, they reflect God’s character and fulfill Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21:

“That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Barriers to Unity in the Modern Church

Despite the clear biblical and historical call to unity, modern churches face numerous barriers to togetherness. Denominational differences, cultural diversity, and personal preferences often create divisions. Doctrinal disputes can lead to hostility, while competition among churches can hinder collaboration.

In some cases, these divisions stem from legitimate theological concerns. It is important to recognize that unity does not mean compromising truth. However, it does require approaching disagreements with humility and a willingness to listen. As Paul exhorted in Philippians 2:3–4:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Practical Steps for Fostering Unity

To overcome these barriers and foster unity, modern believers can draw inspiration from the practices of the early church. Here are some practical steps for cultivating togetherness within local congregations:

Focus on Christ-Centered Essentials
The early church’s unity was grounded in their shared faith in Christ. Today, we can prioritize the core truths of the gospel—salvation through Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, and the hope of eternal life—rather than allowing secondary issues to divide us.
Encourage Open Dialogue
Just as the apostles convened to address disputes in Acts 15, modern churches can create spaces for prayerful dialogue about theological differences. Approaching these conversations with grace and a commitment to seek God’s will can lead to greater understanding and unity.
Serve Together
Unity is often forged through shared mission. When believers serve their communities together—whether through outreach programs, disaster relief, or acts of kindness—they set aside personal differences to focus on a common goal.
Practice Generosity and Hospitality
The early church’s generosity was a hallmark of their unity. Sharing resources, inviting others into our homes, and creating spaces for fellowship can strengthen bonds within the church.
Pray for Unity
Prayer is one of the most powerful tools for fostering unity. As we pray for our churches, communities, and leaders, we align our hearts with God’s desire for oneness among His people.

The Power of Unity as a Witness

Unity within the church is not merely for the benefit of believers. It is a powerful testimony to the world of God’s love and transformative power. Jesus emphasized this in John 13:35:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When the church embodies unity, it becomes a compelling witness to the watching world. In an era marked by division and discord, a unified church stands out as a beacon of hope and a reflection of God’s kingdom.

Conclusion

The unity of the early church serves as a timeless example for believers today. By reflecting on their practices and teachings, we can draw valuable lessons for overcoming doctrinal divisions and fostering togetherness within our own communities.

As we focus on Christ-centered essentials, practice humility, and commit to serving one another, we embody the prayer of Jesus and glorify God through our unity. Let us strive to be a church that reflects the seamless garment of Christ—whole, unbroken, and united in purpose—for the glory of God and the good of the world.

Author’s Bio: Merry is an experienced writer and SEO specialist with a passion for creating compelling narratives that connect with readers. With a strong background in Christian marketing, she has spent the past five years crafting impactful content and optimizing digital presence for a leading Christian brand. She enjoys writing about faith-based topics, including the significance of Christian gifts from Israel, helping believers find meaningful ways to express their devotion.

Posted in Church, Early Christianity, Unity | Tagged unity of the church | Leave a comment