Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

    Now, while I fully intended to write a lengthy dissertation on the subject of whether or not the
Bible can be trusted or if it contains any contradictions, I have discovered that there are many authors out there who have already done this job for me. With that in mind, I have decided to simply share the links to their works on the subject, as I feel it would be far easier on you, the reader, if you are given the opportunity to narrow your search to specific passages of scripture; seeing as how Biblical constancy is such a broad topic.

    For a generalized overview concerning supposed scriptural contradictions, I suggest reading the following chapter from The New Answers Book 2 by Paul S. Taylor: Ins't the Bible Full of Contradictions?

    If you already have a supposed Biblical inconsistency in mind, I suggest reviewing the questions and verse references from Answers in Genesis, as they have already address many of the more common "contradictions": Supposed Contradictions in the Bible

    If, however, you cannot find the answers you're looking for or if you are curious to see what my take on a particular "contradiction" is, please leave a comment below and I will do my best to address the issue. Assuming I have not already done so in a previous article. In which case I will simply direct you to the appropriate post.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."

~ 2 Timothy 3:16 New Living Translation (NLT)

"In the last days scoffers will come ... "

“Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

    “They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

   “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.”

~ 2 Peter 3:3-10 New Living Translation (NLT)

    If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the picture at right says it all... 
    The Bible’s prophecies are being fulfilled one by one, now more so than ever. Scoffers have indeed arisen, and they are saying and doing exactly what the Bible said they would 2000 years ago: They mock Jesus, deny the existence of God, and believe that the Genesis Flood is nothing more than a myth. 
    But this is not the only Biblical prophecy to be fulfilled in recent years. 
    Israel is a nation once more--sometihng Biblical scholars believed to be purely metaphorical eighty years ago--and the Jews are returning home en masse. (Ezekiel 37:21-22)
   Wars and rumors of wars are spreading at an alarming rate. Earthquakes today are more powerful and more frequent than they were thirty years ago. And despite the fact that we now have the ability to feed more people than are currently living on the planet, nearly one third of the world's population is facing starvation in one of the worst famines the world has ever seen. Add to this the advent of pandemic diseases like SARS, Ebola and other "supper bugs", and it soon becomes apparent that all signs point to the eminent return of Christ. (Mark 13, Luke 21:10-11)

    

    True, no one knows the day or the hour; Jesus may return tomorrow, or it may be a thousand years from now. But one thing is certain: his return is closer now than it has ever been, and each second that passes brings it that much closer. 

    Time is running out, not for us who are in Christ, but for those who have not yet heard the truth. God is being patient for their sake, but eventually there will come a day where there is no going back.

  

    Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow could very well be the Day of the Lord.

   

    So the question is: Where will you be when tomorrow comes?

Beware of False Prophets

"No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do."

               ~ Mr. Miyagi

                    The Karate Kid (1984)

                                                        

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”

~ Matthew 7:15-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

    You will know a tree by its fruit. That was the advice Jesus gave to his followers so that they would be able to identify the false prophets who would come in the Last Days. (Matthew 24:11)
    Now it is important to note that we have been in the "Last Days" since Jesus ascended to Heaven That being said, it is astonishing to me how so many people have failed to heed Jesus’ warning over the centuries. Many false teachers have come and gone, and yet people continue to fall prey to their lies—even Christians fail to see the threat until it is too late. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

    So then, how does one spot a false prophet? What sort of fruit does a bad tree produce?

1) If a teacher preaches a gospel other than the one given to us in the Bible, or if they willingly contradict the Scriptures with their teachings, don’t believe them.

(1 Timothy 6:3-5, 2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

2) If a teacher claims to have had a "new revelation" or "special knowledge" do not believe them—even if they claim to have received such knowledge from an angel, dream, or vision. (Galatians 1:6-10)

3) If a teacher claims that the Body of Christ (The Church) is "deluded" or has been "hiding the truth from people", and that the key to being spiritual is to follow their "superior knowledge" instead of trusting in the Grace and Mercy of God; then they are stirring up dissension in the Church and are most likely a false prophet. (1 Timothy 1:3-7, 6:3-5, Galatians 5:7-15)

4) If a person’s teachings create a spiritual hierarchy or an elitist division in the Body of Christ (i.e. Some Christians are more spiritual than others because they have certain Gifts of the Holy Spirit, follow The Law, or do or don't do this or that, etc.) have nothing to do with them. (1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Titus 3:9-11)

5) If a person claims to be either sinless or Christ, or if they claim to know when Christ is going to return, then they are definitely a false prophet. (Romans 3:10-12, Mark 13:21-22, 32-33)

6) If a person tells you that it is wrong to study God’s Word on your own, then they are contradicting Scripture and are a false prophet. (Joshua 1:8, Acts 17:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21.)

