Bible 'Contradictions'?

[GRACE ambassador]

Precious friends, Would God Have you study prayerfully And Carefully
His Precious Word Of Truth, Rightly Divided To:

Avoid Mass Confusion?:​

"God does not put mistakes in the Bible. However, different contexts create contradictory verses in the Bible. These contradictions make it impossible to obey every instruction in the Bible. It is necessary to rightly divide the Lord’s instructions for us today from the instructions in time past or for those in the ages to come.

It is usual to separate the Old from the New Testaments. However, both of the Testaments are the subject of prophecy to Israel. The mystery information given to Paul demands another division separate from that which was prophesied.

We can reconcile the contradictions below by identifying who is speaking, to whom, and under what dispensational context.

Download this Verse List: PDF

Gospel contradictions

1. Is the gospel the cross or the kingdom? – Mark 1:14-15 & 1 Cor 15:1-4
2. Was the cross glorious or shameful? – Acts 3:13-15 & Gal 6:14
3. Was the gospel made known or kept secret? – Rom 16:25 & Acts 3:21
4. Did the twelve understand the gospel or not? – Luke 9:2 & Luke 18:34
5. Do we preach gospel of the kingdom or of Grace? – Luke 9:2 & Acts 20:24
6. Justification with or without works? – Rom 4:5 & James 2:24
7. Was Christ’s blood shed for many or for all? – Mat 20:28 & 1 Tim 2:6
8. Do animal sacrifices atone for sins? – Lev 16:27 & Heb 10:4
9. Is God imputing sins against us? – Acts 5:1-10 & Rom 4:8
10. Do we need works for righteousness? – James 2:24 & Titus 3:5
11. Is salvation not of works or by our behavior? – Eph 2:8-9 & Luke 10:25-29
12. Was Abraham justified by works or not by works? – James 2:21-23 & Rom 4:2-3
13. How are sins forgiven? – John 20:23 & Col 1:14
14. Is forgiveness conditional or not? – Mat 6:14-15 & Eph 4:32
15. Does grace abound or is their an unforgivable sin? – Mark 3:29 & Rom 5:20
16. Is the gospel believe or repentance and baptism? – Acts 2:38 & Acts 16:31
17. Are we at peace with God? – Mat 3:7 & Rom 5:1

Baptism contradictions

18. Are we sent to baptize? – 1 Cor 1:17 & Mark 16:16
19. Does the gospel include water baptism? – 1 Cor 15:1-4 & Mark 1:4
20. One baptism or more? – Eph 4:5 & Mat 3:11

Commission contradictions

21. Go to ‘all men’ or just to Israel? – Mat 10:5-6 & Titus 2:11
22. Should they carry money or not? – Luke 10:4-5 & Luke 22:35-36
23. Should the disciples go to all nations or only circumcision?–Mat 28:19 & Gal 2:9
24. Was Paul sent to baptize? – Mat 28:19 & 1 Cor 1:17
25. Are they baptized by Jesus or into Jesus? – John 4:1 & Rom 6:3
26. Are we to witness Christ’s earthly ministry? – 2 Cor 5:16 & Acts 1:22
27. Should Peter take a sword? – Luke 22:36 & Matt 26:52
28. Should we meditate about what to speak? – 1 Tim 4:15 & Luke 21:14
29. Does the Holy Spirit give utterance or do we? – Acts 6:9-10 & Col 4:6
30. Are the gainsayers able to resist? – Luke 21:15 & Titus 1:9
31. Is Paul or Peter the masterbuilder upon Christ? – Mat 16:18-19 & 1 Cor 3:10
32. Is Paul the least or the ‘chiefest’ of the Apostles? – 2 Cor 11:5 & 1 Cor 15:9
33. Was Paul the first or the last? – 1 Cor 15:8 & 1 Tim 1:16
34. How do we know what to say and believe? – Mark 13:11 & 2 Tim 3:15-17
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[GRACE ambassador]

"Contradictions about the Law

35. Are we under the law or not under the law? – Mat 5:19 & Rom 6:14
36. Is Sabbath observance required? – Exo 20:8-10 & Col 2:16
37. Is circumcision necessary? – Gen 17:10-14 & Gal 5:2-6
38. Is the law for righteous men? – Mat 5:17-18 & 1 Tim 1:7-8
39. Are we dead to the law or should we follow it? – Mat 23:1-3 & Rom 7:3
40. Does righteousness come by the law? – Deut 6:25 & Rom 10:3-6
41. Is the law a sign of strength or weakness? – Josh 1:7 & Gal 4:9
42. Should we tithe? – Mat 23:23 & 2 Cor 9:7
43. Is giving (tithing) a punishable requirement? – Mal 3:8 & 2 Cor 9:7
44. Should Sabbath laws be enforced? – Numbers 15:32-36 & Gal 4:10-11
45. Liberty or bondage of the law? – Mat 23:1-2 & Gal 5:1
46. Do we need a temple? – Acts 2:46 & 1 Cor 3:16
47. Are the laws of abomination still effectual? – Mat 24:15 & Gal 4:9-11
48. Are we secure in Christ or our continued behavior? – 2 Tim 2:13 & Heb 10:26-27

