Post by Admin on Oct 13, 2012 10:41:36 GMT -8
Issue No. 3 March 1983
SALVATION--Next to Jesus probably no topic occupies the Christian mind more than salvation. We must do everything to be saved assuming, of course, salvation exists. We must obtain eternal life. That's the Christian attitude. The fundamental problem in this regard, however, is that even if one were to say to a believer, "OK, I believe you; so what must I do to be saved," he still couldn't obtain a rational response. Why? Because the answer would depend upon what the Biblical verses were selected. Some scriptural passages say you are saved by works; others say you are saved by faith; others say your destiny has already been predetermined; and still others say it is decided by God's whim. He simply looks down and arbitrarily selects those He wants.
(1) Salvation by works, for example, is clearly shown in Matthew 19:16-21, where a man asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life:
Matt. 19:16-18 "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
Clearly, according to Jesus salvation is obtained by works. Good works, good deeds, following the commandments are all that is necessary. Jesus said nothing about believing in anything. Faith or belief isn't even mentioned. Robert Ingersoll correctly stated:"(In the 19th Chapter of Matthew we find) a child of God is asking God what is necessary for him to do in order to inherit eternal life... Now, if there ever has been an opportunity given to the Almighty to furnish a man of an inquiring mind with the necessary information upon that subject, here was the opportunity... (And yet Jesus) did not say to him: You must believe in me- that I am the only begotten son of the living God. He did not say: You must be born again. He did not say: You must believe in the Bible. He did not say: You must remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy... What right has the church to add conditions of salvation?" What Must We Do To Be Saved?, Ingersoll's Works Vol. 1 p 465.
Incidentally, only five of the Ten Commandments were listed and "Love thy neighbor is not even a commandment. It's actually found in Leviticus 19:18.
Mark 10:17-19 repeats the essential message of Matthew 19:16-18 and also lists a commandment-defraud not that doesn't exist. Again, five of the Ten Commandments were omitted. (See also: Luke 18:18-22, 10:25-28, Acts 10:35 Ezek.18:4-9, James 1:25, 27, 2:21, 25, Romans 2:13, 1 Cor. 7:19, Luke 19:8-9, John 5:28-29, Deut. 10:12, Ecclesiastes 12:13). All the above verses resemble Micah 6:8 which says:
Micah 6:8 "...what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
All of them state one is saved by good works; none mentions anything associated with belief or faith. Good deeds alone are sufficient.
(2) Some verses contend your destiny has already been predetermined. It's fixed.
Acts 13:48 "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." and
Ephesians 1:4-5, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ..."
(See also: Eph. 13:8, 2 Thess. 2:13, Eph. 1:11, Matthew 24:24, 31, Proverbs 16:9, 20:24, 2 Tim. 2:10, 1 Peter 1:2, 2:8.)
(3) Some passages allege God merely selects people as He sees fit. Psalm 65:4 is a good example.
Ps. 65:4 "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts."
(See also: John 6:44, 65, 17:9, Acts 22:14, Romans 9:16, 18, Psalm 86:13)
(4) And of course, there are those verses which Christians quote to prove one is saved by faith. Acts 16: 30-31 is as representative as any.
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou halt be saved, and thy house. (See also: John 14:6, 3:15-16, 18, 36, 6:28-29, 47, 11:25-26, Acts 4:12, 13:39, Romans 1:16-17, Hebrews 11:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
All the above clearly shows that even if one were to surrender himself completely to Christian teachings, he still wouldn't know what to do. If he is saved by works then he had better commit good deeds; if he is saved by a Godly act of merciful selection then he can only hope to be chosen; if he is saved by faith, then he must choose the correct beliefs; and if his destiny is predetermined, he should ignore the entire matter. Why become concerned about something that is unalterable. It is interesting to note that although Paul often says saved by faith, Jesus clearly states you are saved by works. And unless "Christianity" is actually "Paulianity," Jesus' assertions take precedence.
Thomas Paine once made an astute observation with respect to Paul's salvation by faith: "One set of preachers make salvation to consist in believing. They tell their congregations that if they believe in Christ their sins shall be forgiven. This, in the first place, is an encourgament to sin, in a similar manner as when the prodigal young fellow is told his father will pay all his debts, he runs into debt faster, and becomes the more extravagant. Daddy says he, pays all, and on he goes: just so in the other case, Christ pays all, and on goes the sinner." The Life and Works of Thomas Paine Vol 9, p. 27
Paine made an equally apt comment with respect to predestination: "Another set of preachers tell their congregations that God predestinated and selected, from all eternity, a certain number to be saved, and a certain number to be damned eternally. If this were true, the day of judgement is Past: their preaching is in vain, and they had better at some useful calling for their livelihood. This doctrine has a direct tendency to demoralize mankind." The Life and Works of Thomas Paine, Vol 9, p. 208
Is it any wonder that Jesus' prophecy:
John 10:16 "... and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." has never materialized. One can easily understand how a book as inconsistent as the Bible has given rise to more that fifteen hundred separate Christian denominations. The deficiency lies not so much with the preachers as the book from which they preach.
