Category Archives: Bible

The Strange Case of Symbolic Baptism: A Doctrine in Search of a Text

Posted on 07/06/2026 by Paul Pavao

I’m looking at a defense of symbolic baptism written by a an intelligent and godly man with long experience in the Scriptures. You may be like him, a follower of Jesus that, to borrow a John Wesley quote about Georg … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Gospel, honesty, Modern Doctrines | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Will God Judge You by Your Church Membership?

Posted on 06/29/2026 by Paul Pavao

I was asked, “Can I be saved if I don’t join the Eastern Orthodox?” I answered: I am so sorry you are having to ask this question. Here’s the simplest answer I can give you. Read Ezekiel 18:20-32; Matthew 25:31-46; … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Early Christianity, Gospel, Holiness, Modern Doctrines, Roman Catholic & Orthodox, Teachings that must not be lost, Unity | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Connecting the Dots: Why Paul and John Speak Differently About Eternal Life

Posted on 06/26/2026 by Paul Pavao

I asked ChatGPT what I could do in the public forum to communicate better. In fact, I used the phrase “be more systematic.” It replied: If I were looking for one improvement in your public communication, it would not be … Continue reading →

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

What Is Tradition: Jesus, the Apostles, and our Bible

Posted on 06/10/2026 by Paul Pavao

I can’t do better than my long ago article, “Apostolic  Tradition.” It looks nicer than my blog does as well.

Posted in Bible, History, Rebuilding the Foundations, Roman Catholic & Orthodox | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How Creationist Deception Almost Made Me a Dishonest Man

Posted on 05/22/2026 by Paul Pavao

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 →

Posted in Bible, Evolution, Evolution and Creation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on 05/18/2026 by Paul Pavao

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

How to Walk in the Spirit?

Posted on 04/15/2026 by Paul Pavao

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 →

Posted in Bible, Holiness, Miscellaneous | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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

Posted on 04/11/2026 by Paul Pavao

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

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

Posted on 03/16/2026 by Paul Pavao

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

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment