Contradictions in the Bible

Kain99 · Jan 14, 2005

Earlier today 2A stated that there were no contradictions in the Bible. That's not the truth as I know it.

I have been deeply moved to adjust my relationship with God but there are a few things that confuse me.

First.... Which Bible is real? We know that Catholics recognize 18 additional books that protestants do not acknowledge. "The Deuterocanonicals"

The Deuterocanonicals teach Catholic doctrine, and for this reason they were taken out of the Old Testament by Martin Luther

Luther also took out four New Testament books -- Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation -- . These were later put back into the New Testament by other Protestants, but the seven books of the Old Testament were left out.

I'm getting long winded but If I am correct at the Third Council of Constinople the Bible was also restructured.

Then we have the multiple translations etc.......

Anyway, to get to my main point. Of course there are contradictions in the Bible. It's understandable.

People claim 100 or more but I only care about a few. The first is very scary!!

Matt.27:46,50: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?" that is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Luke23:46: "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, "Father, unto thy hands I commend my spirit:" and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."

John19:30: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished:" and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Do you know why this is so scary? It is Matthews translation which causes many to think Jesus didn't understand. That he was broken hearted by what God had done. I think this verse alone, is responsible for people blaming God when things go wrong.

And of course this one, which really confuses me....

Ps.92:12: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree."

Isa.57:1: "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart."

This next one forces us to choose a God.... Would the real God please stand up!

"I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy." (Jer. 13:14) "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling."

"The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy." (James 5:11)
"For his mercy endureth forever." (1 Chron. 16:34)
"The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works." (Ps. 145:9)
"God is love." (1 John 4:16)

I think I'm leaning toward using the Bible as an inspired work... Not the unquestionable work of God.

Is this wrong? People wrote the Bible they put all the writings together then they tore it apart and tore it apart again. then it was translated over and over.

Help me here....

Tonio · Jan 14, 2005

Thanks, Kain.

:offtopic:

Remember the "Cheers" episode where the gang made a videotape to try to convince Woody's parents to let him stay in Boston? Woody introduces Sam, who is shown at his desk reading the Bible. Sam says he's reading Paul's Epistle to the Galatians and asks rhetorically, "Those Galatians--when will they listen?"

kwillia · Jan 14, 2005

Kain99 said:
Is this wrong? People wrote the Bible they put all the writings together then they tore it apart and tore it apart again. then it was translated over and over.

This is exactly how I see it. :yay:

That is exactly why there are so many variations of religion even though they all have the same focal point, God.

Kain99 · Jan 14, 2005

Thanks guys... I guess everyone is on Religious overload but I'd really like 2A's opinion. So, when ya get a second....

gumbo · Jan 15, 2005

Kain99 said:
I think I'm leaning toward using the Bible as an inspired work... Not the unquestionable work of God.

Is this wrong? People wrote the Bible they put all the writings together then they tore it apart and tore it apart again. then it was translated over and over.

Help me here....

Great insight Kain...Inspired work...I think you answered your own question and very well .

I have always felt that some forget the books of the Bible's origin and that the New Testament is put together mostly of letters written to church's.

I also believe that if it was suppose to be an unquestionable work of God
he would have wrote it when he walked the earth in the flesh.

However when Jesus walked the earth he spoke in parables to make us think and question the words.
A lesson that still is not understood by most who read the Bible.

Question is, Jesus did not speak direct he spoke in parables to make us think.
So why would anyone not think that the inspired works of God through man are not to be questioned.
There was only three things Jesus tried to teach us.
Worship the Lord, Love one another and THINK, everything else falls together.

So just maybe the Bible has been through everything for a reason?
To question is to think and to think is to learn.
The same principles as a parable!

To make the good word controversial has made it the most popular and studied book of all time.
Would it be read and studied as much if Jesus wrote it. I don't think so !
God works in mysterious ways.

justin anemone · Jan 15, 2005

In a similar vein...

Just how literally do we take the Bible? I had a conversation with a coworker this week about an issue and his response was: "The Bible specifically states that...."

Well, if we were to take the Bible word for word, we bring to mind some conundrums that some of you may have seen before:

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

Kain99 · Jan 15, 2005

I tried to approach this from a position of honesty and love. I am very curious about the lack of response from 2A.....

I really wasn't trying to undermine anything you believe in. I just wanted your spin.

