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IS GOD MERCIFUL?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: The Lord is good to all. He has compassion on all he has made. Psalms 145:9
(NIV) Contradiction 2: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. Jeremiah 13:14
Critics often ask how God can be both a God of mercy and judgment. Though God is absolutely merciful when
we are willing to accept His mercy, He is also a just God who promises consequences for sin. Throughout the
Bible we see the wicked being warned before judgment occurs. Only after they refused to come to repentance
did God send judgment.
Modern Analogy: Imagine one of your loved ones being brutally murdered. The perpetrator is arrested and
found guilty by a jury. Now imagine the criminal in a hands of a judge who releases him without issuing any
sentence. Would this be considered just? Would this even be considered mercy? Not in the opinion of the victim's
family or anyone with half a brain! In short, mercy and judgment are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
IS GOD A GOD OF WAR OR PEACE?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: The Lord is a warrior. The Lord is his name. Exodus 15:3
(NIV) Contradiction 2: The God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33
Again, God is both. God can be moved to righteous anger just like we as people can be moved to righteous
anger. God desires peace but if He is truly a just and holy God, He would not tolerate wickedness.
Modern Analogy: Imagine a peaceful Utopian society being invaded by a hostile enemy. Should this society sit
back while its people are mercilessly slaughtered or should they stand up and confront the threat? Would they be
considered warmongers for defending themselves and not tolerating evil?
DOES GOD CHANGE HIS MIND?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind. I Samuel 15:29
(NIV) Contradiction 2: When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had
compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. Jonah 3:10
Throughout the Bible we can see God threatening judgment until the people repented. In other words, the people
were given an "either/or" option: Either they continue in their sin and come under judgment, or they come to
repentance and are spared.
Modern Analogy: A parent who is concerned with their child's poor grades at school warns the child they will be
punished if they bring home another failing report card. The child studies every night and eventually brings home
a report card showing all A's. The parent is so proud that they go out for pizza. Does this mean the parent lied or
changed their mind? Not at all- the child was given a warning which would be followed by consequences. If
anything, such passages reveal God's mercy.
SHOULD WE JUDGE OTHERS?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: The spiritual man makes judgments about all things... I Corinthians 2:15
(NIV) Contradiction 2: Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Matthew 7:1
I'm not exactly sure why these two verses are presented as contradictions. It is not a matter of one verse telling
us to judge while another verse is telling us not to. When we read the context of Corinthians, we see the concept
of "judging others" isn't even the focus of discussion- the chapter is referring to wisdom (good "judgment")! It
would be like a parent telling their child, "Use good judgment today!" On the other hand, the verse in Matthew is
telling us to check our motives when we correct others and to work out our own faults before we judge others.
SHOULD WE PERFORM GOOD WORKS IN FRONT OF OTHERS?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:3-4
(NIV) Contradiction 2: In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
The focus of these two verses is not the performance of good works but the intent behind our actions. Matthew 6
tells us when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do... to be honored
by men. Jesus is pointing out the hypocrisy of those who do good deeds solely for the purpose of being esteemed
in the eyes of the public. On the other hand, Matthew 5 has Jesus comparing Christians to city lights used for
illumination. He is telling us not to hide our Christian convictions from others. The comparison to lights is
symbolic once we realize their function and purpose: A light meekly shines and performs its function regardless
of whether or not others notice. Likewise, Jesus is telling Christians to set a example and not to seek praise.
Modern Analogy: A person is riding in a car with friends when they see a beggar on the street corner. Should
the Christian decide not to help the man because others are around or could they hand the man a few dollars
and explain (humbly) to their friends (if asked) that they did this because the Bible tells them to assist the poor?
The moral of the story is God doesn't only consider our actions but our intent.
IS IT GOOD TO BE WISE?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: Wisdom is supreme therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get
understanding. Proverbs 4:7
(NIV) Contradiction 2: For with much wisdom comes much sorrow. The more knowledge, the more grief.
Ecclesiastes 1:18
These verses don't necessarily contradict each other inasmuch as they capture a predicament. Just as we have
sayings along the lines of Ignorance is bliss and The truth hurts, the Bible also relays the dilemma between the
truth's ability to both enlighten and distress. We also see an allusion to the negative side-effects of knowledge in
the verse that is apparently endorsing wisdom (...though it cost all you have). In summary, no contradiction
really even exists between these two verses.
