Contrary statements

darkknight56 requests ...

Please explain how both could be right when they are both making contrary statements.

@darkknight56

Both can be right because the two are not contrary statements.

The apparent contradiction is superficial; it's not real. There is no real contradiction.

When we take a closer look at what Scripture says, paying attention to the context and the purpose, the apparent contradiction simply evaporates.

We can give numerous examples of paradoxes in the Bible, examples of apparent contradictions. But upon careful examination, these apparent contradictions turn out to be illusory.

(There is no need for me here to present you with examples. I'm certain you have a long list of contradictions "found" in the Bible.)

This particular case, the proposed "contradiction" about the destiny of infants and small children that die, is not a contradiction in the Bible.

When we "find" a contradiction in Scripture, that's a clue to us that we have missed some part of the meaning. It's a clue to us that we've read our own meaning into the text, rather than allowing the text to communicate its meaning to us.

Don't fall into the dangerous trap of rejecting the truth of Scripture because of invented contradictions.

November 25, 2010 9:54 AM