Contradictions?

[CollectsBooks]

Hey everyone, I would have posted in apologetics but I value the Reformed position so much I want to ask you.

Do you believe there are contradictions in the bible or error? I know the doctrine of inerrancy is fundamental to the faith, but doesn't even God contradict Himself?

What I mean is, God doesn't approve of robbing or plundering, but He did it in Isaiah 10. He's not a God of confusion, but He confused the languages. He said He would curse people generationally, then Ezekiel says He wouldn't do that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this with an arrogant heart. The reformed tradition has been my fortress against uncertainty for a few years now.. then when I was hit with this I wanted to fall apart because I couldn't answer. Please offer some thoughts for my healing.

Love you all,
Tyler

 

[twin1954]

Hey everyone, I would have posted in apologetics but I value the Reformed position so much I want to ask you.

Do you believe there are contradictions in the bible or error? I know the doctrine of inerrancy is fundamental to the faith, but doesn't even God contradict Himself?

What I mean is, God doesn't approve of robbing or plundering, but He did it in Isaiah 10. He's not a God of confusion, but He confused the languages. He said He would curse people generationally, then Ezekiel says He wouldn't do that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this with an arrogant heart. The reformed tradition has been my fortress against uncertainty for a few years now.. then when I was hit with this I wanted to fall apart because I couldn't answer. Please offer some thoughts for my healing.

Love you all,
Tyler

There are no contradictions in the Bible. What God says is true and can be relied on. As for the so-called contradictions they can all be easily explained. When God says in one place don't do something and in another do we must understand that whatever God says is right. When He gives permission to do something it is because it serves His purpose and accomplishes His will. He uses the heathen in many cases to bring judgment on Israel. In Psa. 76:10 the Psalmist speaks of the wrath of man shall praise Him and the remainder of wrath He will restrain.

Let me give you an example so that you may be able to grasp what I am saying: In Exodus 20 He tells us not to kill but when they enter the land He tells them to kill every man, woman and child. It is a demonstration of the fact that we are not to commit murder but we are to kill when He tells us to. He is using the Hebrews as the hand of His justice against Canaan.

In Ex. 33 he is speaking of His righteous justice in visiting the iniquity of the father on the children unto the third and fourth generation. It not only is a deterrent against iniquity because of the consequences to your family but simple justice. But He also is full of mercy and will not visit the iniquity of the father on the son as He says in Ezek. In one passage He is making a point of His strict and demanding justice and in the other of His great mercy.

Hope that helps, twin

 

[hedrick]

Some of the savagery Israel was directed to commit in war seems like a problem to me. I don’t see much alternative to some kind of concept of progressive revelation. But these passages probably don't require that.

On Is 10: The Bible shows God as using calamities of various sorts to discipline Israel, and individuals. Most people don’t see that as contradicting the prohibition against murdering and plundering. Even though he used foreign nations to discipline his people, they were still disobeying his laws in attacking Israel. The prophets were clear that those nations would be held accountable for those actions in due time. Even the actions of evil people serve God's ends, but they are still responsible for their evil.

As for Ezekiel, it is possible to understand the generational punishments as consistent with Ezekiel. I doubt that any OT author would have said that God would continue to punish people for their ancestors’ sins if they themselves repented and lived a righteous life. However people don’t typically invent their own sins. They often sin as part of a sinful people or family. Much of the judgement in the OT is thus directed against a whole nation or family. But I think there is ample reason from other passages to say that if a member of such a group repents and avoids the sins of his nation or family, he will no longer be held accountable for them. That’s the response that I understand Calvin to be making in his commentary on Ex 20:5.

However there's more to be said. Someone who is part of a nation that is being punished may still be impacted by that punishment, even though God doesn't hold them accountable for the sin. That is an impact of being part of various communities. We aren't isolated individuals, and God can't always deal with us in an isolated fashion. Jesus' death is, of course, the ultimate example of this. But it's not the only one.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

We need good teachers, and we need them to explain to us that capital punishment is different than murder - that turning the other check is what someone does in an interpersonal relationship; it's not what a police officer does when you are caught committing a crime.

There are a thousand examples of apparent contradictions, but there are none. Careful examination of the text and context, context, context. . .