Author Archives: Paul Pavao

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About Paul Pavao

I am married, the father of six, and currently the grandfather of five. I teach, and I am always trying to learn to disciple others better than I have before. I believe God has gifted me to restore proper theological foundations to the Christian faith. In order to ensure that I do not become a heretic, I read the early church fathers from the second and third centuries. They were around when all the churches founded by the apostles were in unity. My philosophy for Bible reading is to understand each verse for exactly what it says in its local context. Only after accepting the verse for what it says do I compare it with other verses to develop my theology. If other verses seem to contradict a verse I just read, I will wait to say anything about those verses until I have an explanation that allows me to accept all the verses for what they say. This takes time, sometimes years, but eventually I have always been able to find something that does not require explaining verses away. The early church fathers have helped a lot with this. I argue and discuss these foundational doctrines with others to make sure my teaching really lines up with Scripture. I am encouraged by the fact that the several missionaries and pastors that I know well and admire as holy men love the things I teach. I hope you will be encouraged too. I am indeed tearing up old foundations created by tradition in order to re-establish the foundations found in Scripture and lived on by the churches during their 300 years of unity.

When Grammar Shapes Theology: Wisdom, Jesus, and Proverbs 8

This is pulled from my own Facebook post obviously. In another Facebook post I laughed at myself for not knowing that idioma in Spanish is masculine, not feminine. Language gender (and other grammar rules) is really important for understanding the … Continue reading

Posted in Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Early Christianity, History, Modern Doctrines, Teachings that must not be lost | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Creationist Deception Almost Made Me a Dishonest Man

Here’s why I write on the very unpopular subject of microbe-to-mammal evolution. A lady on Facebook cited a study from Nature, a prestigious scientific journal, saying that there were tetrapods (4-footed creatures) before Tiktaalik, a very famous fossil supposed to … Continue reading

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The Beauty of Men Who Stay on Mission

I taught one of our “summer-nary” classes last Sunday, and I finally got the teaching right. I not only prayed for, but really believed, that God would speak and that those who heard me would not hear my words but … Continue reading

Posted in Evangelicals, Gospel, Holiness, Leadership, Miscellaneous, missions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Does Aphesis Mean? Forgiveness, Jubilee, and Freedom in Christ

Today the word aphesis seems so important. It is the word Paul and much of the New Testament uses for forgiveness. Well, maybe I should say that translators translate the word as forgiveness. It is the same Greek word that … Continue reading

Posted in atonement, Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Gospel, Rebuilding the Foundations, Teachings that must not be lost | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Reminiscing of Another Paul the Aged

Today I am keenly aware, as my day to begin Medicare approaches, that I have not lived up to my imaginary potential, but God has lived up to his real potential. I look back at things I did and did … Continue reading

Posted in Miscellaneous, Testimonies | Tagged , | 1 Comment

How to Walk in the Spirit?

Here’s my thoughts, and some Scriptures, on  how to walk in the Spirit/spirit. Someone asked me about how to walk in the Spirit. I think it is essential to understand that walking in the spirit, small s, leads to walking … Continue reading

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Can We Justify “Protecting” God’s Flock from God’s Warnings?

A friend saw my face and demeanor after a discussion of spiritual gifts, and he kindly checked on me. I told him I sometimes struggle with the fact that everyone agrees my spiritual gift is teaching, but I’m rarely allowed … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Evangelicals, Gospel, Holiness, Leadership, Modern Doctrines, Rebuilding the Foundations, Verses Evangelicals Ignore | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Does Jesus Believe Divorced and Remarried Couples Are Living in Adultery

This blog post is my joyful, heartfelt, deeply freeing, warm-hearted  goodbye to both a dogma and the people who will contemn me for rejecting it. (To “contemn” is to treat with contempt; to despise. It is what people often mean … Continue reading

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Sound an Alarm in God’s Holy Mountain: just because you’ve been deceived about the judgment does not mean you won’t face it

I’m always contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. I not only know what it is; I can show you what it is to your satisfaction (if you will give me a hearing). Usually, when I … Continue reading

Posted in atonement, Bible, Evangelicals, Gospel, Holiness, Modern Doctrines, Rebuilding the Foundations, Teachings that must not be lost | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How We Got Our Bible

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 … Continue reading

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