THE CONSISTENCY OF TRUTH

Mike Johnson

Truth is always consistent; it does not contradict itself.  Thus, if the Bible is truth, there will be no contradictions in it.

Sometimes people say, “You can prove anything by the Bible.”  This statement is degrading to the Bible, and it reflects on the integrity of God.  If it is true that the Bible proves anything, then it is not truth.

The problem comes when people misuse the Bible.  In II Peter 3:16, Peter wrote how some of Paul’s writings were difficult to understand, and then said, “…which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the Scriptures.” Peter points out the seriousness of perverting the Scriptures as he said anyone who does so is doing it to their “own destruction.”  When there appears to be a contradiction in the Scriptures, people are typically, knowingly or unknowingly, twisting the Scriptures.

Consider Ephesians 2:8-9 and James 2:24.  One passage says works do not save us, and the other says we are justified by works.  Is this a contradiction?  No, the contexts show that Ephesians 2 speaks of the works of men while James 2 speaks of the works of God, i.e., that which God has ordained for us to follow.

Consider another example.  Luke 19:28 speaks of “going up” to Jerusalem from Jericho. Yet, Jericho is northeast of Jerusalem, so on a map, someone would go “down” to Jerusalem, i.e., south.  This statement is not a Bible mistake. Jerusalem is in the mountains, and from any direction, a person would go up to Jerusalem.

God’s Word is truth; it is dependable, and there are no contradictions in the Scriptures.