It honestly doesn't matter to me, if Adam and Eve looked like Hairy Cave people, or if teh Bible is fallible. I mean, who cares?

Is this how it's gonna be? Ask a really tough question and nothing?

Ya know something.... God is real. The rest of this stuff, is just Fluffy BS.

2ndAmendment · Jan 15, 2005

Sorry. Just haven't been on. I have things to do beyond the boards.

There is a linage of changes to the Bible back and forth and why they were done. The short version is the extra books the Catholics have were added to the Old Testament. The Old Testament that is commonly used is the Torah. The Torah was complete in about 500BC and the extra books and verses were never part of the Torah. If you want the history, here is a good site. http://www.apuritansmind.com/ChristianWalk/BibleTimeline.htm The canonical Bible of 66 books that is commonly used by non-Catholics, in my opinion, is the group of works that were accepted as scripture by the early Christians. I think the Biblical time line bears that out.

As far as the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are concerned, they don't contradict. Think of it this way, if you and I and two other people were to witness the exact same auto accident from different vantage points, we would all have slightly different accounts of what happened. None of them would be wrong. They each would be exactly what we each saw and heard. But because each of us had a different vantage point, we saw and heard different things. When the police put the four accounts together, they get a more complete idea of what happened. Now there are some sight differences like you point out but look at the vast similarities in the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Also remember that John's account may have been the only first hand account since he was the only writer of a gospel that was a disciple and the only one we know from the account that was there on Golgotha. The others may have been there, I am not sure of that, or they may have been writing the account as given to them by other people or disciples that were there that could not or were less capable writers.

2ndAmendment · Jan 15, 2005

Oh, the Matt.27:46,50: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?" that is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" is one of the great marvels of God. How could He desert Himself? He chose to. Jesus is God. God is everlasting. God cannot die, but in order to accomplish the greatest sacrifice ever made, God Himself on the cross, God as man, Jesus, had to give up for a period His omnipotence and His everlasting life quality in order to die for our sins. Puts a new light on it I hope.

Kain99 · Jan 15, 2005

2ndAmendment said:
Sorry. Just haven't been on. I have things to do beyond the boards.

As far as the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are concerned, they don't contradict. Think of it this way, if you and I and two other people were to witness the exact same auto accident from different vantage points, we would all have slightly different accounts of what happened. None of them would be wrong.

Thank's 2A... I really needed you're input. I will check the timeline and verify it later tonight.

Now, as far as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.... I think you are saying the same thing that I am. These are personal accounts of an incident. "Not the inafallible word of God."

We must read the Bible in this perspective. Understanding that there will be contradictions and questions.

The Human equation plays heavily here. This book will lead us to Glory but should not be read as infallible truth.

Yes?

2ndAmendment · Jan 16, 2005

Kain99 said:
Thank's 2A... I really needed you're input. I will check the timeline and verify it later tonight.

Now, as far as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.... I think you are saying the same thing that I am. These are personal accounts of an incident. "Not the inafallible word of God."

We must read the Bible in this perspective. Understanding that there will be contradictions and questions.

The Human equation plays heavily here. This book will lead us to Glory but should not be read as infallible truth.

Yes?

I don't agree. I think the Bible is the infallible word of God. I have posted this several times. If any part of the Bible is not trustworthy, then none of it is trustworthy. I do not believe the apocryphal books, the added books, are the infallible word of God.

The four different perspectives provided by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John add credence to the account of the crucifixion. If they were identical in every detail, they would be suspect just as police suspect collusion when two accounts of an incident are exactly the same. Each of them provide a different perspective on the life of Jesus. For instance, Matthew was a tax collector. He was a "detail" person. He goes into the genealogy of Jesus to prove that Jesus was a Jew. There is a distinction between being a Jew and following Judaism. There were lots of converts to Judaism in Christ's day. A Jew has to be in the linage of Abraham. The Messiah was prophesied to be a Jew, a real Jew. Matthew proved the case that Jesus was of the linage of Abraham among other things. John, by contrast, presents the point of view of being present with Jesus during the period of discipleship. We find slightly different perspectives in each of the gospels. Some accounts are repeated. Some accounts in John are unique as they would be since he was disciple, an insider if you will. It is just like there are things that you and Biscuit know about in your relationship that no one else could possible know unless you or he tells them.

Often when I read the Bible I get something new even though I have read the passage several times before. That is because I need something else because I am in a different place in my life and God provides it.