Modern Analogy: A loved one is missing and a concerned relative begins a search to uncover the truth. At the
moment, this person can accept the possibility that their beloved is alive and starting a new life somewhere. But
one day the police inform them their loved one's body was discovered and that the suspect is in custody. On one
hand, this person has received closure and can now work on finding justice for their loved one. On the other
hand, they are in agony when thinking of what their loved one had to endure in their last moments.
WHO IS ON GOD'S SIDE?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
Matthew 12:30
(NIV) Contradiction 2: For whoever is not against us is for us. Mark 9:40
(NIV) Contradiction 3: Do not stop him, Jesus said, for whoever is not against you is for you. Luke 9:50
Are those who are considered on God's side those who are actually for Him or those who are simply not
against Him? The first verse in Matthew clearly states whoever does accept God is not of Him whereas the
passages in Mark and Luke state whoever is not against the Christians is for them. The passages of Mark and
Luke contain completely different circumstances leading up to Jesus' statement as compared to the
circumstances in Matthew. In Matthew, Jesus is commenting on the hypocrisy of the pharisees and states "He
who is not with Me (God) is against Me (God)." In Mark and Luke, the circumstances consist of the apostles
alerting Jesus to a man who was casting out demons in His name. The apostles took offense as the man was not
a part of their "inner circle." Jesus explains to the apostles that they were all working together in essence and
that "He who is not against us/you (The Christian mission) is for us/you."
Modern Analogy: A Chinese communist and an American capitalist are at complete odds in regards to their
opinions of government and social order. On the other hand, an American Republican and an American Democrat
generally hold the same views regarding democracy, capitalism, and nationalism though their opinions may differ
in issues such as taxation and social issues. They are still "on the same team" in essence. Catholicism and
Protestantism may teach differing doctrinal issues but they both hold the same core beliefs, accept Jesus Christ
as the Son of God, and believe in the of immorality of the soul. On the other hand, religion and atheism are
completely opposed to each other.
IS IT GOOD TO MARRY?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22
(NIV) Contradiction 2: Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.
I Corinthians 7:1
The above verse in Corinthians is not telling us to abstain from marriage. Paul is responding to the Corinthian's
inquiry concerning marriage as we can conclude from the words Now for the matters you wrote about. In
Corinthians 7 Paul endorses the union of marriage for those who are not able to commit to abstinence. Paul
states that every person has their own calling and he understands celibacy is not suitable for everyone. He tells
those who can commit to celibacy should do so in order to focus on eternal things but that this was not a
requirement. Furthermore, Paul emphasises this is his person opinion.
SHOULD CHILDREN SUFFER FOR THE SINS OF THE FATHER?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their
fathers. Each is to die for his own sin. Deuteronomy 24:16
(NIV) Contradiction 2: "You shall not bow down to them or worship them for I, the Lord your God, am a
jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate
me." Exodus 20:5
To understand the above verses, we need to distinguish between mankind's sinful nature as compared to a
specific act of sin committed by an individual. If you have ever heard a friend say Alcoholism runs in my family,
this is an example of inherited iniquity whereas something like robbing a store would be an act of sin. The
meaning behind the first passage is a direct order not to punish an individual for someone else's crime whereas
the second verse is stating a spiritual principle which exists where sin begets sin, iniquity begets iniquity (one
bad apple spoils the bunch) from one generation to the next.
DO THE RIGHTEOUS LIVE OR DIE?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar... Psalms 92:12
(NIV) Contradiction 2: The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart... Isaiah 57:1
This is a contradiction which I feel is given more attention than needed. Obviously we all die- the wicked and the
righteous. Psalms is praising the abundance of God's people in the future whereas Isaiah (composed in a
completely different century and under totally different political circumstances) is lamenting the death of the
righteous which results in the decay of society.
DO YOU ANSWER A FOOL?
(NIV) Contradiction 1: Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him. Proverbs 26:4
(NIV) Contradiction 2: Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 26:5
Similar to the dilemma we discussed with wisdom, these two verses don't reveal a contradiction but a
predicament (especially when we see one proverb is written immediately after the other!). The proverbs warn
us not to engage in heated circular debates with those who are blind to reason but to offer a brief response so
the fool will not be encouraged by our silence.
DOES MAN SIN?
(KJV) Contradiction 1: For there is not a just man upon earth, that...sinneth not. Ecclesiastes 7:20
(KJV) Contradiction 2: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin... I John 3:9
Lets put emphasis on the words whoever is born of God- this means a Christian believer. None of us are born
sinless- it is only after our acceptance of Jesus, who carried the punishment for our sins, that we are considered
sinless. Though this does not technically mean we will never sin again, it is telling us that once we accept Jesus,
God considers us blameless in His eyes.
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