Apparent Contradictions Topics

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• Where God Dwells
  

• Does God Dwell In Light?
  
• Does God Rest?
  
• ​Is God Seen And Heard?
  
• God Is Just and Impartial
  
• ​God Is Unchangeable 
  
• ​​God Is all Powerful
  
• God Is Not The Author of Evil
  
• God Can Be Found by Those Who Seek Him
  
• God Is Cruel
  
• God Is Warlike
  
• God's Anger is Fierce
  
• God Gives Freely
• ​​God Delights Burnt Offerings, Sacrifices, and Holy Days
  
• Man is Not Justified By Faith Alone 
  
• Longevity Denied to The Wicked 
  

• Christ Confirmed That the Dead Do Not Go to Heaven 
  

• God's Satisfaction With His Works

• Three Days and Three Nights Contradiction

• Is God Seen and Heard?

• Does God Dwell in Light?

• Does God Rest?

• Does God Know The Heart?

• Is The Sabbath To Be Observed?

• Is God Everywhere?

• God Is All Powerful

• God Is Unchangeable

• God Is Just and Impartial

• God Is Not The Author of Evil

• God Can Be Found By Those Who Seek Him

• God Gives Freely

• God Is Warlike

• God Is Cruel

• God's Anger Is Fierce

• God Delights In Burnt Offerings, Sacrifices, and Holy Days

• God Tempts Men

• God Accepts Human Sacrifice

• God Cannot Lie

• God Destroys Wicked Men

• God's Attributes Cannot Be Discovered

• Robbery Is Commanded

• Lying Is Approved and Sanctioned

• Hatred Of The Edomites Is Sanctioned

• Whoever Sheds Man's Blood Must Not Die

• The Making Of Images Is Commanded

• Killing Is Commanded

• Improvidence Condemned

• Good Works To Be Seen Of Men

• Slavery and Oppression Ordained

• Anger Approved

• Christ Taught Nonresistance

• Judging Of Others Is Approved

• Public Prayer Sanctioned

• Christ Warned His Followers To Not Fear Being Killed

• Importunity In Prayer Condemned

• The Wearing Of Long Hair By Men Sanctioned

• Circumcision Instituted

• The Sabbath Instituted Because God Brought Israel Out of Egypt

• Jesus Broke The Sabbath

• Taking Oaths Forbidden

• Marriage Disapproved

• Freedom of Divorce Permitted

• Adultery Allowed

• Marry Your Brother's Widow

• Marrying Your Sister

• Hatred of Kindred Enjoined

• It Is Our Duty To Obey Our Rulers

• Intoxicating Beverages Recommended

• Women's Rights Affirmed

• There Is An Unpardonable Sin

• Obedience To Masters Enjoined

• Seed Time And Harvest Were Never To Cease

• God Hardened Pharaoh's Heart

• All Horses In Egypt Did Not Die

• Moses Feared Pharaoh

• There Died In The Plague Twenty-Four Thousand

• The Father Of Mary's Husband Was Heli

• John The Baptist Was Elias

• The Father Of Salah Was Arphaxad

• There Were Fourteen Generations From Abraham To David

• The Infant Christ Was Taken Into Egypt

• John Was In Prison When Jesus Went Into Galilee

• Christ's Disciples Were Commanded To Go Forth With A Staff And Sandals

• Christ Preached His First Sermon On The Plain

• Two Blind Men Besought Jesus

• Every Kind Of Animal Allowed For Food

• Christ Was Crucified At The Third Hour

• A Woman Of Canaan Besought Jesus

• There Is A Plurality Of gods

• Baptism Not Commanded

• The Two Thieves Reviled Christ

• There Were Two Women Who Came To The Sepulcher (Part 1)

• There Were More Than Three Women Who Came To The Sepulcher (Part 2)

• Satan Entered Judas Before Supper

• Judas Committed Suicide By Hanging

• The Potter's Field Was Purchased By Judas

• It Was Sunrise When They Came To The Sepulcher

• There Were Two Angels In The Sepulcher

• Christ Was But Two Days and Two Nights In The Grave

• God's Holy Spirit Bestowed Before Pentecost

• Jesus First Appeared To The Eleven On A Mountain In Galilee

• The Disciples Were Commanded Immediately After the Resurrection To Go Tarry At Jerusalem

• Christ Ascended From Bethany

• Paul's Attendants Heard Not The Voice and Were Prostrate

• Abraham Went Not Knowing Where

• Abraham Had But One Son

• Abraham and His Seed Never Received The Promised Land

• Keturah Was Abraham's Concubine

• Michal Had Five Children

• David Was Tempted By Satan to Number the People

• The Number of Fighting Men of Israel Was 1,100,000 and of Judah 470,000

• Ahaziah Began to Reign in the Eleventh Year of Joram

• David Took Seven Thousand Horsemen

• David Never Sinned, Except in the Matter of Uriah

• It Was Not Seven Years, but Three Years Famine

• David Bought the Threshing Floor for Six Hundred Shekels of Gold

• David's Throne Was Cast Down

• Christ Is Not Equal With God

• Jesus Was Not All-Powerful

• The Law Was Not Superseded by the Christian Dispensation

• Children Are Not Punished For The Sins of the Parents

• It Was Not Lawful for the Jews to Put Christ to Death

• Christ Laid Down His Life for His Enemies

• Christ's Witness of Himself is Not True

• Christ Did Receive Testimony from Man

• Christ's Mission Was Not Peace

• It Is Possible To Fall From Grace

• Man Is Not Justified By Faith Alone

• There Is To Be No Resurrection of the Dead

• Christians Are Sinless

• Reward and Punishment to Be Bestowed in the Next World

• Endless Misery the Portion of All Mankind

• The Earth Is Never To Be Destroyed

• Longevity Denied to the Wicked

• Worldly Prosperity a Curse and a Bar to Future Reward Evil Does Happen to the Godly

