In a world where there are numerous agendas that are out to try and discredit the bible for its inconsistency and contradictions let alone the harshness, they say it portrays, it is time we stood for the truth.
But how can you stand for one, when you internally have debates about these supposed contradictions, so to help you out, here are some of my guides on how to deal with bible contradictions.
Progressive knowledge and the knowledge of God
God uses available vessels, they might not be perfect or fully mature but nonetheless, he uses anyone who is available when heaven demands for someone to stand in the gap.
We grow and learn in phases and stages. Your experience and understanding of God when you are still young, starting out ministry and not fully mature in the things of God will differ from when you are not old.
This is an experience that everyone goes through even the apostles and some of them, you will see them grow through their letters.
For example, in 1st Corinthians, Paul speaks of putting away one who sinned from the congregation but in 2nd Corinthians, he speak so their forgiveness, this is a man on a journey, he has leant a lot and because of his earlier life experiences, he might appear to contradict himself but in reality, he is not.
This might also happen between different writers, one writes as being inspired by God but with a shallower understanding and this will in turn affect their interpretation of the word of God because God will not dictate and then the writer writes, he inspires and the writer has to understand those inspirations and convert them into a language that can be expressed and this sometimes because of their understanding of God, the interpretation might differ.
So, to deal with the supposed contradictions, understand the journeys people go through, study their history behind certain books of the bible, understand the context and the period in the time of the writer and above all understand the mind of God.
If a matter is pressing you, take it to him and inquire of him, meditate about it and the answers will come. Paul only gave us the foundation, there is more to be built but he that builds all things is God.
Understand the covenants
Many who question the authenticity and integrity of the bible will always point scriptures across the different covenants and dispensations without understanding that with the change in the covenant came change in so many ways and oracles. Not that the former oracles were erroneous but it was where the people understood and related to God from.
A common example I could use here is the issue of the sabbath. The Old Testament had very strict laws regarding the sabbath because God at that time was only confined in one place and that was the temple and so on sabbath day, it was the only day when you came to worship God. But in the New Testament, God lives inside us, we don’t need to go to a place when every day and every time can be a time to worship God because he is present constantly.
The Old Testament was a shadow of things to come and sometimes the shadow will miss out the important details that might make a big impact in the belief systems and way of life and that’s what it is seen with the supposed contradictions that is between the old and the New Testament.
Knowledge shall increase
There is a divine law that was activated by God and that law states that in the last days knowledge shall increase. This knowledge is not only scientific knowledge but also knowledge of God.
The last days did not start in the 20th century or the 18th century, it started on the day of the Pentecost and as such every progressive year and date and time warrants heaven to release new oracles.
That is why Paul respectfully stated that he only wrote the foundation, because he understood that another writer might come after him and discover new things and thereby add to his work to building the house.
A clear example is seen in the understanding of the pattern of the temple. Paul affirms to a temple in not made by human hands in Acts 17:24-28 but in Revelation 21:22-22, John the revelator sees no temple because God is the very temple.
John having written his book later on had a different interpretation of the temple from Paul.
All these supposed contradictions are there is build the full picture, the part that one knows, he supplies and another build on it and that’s what happened with the bible.
The duality of things
The bible is the most amazing book because one part or one scripture unpacks and explains another in the dual nature and to understand it one needs a special grace to make sense of certain statement and that’s why this book is living.
One example I can point out here is the issue of dead yet I live nevertheless I live but Christ that lives in me. This was an experience of Paul and by all language, it does not make sense at all, how do you say you are dead yet alive at the same time. This is because of duality, the cause effect, because of this, this happens.
For a seed to grow into a plant to bear fruits it has to die and this death is not in itself final because it leads to a new life and that’s the life that is more fruitful and desirable. That was what Pual was trying to explain. In our dying to the old self, we are made alive to the new man.
So, take time to understand the duality of things and pray to God to open the eyes of your understanding to interpret what the supposed contradictions caused by the duality of things.
Allegories and figures of speech.
If there is any prophet, I will speak to them though a dream and dark speeches but to Moses, I speak mouth to mouth. There is such a thing as allegory and figures of speech which might make the bible contradict itself.
For example, Moses gave a law forbidding marrying of women from outside, but he went ahead and did it. Why dude, you just forbad us from doing the same thing, aren’t you contradicting yourself, that’s why Aaron and Miriam said and they were not wrong.
God uses these figures of speech, dark sayings, parables, and allegories when we cannot fully understand his heart. To them it is not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom that’s why I speak to them in parables.
In the heart of God, the only law that count is the law of love, because it is the royal law. Because Moses was awakened to the higher law, he was gifted with such great liberties and to him marrying an outsider wasn’t sin but to people who are not yet fully established in the things of God it is sin to them.
Awaken yourself to this reality that there are immense liberties that is accorded to the Christian and as such some express them more than others in their writing and thereby creating the supposed contradictions. This is why Paul wrote that you should not stumble another because of your faith.
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