Dividing Truth From TruthMystery Mysteries in the Bible are capable of being understood. Future revelation. Holy Spirit inspired interpretation of Scripture. The incarnation of Christ. Two natures Fully God/Fully man Mans free will and God’s sovereignty in election and predestination. Whosoever calls on the name of the will be saved. Those who were chosen believed. 18
Dividing Truth From Truth
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Dividing Truth From Truth
What do you believe about the Bible? Statement of Beliefs (A Community Bible Study) Section 1: The Bible We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God (1Cor. 2:10-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We hold the Bible to be inerrant in the original writings, infallible, God-breathed, and the complete and final authority for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Holy Spirit was the divine author of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21). While still using the individual personalities of the human authors, the Spirit superintended them to insure that they wrote precisely what He wanted written, without error or omission. Verbally - Corresponding or communicating word for word. 1Cor. 2:10-13 Plenary- Complete in all respects. Fully attended by all qualified members. (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) Infallible - Incapable of erring. Superintend - To oversee and direct; supervise. 2
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Dividing Truth From Truth
What others say about the Bible. “The Bible is full of contradictions and therefore cannot be trusted to contain the truth?” Does this accusation have any validity? 3
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Contradictions Are there contradictions in the Bible? Does the Bible in fact say something in one place and say the opposite in another place? Does the Bible contradict its self on key important doctrinal issues? Baptism Ephesians 4:5 (one baptism) Vs. Matthew 3:11(three baptisms) Salvation James 2:24(work) Vs. Romans 4:5(don’t work) Prayer John 14:13, Matthew 21:22 Vs. 2Corinthians 12:8 Healing James 5:14-15 Vs. 1Timothy 5:23 4
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Contradictions How do some people justify seeming inconsistencies or contradictions in the Bible? “Faith is higher than reason.” “God is bigger than and above logic.” What does the Bible say about faith and truth? Hebrews 11:1 Substance Assurance Evidence Conviction 5
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Dividing Truth From Truth
The truth is; there are no contradictions in the Bible! Three important words to consider in Biblical interpretation. Contradiction Paradox Mystery 6
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Contradiction The “law of contradiction”: “A thing cannot be what it is and not be what it is at the same time and in the same relationship.” Examples: A man can be a father and a son at the same time. A man cannot be a man and not be a man at the same time. A man can be a father and a son at the same time but not in the same relationship. (No man can be his own father.) God is true to the law of contradiction. 2Tim 2:13 (God cannot be faithful and unfaithful) Psalms 93:5 (Good vs. Evil, Justice vs. Injustice, Righteousness Vs. Unrighteousness) Court of law. Testimony that contradicts is discounted as unreliable. 7
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Anyone who denies the law of contradiction should be beaten and burned until he admits that to be beaten is not the same as not to be beaten, and to be burned is not the same as not to be burned." (Avicenna, Medieval Philosopher) To be burned is not the same as not being burned! 8
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Paradox “A paradox is an apparent contradiction that upon closer scrutiny can be resolved as not being a contradiction.” Example: The Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. Aristotle said; "one cannot say of something that it is and that it is not in the same respect and at the same time". 1 person = 1 person Logical (no contradiction) 1 person = 1 entity Logical (no contradiction) 3 persons = 1 person Contradiction 3 persons = 1 entity Logical (no contradiction) Person = The composite of characteristics that make up an individual personality. Entity = The intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something. 9 1 John 5:7 (KJV) “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Paradox Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God. God is an entity. Entity = The intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something. The one God is : Eternal (without beginning or end) Eternally exists in three separate persons (coequal ) Immutable (unchangeable) Omniscient (all knowing) Omnipresent (everywhere present at once) Omnipotent (all powerful) 3 persons = 1 person Contradiction 3 persons = 1 entity Logical (no contradiction) 10
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The Triune God
The Father The Holy Spirit The Son God Triune = three in one: consisting of or being three(persons) in one(entity), e.g. in the Christian Trinity. Microsoft college dictionary Why God is God and set apart from everything else is the fact that God has always existed and everything else began when God created it. The Father is without beginning or end. The Son is without beginning or end. The Holy Spirit is without beginning or end. “In the beginning God created…..,”Gen 1:1 Three distinct persons Eternally existing as one entity. Person = The composite of characteristics that make up an individual personality. One Person One Person One Person One Entity Entity = The intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something.
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Note: The trinity of the Bible appears to be a contradiction but when scrutinized closely it is in fact a paradox. 12
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Review Contradiction A contradiction can never be true! Something cannot be and not be at the same time and under the same circumstances Paradox A paradox seems like a contradiction on the surface. When time, circumstances and relationships are investigated the seeming contradiction is really a paradox. A paradox can be resolved as logically true. 13
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Mystery “A mystery is something which is true but which we do not understand.” Gravity Electricity Creation Eternity Human discovery can change mysteries to science. Electricity Medical science DNA 14
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Mystery “A mystery is something that is true but which we do not understand.” Revelation changes mystery to knowledge. Deuteronomy 29:29 “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,” Romans 16:25 (KJV) Ephesians 3:3-5 Was there in fact something about God’s plan for Christ that was kept secret until it was made known to Paul? 1Peter 1:8-12 1Corinthians 2:6-9 (Eph. 6:12) 15
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Mystery “A mystery is something that is true but which we do not understand.” W hat did Paul preach about Christ that was a Mystery to all previous generations? 1Timothy 2:5-7 Romans 3:21-25 1Cor. 15:1-4 Galatians 5:11 Prior to Paul preaching Christ according to the Mystery what value did Peter place on Christ’s death on the cross? Luke 18:31-34 2Peter 3:15-16 Acts 2:41-42 16
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Mystery How could Israel’s Messiah be killed and rule the world as King of Kings? The prophets had prophesied both events. Some Rabbis teach a two Messiah theory. A Contradiction or a Paradox or a Mystery? Acts 2:22-42 Acts 3:17-21 17
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Mystery Mysteries in the Bible are capable of being understood. Future revelation. Holy Spirit inspired interpretation of Scripture. The incarnation of Christ. Two natures Fully God/Fully man Mans free will and God’s sovereignty in election and predestination. Whosoever calls on the name of the will be saved. Those who were chosen believed. 18
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Note: All contradictions are mysterious (simultaneously arousing wonder and inquisitiveness, and eluding explanation or comprehension). Not all mysteries are contradictions. The Bible has plenty of room for mysteries but it has no room for contradictions. Mysteries may be true. Contradictions can never be true, neither in our minds, nor in God’s mind. 19
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Dividing Truth From Truth
Is there a God inspired formula for studying the Bible that will eliminate all so called contradictions in Holy Scripture? 20
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