The statement has been made that the Bible is so full of conflicting assertions and contradictions that it is impossible to comprehend. The Bible was written by average people like you and me but they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guided them in what to write and say. The Holy Sprit is from God. John 14:26; 16:13. So since God is perfect and all knowing He cant be the one to cause all of our modern day confusion. Society is confused because there are so many different doctrines you dont know which one to believe. So if we are saying there are no contradictions in the bible then how do you figure out who is right and who is wrong? To begin with you have to know when it was written, the audience, who it was written for and to as well as knowing under what conditions it was written. Just like any story if you can use the what, when, where, why and how that you learned in school it makes it easier to understand. The Bible being a puzzling book to some degree each chapter is in complete harmony with one another. To know who is right or wrong the doctrine cannot disagree with the purpose of the Bible as a whole. If a person, doctrine or theory disagrees with any point then one or all could be wrong. Its no wonder that the world is in a constant upheaval about Christianity. There are so many denominations no one knows who or what to believe. I dont think that God intended it to be this way. In New Testament times there werent all the denominations that we have in our present day. There was only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. Ephesians 4:5. Today we have many faiths, churches all teaching something different, creeds and baptisms. God is not a God of confusion but of peace. I Corinthians 14:33. The 1st century Christians were instructed by the apostle Paul to agree and that there were to be no divisions among them but yet there are so many divisions today. I Corinthians 1:10. The problem is if the early Christians were told to agree is it possible today in the 21st century? The point I would like to make is if it isnt God and the Bible, then who is the author of confusion. The confusion is going to continue until Christians get back to the basics. Some believe a certain way because thats the way they have been brought up or its the popular viewpoint. Christians need to start examining the church they attend as well as their own beliefs. They shouldnt just accept something because thats the way everyone believes about a subject especially concerning end times. End time type of preachers has some scared into a tizzy. When something is said you should be like the Christians of Berea as described in the book of Acts. They took the time to search the scriptures to see if what they were being told was true. Acts 17:11. The apostle John also said to test the spirits to see if they were from God. He says to not believe everything you hear. I John 4:1. In other words examine what you are being told and if you cannot find it in the scriptures then it has to be rejected. In first century times they foretold the fact that Christians would fall away from the faith and find teachers who would preach what they wanted to hear rather than what the truth is. I Timothy 4:1-5; 6:3-4; II Timothy 4:1-5. I challenge you today to start examining your beliefs as I do everyday. Having an open mind to the possibility of being wrong will be the hardest challenge. If you can overcome that then I am sorry to say its still uphill from there but at least the hardest test will be over. When examining scripture dont twist it to make it agree with what you believe but rather read it to understand what to believe. Using a lot of common sense goes a long way. Lastly dont take my word for it get your paper, pens, highlighters and examine the scriptures also everything I have said as well. Come now and let us reason together. Isaiah 1:18. |
