If we are going to answer the honest questions asked by critics of the Christian faith, it behooves us to grapple with those same questions ourselves. It’s tempting to spout off a pat response that doesn’t satisfy the question, or to dismiss altogether the inquiries that are uncomfortable for us to address.
One such challenge to the faith is this: Does the Bible contain contradictions? If so, why do those contradictions exist? How can all of God’s Word be true when there are some obvious inconsistencies?
Some Christians feel it is a betrayal of their faith to ask such questions – that they should take God’s Word at face value and never take on these challenges to the very basis of their faith. Others fear that they may ask such questions and discover that their faith has been based on lies.
Yet, if we are going to say that the Bible is true, then what do we do about these seeming contradictions? Do they truly exist? Can we explain them away? And, if we can’t provide a rationale for the inconsistencies in Scripture, does it call into question the inerrancy of Scripture or the fact that God is the source of truth and perfection? What about the fact that inaccuracies and errors stand in opposition to the character of the God?
If you’re ready to tackle the tough questions about contradictions in the Bible, I would invite you to check out this article for further reading.