7) If a person presents a new translation of the Bible that changes passages in such a way that the overall message of Scripture is altered (i.e. The Gospel of Jesus Christ) then they are a false prophet. (1 John 4:1-6, Revelation 22:18-19)

8) If a person claims that Jesus’ death and resurrection is not enough to pay for our sins; or that God’s Grace can be earned through works; or that you can gain favor with God by adhering to a specific set of rules; then they are a false prophet. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7, Romans 6:23, Galatians 3, 5:4)

9) If a person presents you with a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible, then they are a false prophet. (John 1:1-5, John 10:30-33, Hebrews 1, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-20)

10) If a person claims that the Church (The Body of Christ) was or is apostate, then they are a false prophet. (Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9)

11) If a person teaches that it is wrong to go to church, or that you should not meet together regularly to study God's Word and fellowship with other believers, then they are a false prophet. (Hebrews 10:25)

12)  If a person makes a prophesy of any kind and it does not come to pass, then that person is a false prophet. (Deuteronomy 18:22)

    There are of course many other signs that a person is a false prophet—often times one simply has to take a close look at the person’s lifestyle to see that they are not following Christ. But the twelve points I have listed above are far more subtle, and therefore far more dangerous to the Christian Walk.

    However, the list above can best be summarized into the very first point: If a person willingly contradicts the Scriptures with their teachings, don't believe them.
    That is why it is so important for us to study God’s Word. It is only by knowing God’s Word that you can defend yourself against those who would seek to pervert it. (2 Timothy 3:16)

“And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.”

~ Romans 16:17-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

See Also:

The Struggle for Unity in the Church

Holiday or Heresy: Should Christians Celebrate on Pagan Holidays?

It is no secret that the issue of holidays, and whether or not those who are in Christ should celebrate holidays, has been a topic of heated debate for many years. The reason for this debate generally stems for the belief that many of the days and traditions we generally associate with Christian celebrations are, in fact, rooted in paganism: most notably the traditions surrounding Christmas and Easter.

    December  17^th -23^rd was originally Saturnalia, a Roman festival dedicated to the worship of Saturn; during which time it was common for the acceptable social norms of Roman society to be completely overturned, resulting in wide-spread hedonism and general debauchery for the duration of the carnival.  Likewise the Christian celebration of Easter has been associated with numerous festivals devoted to various pagan gods and goddesses. As one would expect, these pagan fertility celebrations—observed on or near the spring equinox—also involved a good deal of debauchery, as well as the usual rituals and sacrifices common to pagan cultures of the day.

   That being said, there is a growing movement among believers that condemns the observance of these holidays, as well as many others. But nearly two millennia of tradition is hard to ignore, and so the question remains: should Christians celebrate holidays?
    While I cannot speak for all Christians, I personally feel that choosing to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25^th and his resurrection on Easter Sunday is perfectly acceptable. It does not matter on what day these world-changing events took place. All that matters is that they did. Furthermore, we know from Scripture that the so-called "gods" who used to be worshiped on or near these days are not really gods at all. (1 Corinthians 8:4-7, Galatians 4:8)  
    That being said, I also acknowledge that there are many Christians out there who feel convicted about celebrating God on days that may be linked to pagan festivals, and the Bible makes it very clear that neither I nor anyone else are to judge them or do anything to cause them to stumble. (Romans 14:10-13, 1 Corinthians 8:7-12) So if you are one of these individuals, then I would encourage you to do whatever you feel God has called you to do. If you feel that it is wrong to celebrate holidays that may have pagan origins, then you are well within your rights to choose not to celebrate them. I cannot, in good conscious, tell you that you are wrong. After all, the Bible says in Romans 14:23 that if you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

    However, we do have freedom in Christ. Our God is the God who redeems. He bought us all with his blood and freed us from both sin and the law through his resurrection. (Galatians 3:19-29, 4:8-12, Romans 3:21-22, Hebrews 8:7-13, 9:1-10, etc.) My God is greater than the pagan "gods", and he is greater than "their" festivals. So I feel that I am free to worship God on the days He has redeemed—including Christmas and Easter. If we were not allowed to celebrate what God has done for us on the days pagans use to worship their deities, then we would never be able to celebrate Him at all—the Brahman religion alone would see to that. After all, there are more Hindu gods than there are days in a year! Therefore, it stands to reason that there are pagan holidays and rituals going on somewhere in the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 365 days a year. Which, if we’re completely honest with ourselves, doesn’t leave much room to worship the True God.

    Ultimately however, the decision to celebrate holidays comes down to personal conviction. I feel that I am free to celebrate holidays based solely on the fact that I have been made holy through the blood of Jesus Christ. I cannot condemn anyone who disagrees with me. Nor can they condemn me. (Romans 5-6, 14:1) We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow travelers on the road of life. Our destination lies before us, and it is our duty to help each other along. If we allow our personal convictions to divide us we succeed only in hurting ourselves and weaken the body of Christ as a whole.

“So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

  “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.”

~ Colossians 2:16-23 New Living Translation (NLT)

See Also:

What Should Christians Do?

Should Christians Pay Taxes?