• Neither Poverty nor Riches a Blessing

• Worldly Misery and Destitution the Lot of the Godly

• The Christian Yoke Is Not Easy

• The Fruit of God's Spirit is Vengeance and Fury

• There Is No Remedy for Foolishness

• Wisdom a Source of Vexation, Grief and Sorrow

• A Good Name Is A Curse

• Laughter Condemned

• Man's Life is But Seventy Years

• The Fear of Man Is Not Upon the Lion

• Temptation Not to Be Desired

• Prophecy Is Not Sure

• A Fool Should Not Be Answered According to His Folly

• None but Christ Ever Ascended Into Heaven

• Moses Was a Very Cruel Man

• Miracles a Proof of Divine Mission

• And The Lord Repented of the Evil Which He Thought To Do Unto His People

• Some Scripture is Not Inspired

• Do Not Resist an Evil Person; but Whoever Slaps You on Your Cheek, Turn the Other to Him Also

• As The Cloud Disappears and Vanishes Away, So He Who Goes Down To the Grave Does Not Come Up

• For I Did Not Speak to Your Fathers, Or Command Them In the Day That I Brought Them Out of the Land of Egypt, Concerning Burnt Offerings or Sacrifices

• One Person Esteems One Day above another; another Esteems Every Day Alike. Let Each Be Fully Convinced in His Own Mind

• Nevertheless, of Those That Chew the Cud or Have Cloven Hooves, You Shall Not Eat

• If a Man Takes His Brother’s Wife, It Is an Unclean Thing

• Sons Are Not Held Accountable for the Sins of Their Father

• And They Gave Him to Drink, Wine Mingled With Myrrh

• Moses Was Mighty in Words and Deeds

• The Sojourn of the Children of Israel Was Four Hundred and Thirty Years

• Let Not Many of You Become Teachers

• Sons Are Not Held Accountable for the Sins of Their Fathers
  

Apparent Contradictions

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     There are a number of scriptures that appear to contradict other statements in God’s word, and these apparent contradictions are often used by those who wish to discredit God by making the Bible appear unreliable. In reality, there are various reasons for apparent contradictions and these will be examined in this section of the website. It will be seen that any contradiction can be solved with a correct understanding of God’s nature, His plan of salvation for all who have sinned, and a humble, respectful attitude toward Almighty God. However, if the approach is to discredit God, those engaged in such an exercise will never come to a correct understanding of His truth. Some keys to correctly understanding apparent contradictions in scripture are as follows:

     1)    When the word “God” is used, which member of the heavenly host is being referred to? There are many gods (divine, created spirit-beings), but only One True God who was never created and has always existed. All other gods were created, including the one known as Jesus Christ (Ex. 18:11; Dt. 10:17; Josh. 22:22; 1Chr. 16:25; 2Chr. 2:5; Ps. 96:4; 136:2; Isa. 42:5-9; Dan. 2:47; 11:36; Mal. 2:10; Jn. 10:35-36; 17:3; 1Tim. 2:5; 6:16).

     2)    When descriptive words are used, are they meant literally or figuratively?

God’s word is replete with figurative and symbolic language as well as literal statements, but if the reader is unable to distinguish the difference, the real meaning will be hidden (see: Symbolism section of this website).

     3)    Some scriptures include the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of the writers and therefore should not be considered as commandments from God but are still helpful in living a godly life (1Cor. 7:6; 2Cor. 11:17; 2Tim. 3:16). When witnessing events such as those involving Christ’s life and ministry, the original writers commented on different aspects of the same events. Therefore, the details varied even though the main lessons were maintained.

    4)    Because the Bible has been translated into different versions at different times in history, the translators have sometimes added or changed certain sections of scripture to reflect their particular beliefs. This can create problems for the reader and more comprehensive research is often required to come to an accurate understanding of what God originally intended (Isa. 28:10-13; 2Tim. 2:15).

    5)    The context in which a teaching is given must be correctly understood. If the reader already has a misunderstanding or a bias regarding a Biblical subject, there is a higher likelihood that the context will also be misunderstood or ignored in an attempt to support a particular theory or doctrine. For instance, many of Paul’s writings are misapplied because readers assume that Paul taught against keeping God’s law and commandments, when in reality the context was usually referring to a change regarding the Levitical priesthood or some aspect of the animal sacrificial system (Heb. 7:12; 2Pet. 3:15-16).

     6)    Depending on the circumstances at the time, God can extend mercy or He can temporarily withhold His mercy. If He chooses to withhold or postpone His mercy, He is entitled to do so without being accused of contradicting Himself. This principle is explained in many scriptures but is ignored by those who wish to discredit God (Ecc. 3:1-8; Isa. 45:9-13; Jer. 18:1-11; Rom. 9:14-24).

     7)    God’s wisdom is required to correctly understand many apparent contradictions in scripture, but God does not give His wisdom to those who wish to live contrary to His law and commandments. Therefore, without repentance of sin and living in newness of life (cf. Rom. 6:4), the majority of mankind will misunderstand God’s word and never come to a correct understanding of apparent Biblical contradictions (cf. Dt. 4:5-9; Job 28:28; Mt. 13:10-15; Mk. 4:10-12; Lk. 8:9-10; Jn. 12:37-40; Ac. 2:38; 5:32b; Eph. 4:17-19; 1Pet. 1:2),

The fear (proper respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and a good understanding have all those who do His commandments… (Ps. 111:10a; Ed. note in parenthesis; emphasis added).

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