Prophecy/Mystery contradictions

61. Were the mysteries revealed before the death of Christ? Mat 13:11 & 1 Cor 2:7-8
62. What was prepared before/since the world began? – Mat 25:34 & Eph 1:3-4
63. Was the work of Jesus prophesied or kept hidden? – Luke 24:44 & Eph 3:9
64. Was the message for today known by the prophets? – Acts 3:24 & Col 1:26
65. Can we understand the things God has prepared? – Isa 64:4 & 1 Cor 2:10
66. Was the book of Acts the end or the beginning? – Acts 2:17 & 1 Tim 1:16
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[GRACE ambassador]

"...Contradictions about our service to God

67. Who is responsible for our soul? – Heb 13:7 & Rom 14:12
68. Do we get the Holy Spirit upon belief or baptism? – Acts 2:38 & Eph 1:13
69. Do we need to confess sins to get forgiveness? – 1 John 1:9 & Col 2:13
70. Do we eat animals? – Gen 1:29 & Gen 9:3
71. Which animals do we eat? – Deut 14:3 & 1 Tim 4:4
72. Are we to keep unity or honor separation? – Eph 4:3 & Rom 16:17
73. Be like the ant or the raven? – Prov 6:6-8 & Luke 12:22-24
74. Should we work for food or not? – Mat 6:25-26 & 1 Tim 5:18
75. Should we sell all or provide for our family? – 1 Tim 3:5-6 & Mark 10:17-22
76. Should we judge? – Mat 7:1-2 & 1 Cor 2:15
77. Should ministers work for food? – Luke 10:4-5 & 2 Thess 3:8-11
78. Is having a child a good or bad thing? – Mat 24:19 & 1 Tim 5:14
79. Does the Holy Spirit stay or leave when we do wrong? Psalm 51:11 & Eph 4:30
80. Do we need a teacher? 1 John 2:27 & 2 Tim 2:2 & Eph 4:11

Future events contradictions

81. Peace on earth or not? – Luke 2:14 & Luke 12:51
82. Do the Jews have a special standing before God? – Deut 7:6 & Col 3:11
83. Do we inherit the earth or heaven? – Mat 5:5 & Col 1:3-5
84. Is the coming of the Lord a time of terror or comfort? –Joel 2:1-11 & 1Thess 4:16
85. Looking for earthly dominion or heavenly? – Phil 3:20 & Mat 6:10
86. Will we endure through the wrath or be delivered? – Mat 24:13 & 1 Thess 1:10
87. Plowshares or swords? – Joel 3:10 & Micah 4:3
88. Physical blessings or spiritual blessings in heaven? Luke 12:32 & Eph 1:3
89. Future or present atonement? – Acts 3:19 & Rom 5:11
90. Future or present grace? – 1 Pet 1:13 & Rom 5:2
91. Will we reign in heaven or on earth? – Luke 22:30 & Eph 2:6

Prayer contradictions

92. How often do we need to pray before it is answered? – Isa 65:24 & Eph 6:18
93. Do we get anything we ask in prayer? – Mat 21:22 & 2 Cor 12:8-9
94. Should we know how to pray or not? – Luke 11:1 & Rom 8:26
95. Do we get what we ask or more than we ask? – Mat 21:22 & Eph 3:20
96. Do apostles have the power to heal? – Mark 16:18 & 1 Tim 5:23
97. Can we expect a healing from God? – Isa 53:5 & 2 Cor 12:7-10

General contradictions

98. Was creation good or bad? – Gen 1:31 & Gen 6:6
99. Were the Jerusalem saints poor or not? – Acts 4:34 & Rom 15:26
100. Do we need to teach ‘Know the Lord’? Jer 31:34 & 1 Tim 4:10-11
101. Are we washed by water or the Spirit? – Acts 22:16 & 1 Cor 6:11
102. Is it greater love to die for your friends or enemies? John 15:13-14 & Rom 5:10
103. Are angels teaching us or are we teaching them? – Zech 1:9 & Eph 3:10
104. Jesus was the stumbling stone or cornerstone? – Rom 9:18-33 & Eph 2:20

Editor’s note:

This is not an exhaustive list. This list is not intended to engender doubt about the truth of the Bible.
Mid Acts Pauline right division resolves every contradiction above." (credit: J Johnston)

Amen.

 

[ScottA]

And as if that weren't enough...still other passages are given more than once down through the ages, sometimes in a completely different context all together.

A good example is the Psalms of David where his own struggles and suffering (in his own context) align to become prophetic utterances of the sufferings of Christ (in that completely different context).

The only key then that brings every word together without contradiction and in perfect harmony, is the spirit of God. Typical literary rules not only do not apply, but fall dreadfully short. Yet many argue and make claims with that being their only tool and defense.