Christians often assert alleged inspiration of the Bible is proven by accurate prophecies contained therein. Yet, any reasonably objective analysis of the Book will expose many inaccurate predictions. Generally speaking, prophetic failures can be grouped into three separate categories: Those which were fulfilled in a manner different from that promised, those which have never occurred, and New Testament references to Old Testament prophecies that don't exist. Besides Jesus' inaccurate predictions with respect to the cock crowing, the attainment of paradise by the thief on the cross, and the similarity in time between His internment and Jonah's period in the whale the following falsehoods could be mentioned.
In Genesis 2:17 God told Adam. Gen. 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Yet, Adam ate the fruit and did not die that day. In fact, he lived to be 930 years old (Gen. 5:5). If a spiritual, as opposed to a physical, death was intended, as apologists allege, then why wouldn't this be true of what Nathan told David in 2 Samuel 12:14. David had sinned against God and Nathan said: 2 Samuel 12:14 "Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." Verse 18 clearly shows that the child died physically, not spiritually, shortly thereafter. [Which also goes against Deut. 24:16.]
Unless the context shows a verse should be given a spiritual interpretation, we should adhere to a literal approach. The well-known apologist W. Arndt aptly stated: "It must be remembered that a deviation from the literal sense is not justified unless the Scriptures themselves prescribe such a course." Bible Difficulties, W. Arndt, p. 133.
Another inaccurate prophecy is found in Genesis 28:13 which says, "...I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed." Jacob never received the promise land and it is questionable whether the spot on which he lay ever came into the possession of his descendants.
In Genesis 35:10 God said to Jacob: Gen. 35:10 "And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel"
Yet, just 11 chapters later the text says: Gen. 46:2 "And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I."
Another false prophecy among the scores available is found in Deuteronomy 23: 3: "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever." Ruth a Moabitess, not only entered the congregation of the Lord as Ruth 1:4, 1:22, 4:13, 4:17 show but gave birth to the ancestors of David and Jesus.
Even more noteworthy are prophecies that don't exist such as found in Matthew 2:23, "And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene." He shall be called a Nazarene does not exist in the Old Testament. There is no such prophecy.
Additional statements and acts by Jesus which disprove his perfection.
In Matt. 5:44 Jesus told people to: "...Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, ..."Yet repeatedly called his opponents names and hurled epithets. (See Matt. 23:15, 23:17, 19, 27, 33, John 10:8, Luke 11:40, Matthew 12:34)
In John 23:32 Jesus said: John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Jesus was allegedly lifted up but he is far from having drawn all men to him. The majority of mankind have never heard his name.
In Matthew 8:20 Jesus said: "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head." while in Mark 2:15 it says '...Jesus sat at meat in his house." Jesus had no place to lay his head, yet he owned a house. According to psalm 24:1 he owned everything.
In Matthew 19:19 Jesus said: "Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." while he said to his own mother in John 2:4: "...Woman, what have I to do with thee?" Apparently Jesus' love escaped him. This is the same Jesus who told everyone else to "Honor thy father and mother."
In regard to eating the forbidden fruit, a related problem is especially troublesome to Biblicists. How could evil arise in the beginning if God created everything was good, yeah perfect. Certainly Adam and Eve couldn't have created evil since they were part and parcel of the perfect creation. As perfect beings they couldn't have created imperfection, i.e. sin. If they did, or could, create sin, then by definition they weren't perfect.
The apologist W. Arndt said it well: "Here we face a mystery, baffling to all thinkers, for which we, standing on the Bible, can offer no explanation than the one given in divine revelation, to wit; that Satan brought sin into the world. If the inquiry is pushed beyond this point (which I wouldn't hesitate to do) and it is asked, How could Satan, who evidently was created as a good being, become perverted and an enemy of God? We are not able to give a solution. It is a question on which God has not thought it necessary to inform us in His holy Word." Bible Difficulties, W. Arndt, p.132
Why no answer is given is quite easy to understand. There isn't any.
This directly parallels the problem presented by Isaiah 44:24, Eccle. 11:5, John 1:3, Eph. 3:9, Rev. 4:11 and other verses saying God must have created everything. If God didn't create everything and evil then either evil doesn't exist or God did not create some things, namely evil. It's that simple.
In attempting to remedy the problem W. Arndt alleged" "... there are angels who did not remain in the state of righteousness and holiness in which they had been created, but who sinned, leaving their own habitation, the mansions of Heaven, and by God were cast down to hell... It is here where we have the origin of evil in the universe. One of these fallen angels is Satan, and it was he who employed the serpent in his successful endeavor to lead mankind into sin." Ibid. p136
This explanation has an obvious fatal flaw. If God's original creation was perfect, then no aspect of it could have create evil. If the fallen angel was originally perfect then he could no more have committed an evil act than could the allegedly perfect Jesus.
