Category Archives: Dealing with Scripture Honestly

The Bible’s Contradictions and Errors Are Inspired

Posted on 07/03/2024 by Paul Pavao

In this post, I am not arguing against the Bible, but for it. If we believe the Bible is inspired by God himself, we should receive its words as they are rather than as we wish they were. When you … Continue reading →

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Interpreting Paul’s Epistle to the Romans

Posted on 06/30/2024 by Paul Pavao

I wrote this on Facebook today: How can you correctly interpret Romans if you don’t believe its foundational precepts? “Those who practice such things are worthy of death” (1:32) and “to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Gospel, Modern Doctrines, Verses Evangelicals Ignore | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Past Tense Salvation by Faith and Future Tense Judgment by Works

Posted on 01/20/2021 by Paul Pavao

In the comments of my video on 2 Peter 1:3-11, I wrote this. I just don’t get you guys. You wrote, “To clarify, faith grants us salvation.” That is not clarification. Did you watch the video? Do you know that … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Evangelicals, Gospel, Modern Doctrines, Verses Evangelicals Ignore | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Answering the Verses Evangelicals Throw at Me: Hebrews 9:22

Posted on 01/14/2021 by Paul Pavao

By now all my readers know that I disagree with a good portion of evangelical tradition. I am not bashful about writing against those traditions. When I do so, I expect evangelicals to look at the verses and explanations I … Continue reading →

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The Kind and Merciful Judgment of God

Posted on 12/04/2020 by Paul Pavao

Biblical teaching on the judgment is critically important. Many churches insult God by portraying him as merciless, a cruel deity who would torture a human for eternity for one sin because he is “holy” and “just.” (What sort of holiness … Continue reading →

Posted in Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Evangelicals, Gospel, Modern Doctrines, Rebuilding the Foundations | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Substitutionary Atonement: Jesus Died to Change Us, not God

Posted on 09/17/2020 by Paul Pavao

This is something I wrote in a Facebook comment. I would like to hold on to it, and I hope it helps you understand Romans and the whole New Testament. There is a clear origin in St. Anselm for the … Continue reading →

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Wisdom in Proverbs, Daniel’s Son of Man, the Trinity, and Jesus the Messiah and Son of God

Posted on 09/08/2020 by Paul Pavao

This article argues for the early Christian/Nicene concept of the Trinity (still held among the Eastern Orthodox), that Wisdom in Proverbs should be understood throughout as referring to the Son of God, who is also called the Word, and provides … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Early Christianity, Modern Doctrines, Roman Catholic & Orthodox, Teachings that must not be lost | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Difficult Verses and Bible Interpretation

Posted on 08/25/2020 by Paul Pavao

Perhaps the best Bible interpretation advice I can give has to do with difficult verses. There are verses that are actually difficult. For example, no one knows who Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 15:29. Who was “baptizing for … Continue reading →

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Bible Contradictions: Copyists’ Errors or the Word of God?

Posted on 05/09/2020 by Paul Pavao

There are contradictions in the Bible. The reason that most churches’ statement of faith says that the Bible is “free from error in the original manuscripts” is because they know that the Bible is not free from error in the … Continue reading →

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How I Became a Heretic (to the Evangelicals)

Posted on 12/14/2019 by Paul Pavao

I was raised Catholic, gave up on Catholicism, explored eastern mysticism as a teenager, and wound up agnostic at age 20. The prayers and daily witness of my first Air Force supervisor and some reading of the Gospels led to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Dealing with Scripture Honestly, Early Christianity, Evangelicals, Modern Doctrines | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments