Category Archives: Biblical History

White Paper: The Angels Who Left Their Place in Jude: Scope, Context, and Biblical Antecedents

Abstract This paper explores Jude 6, which speaks of “angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode,” and assesses whether this refers to all demons or a particular subset. It examines intertextual connections with Genesis … Continue reading

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From Persecutor to Apostle — The Historical and Theological Significance of Paul’s Conversion

[Note:  This is the prepared text for a sermon delivered to the The Dalles congregation of the United Church of God on Sabbath, September 13, 2025.] Introduction: Remembering What We Wish to Forget Most of us carry memories we would … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Ekklesia in Ancient Greece and Its Implications for the Church as God’s Government

Executive Summary This white paper explores the ekklesia—the assembly of citizens in Ancient Greece, especially in Athens—as a political institution of rights, powers, and responsibilities. It then examines how the New Testament’s adoption of this term for the people of … Continue reading

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White Paper: Arguing from the Lesser to the Greater in the Gospels and Its Place in Biblical Logic

Introduction One of the most distinctive features of biblical reasoning is its frequent reliance on analogical and comparative logic rather than abstract syllogistic forms. Among the techniques employed by Jesus and the biblical writers, arguing from the lesser to the … Continue reading

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White Paper: Contexts and Typology of the Biblical Calls to Not Fear and Be of Good Courage

Executive Summary The biblical commands “do not fear” and “be strong and of good courage” are among the most repeated exhortations in Scripture. They serve as reassurance in times of uncertainty, grounding faith communities in God’s promises, presence, and power. … Continue reading

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White Paper: Two Sticks, One Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Examination of Israel and Judah Under the Same Divine Standard

Abstract Throughout the biblical narrative, Israel and Judah—once united under a single monarchy—are portrayed as distinct entities, yet bound together under one covenant with God. Ezekiel’s vision of the two sticks (Ezek 37:15–28) symbolizes their eventual reunification, but the prophetic … Continue reading

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White Paper: Faithless Israel, Treacherous Judah, and the Covenant Call: A Biblical-Theological Analysis of Jeremiah 3 in Light of the Law of God, the Sabbath Covenant, and Apostasy Imagery

Abstract Jeremiah 3 stands as a pivotal prophetic indictment, contrasting the responses of the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah) to covenant obligations under God’s law. This paper explores the chapter in its historical and theological context, considering … Continue reading

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White Paper: “Physician, Heal Thyself” — A Biblical Principle for Self-Examination Before Calling for Change

Executive Summary The proverb “Physician, heal thyself” appears in Luke 4:23, attributed to Jesus as a common saying He anticipates His listeners will direct toward Him. This aphorism functions as both a cultural idiom and a moral principle: those who … Continue reading

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White Paper: “A Dog Returns to Its Vomit” and “A Pig Returns to the Mire” — Peter’s Metaphor in Biblical and Ancient Literary Context

Executive Summary In 2 Peter 2:22, the apostle closes a sharp denunciation of apostate teachers with two vivid images: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” These paired … Continue reading

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White Paper: A Straightforward Biblicist Approach to the Bible and Faith

Executive Summary This white paper presents the biblicist approach to Scripture—an approach rooted entirely in the Bible as the final and sufficient authority for all matters of faith and practice. By discarding the controlling influence of later traditions, denominational systems, … Continue reading

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