Letter #3 from Ray Wigdal of Cedarville, Ohio (After quoting 2 Tim. 3:16 which contends all scripture is inspired, Ray continues) The first question I would like to ask is why are you going to such lenghts to disprove the authority of the Word of God. Secondly, Do you believe that a Christian who loves the Lord Jesus has the authority to refute the Word of God? Thirdly, do you believe this verse (2 Tim. 3:16) to be the Word of God or the word of men? I believe it to be the verbal plenary inerrant word of God!... Fourthly, do you believe our God is a God of truth? We know from Titus 1:2 "God who cannot lie" that God cannot lie. Lastly, Mr. McKinsey If you do not know Jesus Christ personally as a Savior then your heart and mind is darken by the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. See Eph. 2:1-10... (After asking me some common questions generated by preachers on the stump, Ray continues) Are you saved by faith? I would like sometime to personally meet with you and discuss this matter more personally. Please respond to my questions. The only reason I can ask you these questions is because it is so vital to know Christ in order to rightly divide and understand the truth. I definitely would enjoy responding to some of your arguments on errancy and the various verses you have quoted! But I trust that you are looking to the word of God for salvation in Christ and not to prove your own convictions."
Editor's response to Letter #3 Ray, I appreciate receiving your letter not only because several major fallacies within Christian beliefs are exposed but also because dialogue can occur. Unlike Christian preachers on radio and television, I believe both sides with respect to the Bible's validity deserve a hearing. The emergence of truth is impossible when millions listen to or read only one side. In large measure that is the problem with denominations today. Each group lives in an ideological cocoon with all the accompanying feelings of superiority.
Let me respond to your statement one at a time. You begin by making the most serious mistake of all Christians asserting the Bible is the Word of God. I'd like to give you a list, a litany, of the deeds that God committed somewhere in the Old Testament. Now remember, God, the Perfect Being, did all of following in what is supposedly His book. He created evil (Lam. 3:38, Jer. 26:3, 36:3, Ezek. 20.:25-26, Judges 9:3, 1 Sam. 16:23, 18:10); He deceived (Jer. 4:10, 15:18, 20:7, 2 Chron. 18:22, Ezek. 14:9, 2 Thess. 2:9-12); He told people to lie(Ex. 3:18, 1 Sam. 16:2); He lied (Gen 2:17, 2 Sam. 7:13); He rewarded liars (Ex. 1:15-20); He ordered men to become drunken (Jer. 25:27); He rewarded the fool and the transgressor (Prov.26:10); He delivered a man, Job, into Satan's hands (Job 2:6); He mingled a perverse spirit (Isa. 19:14); He spread dung on people's faces (Mal. 2:3)); He ordered stealing (Ezek. 39:10, Ex. 3:22); He made false prophecies (Jonah 3:4. Gen. 5:10); He Changed his mind (Jonah 3:10); He caused adultery (2 Sam. 12:11-12); He ordered the taking of a harlot (Hosea 1:2, 3:1-2); He killed (Num. 16:35, 21:6, Deut. 32:39, 1 Sam. 2:26, Psalm 135:10); He ordered killing (Lev. 26:7-8, Num. 25:4-5); He had a temper (Deut. 13:17, Judges 3:8); He was often jealous (Deut. 5:9, 6:15); He wasn't omnipresent (Gen4:16, 11:5, 1 Kings 19:11-12); He wasn't omniscient (Deut. 8:2, 13:3, 2 Chron. 32:31); He often repented (Ex. 32:14, 1 Sam. 15:35); He practiced injustice (Ex. 4:22-23, Joshua 22:20, Rom. 5:12); He played favorites (Deut. 7:6, 14:2, 1 Sam. 12:22); He sanctioned slavery (Ex. 21:20-21, Deut. 15:17); He degraded deformed people (Lev. 21:16-23); He punished a baster for being illegitimate (Deut. 23:2); He punished many for the acts of one (Gen. 3:16, 20:18); He punished children for the sins of their fathers (Ex. 12:29, 20:5, Deut. 5:9); He prevented people from hearing his word (Isa. 6:10, John 12:39-40); He supported human sacrifice (Ex. 22:29-30, Ezek. 20:26); He ordered cannabalism (Lev. 26: 29, Jer. 19:9); He demanded virgins as a part of war plunder(Num. 31:31-36); He ordered gambling (Joshua 14. 2, Num. 26:52, 55-56); He ordered horses to be hamstrung (Joshua 11:6); He sanctioned violation of the enimies women (Deut. 21:10-14); He excused the beating of slaves to death (Ex. 21:20-21); He required a woman to marry her rapist (Deut. 22:28:29); He taught war (Psalm 144:1); He ordered the burning of human feces to cook food (Ezek. 21:3-5); He intentionally issued bad laws (Ezek. 20:25); He excused the sins of prostitutes and adulerers (Hosea 4:14); He excused a murderer and promised his protection (Gen. 4:8-15); He killed a man who refused to impregnate his widowed sister-in-law (Gen. 38:9-10); and He is indecisive (Gen. 18:17).
