BiblicalInsights.net

     Recently, Dan Barker (atheist) debated Kyle Butt (theist) on the proposition, “Does the God of the Bible exist?”  The debate is available from Apologetics Press.org. on DVD.  When Barker began his remarks, he listed 14 alleged contradictions that he believed refuted the notion that the God of the Bible existed.  These alleged contradictions can be properly explained and have been many times, but they seem to trouble some people.
     Wayne Jackson in his new book, The Bible on Trial, discusses what  a contradiction is and then proceeds to show that many of the alleged contradictions in the Bible are no more than semantic problems, time problems, or people problems.  Jackson states, “When one is confronted with an alleged contradiction, he must ask himself these questions: (1) Is the same thing or person under consideration?  (2) Is the same time period in view? (3) Is the language that seems to be self-contradictory employed in the same sense?” (The Bible on Trial, 60).
     Jackson illustrates the problem by analyzing two statements: Robert is rich.  Robert is poor. “Do these statements contradict one another?  The answer is–not necessarily!  First, two different people named Robert could be under consideration.  Second, two different time frames might be in view; Robert could have been rich, but, due to financial disaster, he became poor.  Third, the terms “rich” and “poor” might have been used in different senses: Robert could be spiritually rich but economically poor.  The point is this: it never is proper to assume a contradiction exists until every possible means of harmonization has been fully exhausted” (The Bible on Trial, 61).
     For example, Kyle Butt dealt with one of the proposed contradictions made by Dan Barker.  Jesus said, “If Ibear witness of myself, my witness is not true” (John 5:31).  Jesus said, “…Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true:” (John 8:14).  The explanation for this alleged contradiction is easily made.  There is a special sense in which Jesus uses the word “true” (John 5:31).  He uses it in the Jewish legal sense that a matter can be established to be true in the mouth of two or three witnesses (Deut. 17:6).  This does not mean that the personal testimony of one was necessarily false.  It does mean that the legal minimum required to establish a matter to be true was at least two witnesses.  In John 5, Jesus gives five witnesses to His true identity as God’s Son and as Messiah (John the baptist, the miracles He did, His Father, the Scriptures and Moses)!  Of course, He told the truth about Himself as well.
     All skeptics of the Bible need to take note.  You cannot prove that the God of the Bible does not exist by using these alleged contradictions.

      Patrick Carnes in his book Don’t Call it Love identifies our present culture as a culture of addiction.  He states, “We live in a culture in which there are many addicts. Start with gambling, sex, food, and chemicals, take into account that many addicts have more than one addiction, then include all those affected by addicts, such as the 28 million adult children of alcoholics.  A recent estimate of all the addicts in our culture places addicts and those affected by addiction at over 131 million people.  When over half the population is involved with addiction, addictive norms become central to the cultural experience” (p. 77).
     Carnes identifies ten key components of our society that allow addictions to thrive.  They are:
     -Ours is a convenience-oriented society dedicated to removing obstacles to satisfaction.  Driven by the convenience ethic, the addict simply extends quick-fix logic to reducing anxiety.
     -Our culture emphasizes sophisticated technology and assumes that technology can resolve all problems.  The addict is looking for easy solutions that will “fix” his problems.
     -Our culture seeks entertainment and escapism rather than searching for meaning. The result is lack of meaning and essential purpose for life.
     -Our culture is experiencing massive paradigm shifts, which means that our view of the world is constantly changing.  This results in values confusion.
     -Our culture reels from disrupted family life.  Marriages are failing at very high rates.  Homes are disintegrating. The result is feelings of abandonment.
     -Our culture is experiencing loss of community.  The average American family moves every three years. Social networks are not built resulting in isolation a precondition of child abuse, battering and addiction.
     -Our culture is high stress.People live overextended, over-committed lives. The result is chronic anxiety.
     -Our culture is exploitive of others. The result is distrust and distrust feeds addiction.
     -Our culture essentially denies limitations.   Mental health and addiction problems thrive when there are no limits.  
     –Our culture is comprised of many addicts.  The result is addictive norms become central to the culture.    (Carnes, pp. 75-77).
     When you read this list, cold chills should go up and down your spine!  Have we moved so far away from God and true religion that we are destroying ourselves through addictive behaviors?  Gambling, alcoholic beverages, sexual addictions, unlawful drug abuse –all of which are sinful behaviors– have become the norm in American culture!  
     We need a renewal of faith in and commitment to God!

      J. P. Moreland and Klaus Issler teamed up to produce In Search of a Confident Faith.    This book addresses the cultural and religious misunderstanding of faith.  The authors relate some interesting background material.  Dec. 20, 2005, the Barbara Walters special: Heaven: Where is it?  How do We get There?” aired.  Just a few months earlier, Dateline NBC featured a special on demonization and ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas hosted an hour-long program on the resurrection of Jesus.  These programs all shared a common misunderstanding about faith.  In all three shows, the final conclusion was simply that some people believe in demons, the resurrection of Jesus, and heaven and some don’t.  But, in the final analysis, no one is really right or wrong, and even if someone is right, no one can really know one way or the other.  But, that doesn’t matter because, ultimately, one’s choice of a viewpoint is a matter of (blind) faith (p. 15).
     Blind faith is separated from knowledge of the truth and from accurate understanding of the truth.  This concept is false.  Paul declares, “So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing of the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).  Personal faith is anchored in truth (God’s Word–John 17:17). 
      Paul also declares, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is true” (I Thess. 5:21).  We have an obligation to have evidence for those things that we believe to be true.  The explicit statements in the Bible form the basis of the evidence that we possess regarding the truthfulness or untruthfulness of any proposition.  We can use the Scriptures authoritatively to establish a proposition to be true or false (see Jesus’ use of the Scriptures in this manner–Matt. 22:29-32).  Consequently, we must try (prove) the spirits whether they are from God or not (I John 4:1-2). 
     Paul also states, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17).  The word understanding means to join the perception with the thing perceived.  The mind of man can understand accurately the will of God.
     Faith involves knowledge of the truth and proper understanding of the truth.  Faith is confidence of the promises of God and conviction of the  precepts of God (Heb. 11:1).  Faith is “taking God at His word.”  Faith is trusting God implicitly.  Faith is a choice to accept God’s Word as the final authority.  Faith always involves knowledge of the truth, understanding of God’s Will, human volition, and reliance upon God.  It is never blind!