2ndAmendment · Jan 16, 2005

gumbo said:
However when Jesus walked the earth he spoke in parables to make us think and question the words.
A lesson that still is not understood by most who read the Bible.

Question is, Jesus did not speak direct he spoke in parables to make us think.
So why would anyone not think that the inspired works of God through man are not to be questioned.
There was only three things Jesus tried to teach us.
Worship the Lord, Love one another and THINK, everything else falls together.

So just maybe the Bible has been through everything for a reason?
To question is to think and to think is to learn.
The same principles as a parable!

To make the good word controversial has made it the most popular and studied book of all time.
Would it be read and studied as much if Jesus wrote it. I don't think so !
God works in mysterious ways.

Sorry, but the real translations of the Bible do not disagree. If you compare translations side by side like in the Parallel Bible (4 translations side by side), you will find that although the word order may differ and even a word or two may be different, the meaning is the same. Comparison of the current translations to the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that the translations are very accurate. This was discussed in great detail in another thread. The modern word for word translation is the New American Standard. The New International Version is a phrase for phrase translation. The King James is the the version authorized by King James.

Jesus spoke in parables to the people of His day. The meaning of the parables were explained to the disciples and related in the gospels so that we would have the meaning direct from Jesus just as the disciples did.

Jesus did not teach us to think. He taught us to have faith like that of a little child. A little child has unquestioning faith. The reason most who read the Bible give up because they don't understand is because things of the Spirit are not understood by those not of the Spirit. Spiritual ideas are Spiritually appraised. You don't think about scripture to try to understand in order to gain faith; you have faith so that you can gain understanding. The order of the Spirit is just the opposite of the order that is dictated by the world.

sleuth · Jan 16, 2005

2ndAmendment said:
Jesus did not teach us to think. He taught us to have faith like that of a little child. A little child has unquestioning faith. The reason most who read the Bible give up because they don't understand is because things of the Spirit are not understood by those not of the Spirit. Spiritual ideas are Spiritually appraised. You don't think about scripture to try to understand in order to gain faith; you have faith so that you can gain understanding. The order of the Spirit is just the opposite of the order that is dictated by the world.

2A, I don't understand how you can say Jesus did not want us to think, when God has given us the gift of our mind. I've heard the verse you're speaking of, but isn't there also a verse somewhere that says we are to "study" (maybe not that exact word). I remember my pastor talking about studying the Bible, the Lord's works, and fellowship with other Christians in doing it, in a sermon or two. And how can you study without asking questions?

I believe our minds are a gift from God, and if we don't use it, then we are misusing the gifts which God has given. JMO - I don't know the Bible well enough to know where to look to back it up.

dems4me · Jan 16, 2005

sleuth said:
2A, I don't understand how you can say Jesus did not want us to think, when God has given us the gift of our mind. I've heard the verse you're speaking of, but isn't there also a verse somewhere that says we are to "study" (maybe not that exact word). I remember my pastor talking about studying the Bible, the Lord's works, and fellowship with other Christians in doing it, in a sermon or two. And how can you study without asking questions?

I believe our minds are a gift from God, and if we don't use it, then we are misusing the gifts which God has given. JMO - I don't know the Bible well enough to know where to look to back it up.

Well... here's my take on it for what it's worth....

2A - I agree with you 100%
Slueth -- when 2A is talking about faith he is talking about a blind kind of faith you should have as a kid in the Bible. Yes, you are supposed to think and we have been given a mind -- but you are not to analyze the Bible for there are many answers to it that man doesn't have or will never understand - it's the way of the Lord and that's it... not to be analyzed, etc... because I think that is questioning your mind over the Lord's mind. Although the Bible has been written by man it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Bible was written while men were under the influence of the Holy Spirit and therefore 100% no contradictions - because we as man do not know the answers for what appears to be contradictions does not mean the Word of God is not true. His thoughts outweight our miniscule thoughts. If one believes there are errors in the Bible - you might as well throw it out in the garbage is my take on it... I really don't think the Lord would let man obscure his Words. It is our survivor's guide for life here on earth. I say take it or leave it... you can't pick and choose ala cart from it because you feel that their might be errors in it. It is God's spoken word.

Look at it this way... if you have a dictionary and one word means something and then you find another word further along in the dictionary that means the same thing - does it mean it is wrong? Do you pick up the dictionary and think... wow... man wrote this... there must be some errors in this dictionary or do you pick it up wholeheartedly expecting no errors? Answer, you pick it up and believe the answers of the word you have looked up 100% - I think the dictionary is the final authority on what a word means. But if you didn't think that way and thought there was errors in it, how would you know what part of the dictionary was correct and which parts of the dictionary are incorrect. If you feel the dictionary you have has some fallacy to it... you would probably throw it away and get another one. The long roundabout point I'm trying to make is - The Bible is the final authority on Christian faith, and you have to believe in it 100%. If you feel there are errors, you would never know what is correct or what is wrong and there would be alot of confusion in what parts to beileve - why bother -- why not just throw it in the trash? I bleieve, it is 100% correct in it being the Word of the Lord. The Lord would not have given us the Final Authority -- our survivor's guide on earth to be one confusing bumbled up and flawed book to go by .... it's what man has made of it through their miniscule thoughts and lack of understanding - That's just my HPOV.

gumbo · Jan 16, 2005

2ndAmendment said:
Sorry, but the real translations of the Bible do not disagree. If you compare translations side by side like in the Parallel Bible (4 translations side by side), you will find that although the word order may differ and even a word or two may be different, the meaning is the same. Comparison of the current translations to the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that the translations are very accurate. This was discussed in great detail in another thread. The modern word for word translation is the New American Standard. The New International Version is a phrase for phrase translation. The King James is the the version authorized by King James.

Jesus spoke in parables to the people of His day. The meaning of the parables were explained to the disciples and related in the gospels so that we would have the meaning direct from Jesus just as the disciples did.

Jesus did not teach us to think. He taught us to have faith like that of a little child. A little child has unquestioning faith. The reason most who read the Bible give up because they don't understand is because things of the Spirit are not understood by those not of the Spirit. Spiritual ideas are Spiritually appraised. You don't think about scripture to try to understand in order to gain faith; you have faith so that you can gain understanding. The order of the Spirit is just the opposite of the order that is dictated by the world.

This is why I stay out of the Old Testament. None of it pertains to me and modern times except for the 10 commandments.
2A how do you figure that Jesus wasn't teaching us to think by using parables.
The philosophy of a parable is to make one think is it not ?
Think about it, then get back to me.
The rest I agree with, this is why I understand the Bible because I have faith.
By the way you missed the point. The words and transcripts being questioned all the time just may be Gods will. If it was, it worked because we sure do study and talk about the Bible allot.
#1 best all time selling Book and going strong.

justin anemone · Jan 16, 2005

Kain99 said:
I tried to approach this from a position of honesty and love. I am very curious about the lack of response from 2A.....

I really wasn't trying to undermine anything you believe in. I just wanted your spin.

It honestly doesn't matter to me, if Adam and Eve looked like Hairy Cave people, or if teh Bible is fallible. I mean, who cares?

Is this how it's gonna be? Ask a really tough question and nothing?

Ya know something.... God is real. The rest of this stuff, is just Fluffy BS.

Kain...sweetie...we all have great respect for what 2A has to say, and I say that with great sincerity.
But some (not I) might take it wrong that you completely ignored several others' opinions in your quest to hear one...
If you ignore everyone else, it's just e-mail!
:love:

Kain99 · Jan 16, 2005

justin anemone said:
Kain...sweetie...we all have great respect for what 2A has to say, and I say that with great sincerity.
But some (not I) might take it wrong that you completely ignored several others' opinions in your quest to hear one...
If you ignore everyone else, it's just e-mail!

Wow! In that case I apologize.... I felt Tonio was just being funny with his Cheers joke and Kwillia was stating that Religion is all basically the same when ya strip the crap away. ( I gave her a big huge karma hug for that) Obviously there is no way you could have known that.

Gumbo and I are like minds.... So far I have agreed with just about every single thing he has said. Even told him he was my most favorie new forumite!

As far as your post... I felt it was best to ignore it. I've seen it before and while it makes some valid points it can be viewed as inflammatory. Plus I've told you at leat 5 times in the last few days how much I love you and always will.

Sorry that I offended you but I posted the thread directly to 2A in response to a statement he made else where.

Kain99 · Jan 16, 2005

2ndAmendment said:
I don't agree. I think the Bible is the infallible word of God. I have posted this several times. If any part of the Bible is not trustworthy, then none of it is trustworthy. I do not believe the apocryphal books, the added books, are the infallible word of God.

Why Not? According to your timeline: The very first reference in time....200 BC: Completion of the Septuagint Greek Manuscripts which contain The 39 Old Testament Books and the 14 Apocrypha Books.

Why do you call them added? Keep in mind, that it was men who decided which books were "Divinely Inspired."

The Church determined, not discovered the canon of the Bible. The list of inspired books didn't simply drop from the sky or miraculously appear from nowhere to be discovered.

There is no any evidence that Jesus and the apostles gave us the list of all inspired books of the Old and New Testaments. Had they done so then Christians would agree from the very beginning in what comprises the Bible.

Add the human equation and you come up with one simple thing. *Fallible*

2ndAmendment said:
The four different perspectives provided by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John add credence to the account of the crucifixion. If they were identical in every detail, they would be suspect just as police suspect collusion when two accounts of an incident are exactly the same. Each of them provide a different perspective on the life of Jesus.

I'm certain that it is very easy to hold this position when you have a sturdy Christian background. I don't know 2A but I'm willing to bet that there are many portions of the Bible that you discount....*Please see BK's post above* You may even be like the hundreds of thousands of Christians in the world who only officially recognize the New Testament. Is this the case?

2ndAmendment said:
It is just like there are things that you and Biscuit know about in your relationship that no one else could possible know unless you or he tells them.

More amazing than this... would be the accounts of our relationship given by each of us. Biscuit and I most likely would not agree. There would be critical differences. In fact, I'm certain that at the end of both stories... You would be left with the feeling like you just watched two drastically different movies.

Neither of us would be lying. Our perspectives are drastically different. Just like Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.... In the end, you would know that We were Married.... Struggled.... Stayed together. These Facts are true, just like the Crucifixion. So talking to us would be exactly like reading the Bible. You would be forced to determine which points matter.

2ndAmendment · Jan 16, 2005

If all of the Bible is not the Truth, then what parts are the Truth and who decides? Every person for themselves? The Holy Spirit is in unity. We may have salvation, but we cannot expect to be empowered by the Holy Spirit when we live in discord with God's purposes.

Maybe I'm stupid, but I believe that God gave me a divinely inspired group of books and letters to read and learn from. I believe the whole Bible, every word of it. Since God is omnipotent, He is able to keep man from screwing it up.

Kain - you picked up on the 200 BC entry but apparently missed this. 500 BC: Roughly the time of completion of All Original Hebrew Manuscripts which make up the 39 Books of the Old Testament. Notice that these were the Original Hebrew Manuscripts. These are the manuscripts that the Jews accept as the Torah which is what non-Catholics accept as the Old Testament.

Torah = Old Testament.

200 BC: Completion of the Septuagint Greek Manuscripts which contain The 39 Old Testament Books and the 14 Apocrypha Books.

The apocryphal books were added 300 hundred years later to Greek manuscripts. The Greeks were not Jews. Notice also that the 14 books of the Apocrypha are not considered part of the Old Testament.

100 AD: Completion of All Original Greek Manuscripts which make up the 27 Books of the New Testament.

390 AD: Jerome's Latin Vulgate Manuscripts Produced which contain All 80 Books (39 Old Test. + 14 Apocrypha + 27 New Test; though the Apocrypha was a cut and paste effort upon pressure by the church, and not by Jerome’s choice (he did not believe the apocryphal books were canonical.).

397 AD: Athanasius heads a council to canonize the Bible as Protestants have it today. 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books without the Apocryphal books.

If you wish to study the apocryphal books feel free. I, like Jerome, do not believe they are canonical.

2ndAmendment · Jan 17, 2005

I never cease to be amazed how God provides reinforcement of His Truth. This just came this morning.

Emphasis added by me.
Daily Devotional Liveprayer.com posted with permission:

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL MONDAY JANUARY 17, 2005
(2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21)

***DON'T MISS NEXT TUESDAY'S DEVOTIONAL, on the false theology of Bill O'Reilly.

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The one question you MUST ask your pastor. If you currently have a church home, I pray that this is a question you already know the answer to. If you don't know for certain, you need to find out right away. If you are not in a church, this is the most important question to ask your potential new pastor. This question should be answered by an immediate and emphatic YES. If you get a long pause, if you get a "yes but," or get anyhting other than a resounding YES, this is NOT a church you should be part of or a pastor you should have in spiritual authority over you. The question is, "Do you believe the Bible is God's inspired, inerrant Word, representing Absolute Truth, and our final authority in all matters."

Why that question? God's Word and God's Word alone is the foundation on which our faith is based and all that we believe flows from it. Listen to me very carefully. It is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to be in spiritual authority that does not believe the Bible to be God's inspired and inerrant Word, to represent Absolute Truth, and our final authority in all matters. IMPOSSIBLE! If a person does not hold the Bible to be God's Word, then they have denied the very faith they claim to hold and represent. When you deny the Bible is God's Word, it opens up the door for every kind of sin and perversion to enter into the church since it is now up to each person to determine what "truth" is.

Now you can understand why some churches condone blatant sins like homosexuality and abortion. Now you can understand why some churches refuse to preach on sin and hold people accountable for their choices.. Now you can understand how some "pastors" can make a mockery of God's Holy Institution of Marriage by marrying two people of the same sex. Now you can understand why some churches hold on to man made traditions. When you deny the Bible is inspired and inerrant, represents Absolute Truth, and is our final authority in all matters, it allows each person to determine for themselves what is right and what is wrong.

Can you see what chaos that becomes? The world says that there is no such thing as Absolute Truth. Truth is not black and white but gray. That my friend, is a lie from the pits of hell itself. What may be right to me, is wrong to you. What may be right to you is wrong to me. It is what the Bible calls, " everyone did what was right in their own imaginations." Never forget that satan is a liar (John 8:44). God is truth. God did not create us and leave us to figure out life on our own. Even in the Garden of Eden, God told man what is right and wrong.

Once man chose to rebel against God and sin was introduced into the human experience, his relationship with God was broken. Man was now separated from God his Creator. That is why it became necessary for God to give man the Bible. Many have said incorrectly that the Bible is man's search for God, when in reality, it is God's search for man. It is in the Bible that God reveals Himself to man. It is in the Bible that God helps man gain an understanding of who He is, what He expects from man, as well as providing us with all that we need during this brief journey here on earth.

As I have shared with you in the past, this is why those who choose to live their lives in rebellion to God, MUST deny the Bible, since it is the very book that condemns them. Those who deny God, reject His Son Jesus Christ, MUST reject the Bible for what it is since it is the Bible that says they are wrong. That is why those who have chosen to live their lives in rebellion to God are so offended by God's Word. They are like a little child when their parents are telling them something they don't like, putting their fingers in their ears and yelling so they can't hear what their parents are saying. In Acts 7, in the account of the stoning of Stephen the word says, "When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him," and "at this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him."

I love you and care about you so much. While this may seem like such an elementary question, I hate to say that in today's culture it must be asked. The decline of the many mainline churches can be traced back to the '60's when they required their pastors to have a Masters of Divinity degree. The problem was many of these pastors were getting their seminary education in liberal seminaries that denied the inspiration and inerrancy of God's Word. They literally taught that the Bible is not to be believed for truth, but is simply a guide for good living.

When you have pastors standing in the pulpit on Sundays that do not believe God's Word to be inspired and inerrant, it opens the door for every kind of error and perversion you can imagine. We see that today in "churches" that condone and accept sin and compromise the truth of God's Word by preaching and teaching the parts of the Bible that won't offend people. This is why so many of these "faux churches" flourish today since people do not want to be confronted with their sin. They want to hear about the grace of God and the love of God, but not the judgment of God.

Let me tell you, the Bible is a book of personal accountability. From Genesis to Revelation the message of God's Word is that we will all be held accountable one day by God. That is why so many people in this world reject the Bible, since they do not want to be accountable for their actions. A big reason the false religions of the world like Buddhism, Hinduism, and so many others are popular is because they don't hold people accountable for their actions, there is no judgment. I am here to tell you that just as real as today is, will be the day you die and stand before God. Those who reject Christ will be judged for their sin and cast into everlasting darkness, while those who know Christ will be judged on their life and works since they accepted Him.

Jesus said, "if you love me you will obey me." I will be praying for you today. Praying that unless you are certain, you will confront your pastor with this critical question, "Do you believe the Bible is God's inspired, inerrant Word, representing Absolute Truth, and our final authority in all matters." For the man and woman of God, the true follower of Jesus Christ, there is only one answer, YES!!!

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

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