Now, can you imagine anyone saying, "Yes, that's my book, that represents me; that's the way I am." -especially a supposedly perfect being. What villain, what criminal, in all history had a record to match?
Second, you ask if I believe a Christian who loves the Lord Jesus has the authority to refute the Word of God. To begin with, it is not a question of "authority," its a question of "right." Everyone, Christian or otherwise, has a right, indeed, an obligation, to question the truth of what he is told and to demand evidence. Blind obedience leads to disaster. And every part of BIBLICAL ERRANCY proves the Bible is something other than God's word.
Third, you ask if I know and love our Lord and Savior. My answer should already be obvious. He isn't the Lord and he isn't our Savior. But mere assertions by you or me prove little; evidence, such as that provided by BIBLICAL ERRANCY is what counts.
Fourth, you ask if I believe the Bible to be the Word of God. You say you believe it is plenary and inerrant. But what you or I believe is irrelevant and immaterial. As is true in court, the evidence, must speak for itself.
Fifth, you ask if I believe our God is a God of truth. BIBLICAL ERRANCY is not concerned with the nature of God; it is concerned with the Bible. By definition God cannot lie, but the Bible does.
Six, constantly saying Jesus is our Savior proves nothing. Why do you keep repeating this, while providing little or no proof. Believers seem to think that if they repeat a statement long and hard enough people will eventually succumb.
Seven, am I saved by faith? No, neither are you according to Jesus. How one is saved, assuming salvation exists, was discussed earlier. The Bible can't give anyone a definitive answer to this question.
And, in answer to your last question, Ray I am sorry to say you are wrong on both counts. I am not looking to the Bible for salvation in Christ because it isn't God's word and Jesus isn't my Savior; and I am not proving my own convictions. I provide facts, evidence, documentation and information. Others formulate the convictions; they are the jury.
Editors Note: BIBLICAL ERRANCY will always provide a hearing for apologist. Indeed, creating a forum for debate between proponents and opponents of the Bible's validity is one of the primary reasons for it's existence. However, increasing numbers of apologists want more than a hearing; they seek to turn the publication into little more than a spokesman for fundamentalism by putting unacceptable controls on their letters. For example, one writer sent a 13 page handwritten analysis of BIBLICAL ERRANCY and stated his writing could only be published if done so verbatim and en total. Another writer sent me a lengthy tract and said, it too, must be published verbatim. If this continues, they will be wanting me to publish entire books. BIBLICAL ERRANCY is composed of 6 pages not 60. I would be glad to address the points made in both writings but the conditions imposed are unreasonable. Any submitted manuscript having less than 200 words will be probably be published verbatim, but those exceeding 200 words must, of necessity, be edited with only the stronger aspects being published. I suggest those having many points to make either write several letters over a period of months or submit one comphrensive summary. They could even write a lengthy letter divided in such a matter that one section could be discussed each month. Secondly, any literature sent to BIBLICAL ERRANCY could very well be published unless the submitter indicates otherwise.
COMMENTARY
SALVATION--Next to Jesus probably no topic occupies the Christian mind more than salvation. We must do everything to be saved assuming, of course, salvation exists. We must obtain eternal life. That's the Christian attitude. The fundamental problem in this regard, however, is that even if one were to say to a believer, "OK, I believe you; so what must I do to be saved," he still couldn't obtain a rational response. Why? Because the answer would depend upon what the Biblical verses were selected. Some scriptural passages say you are saved by works; others say you are saved by faith; others say your destiny has already been predetermined; and still others say it is decided by God's whim. He simply looks down and arbitrarily selects those He wants.
(1) Salvation by works, for example, is clearly shown in Matthew 19:16-21, where a man asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life:
Matt. 19:16-18 "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
Clearly, according to Jesus salvation is obtained by works. Good works, good deeds, following the commandments are all that is necessary. Jesus said nothing about believing in anything. Faith or belief isn't even mentioned. Robert Ingersoll correctly stated:"(In the 19th Chapter of Matthew we find) a child of God is asking God what is necessary for him to do in order to inherit eternal life... Now, if there ever has been an opportunity given to the Almighty to furnish a man of an inquiring mind with the necessary information upon that subject, here was the opportunity... (And yet Jesus) did not say to him: You must believe in me- that I am the only begotten son of the living God. He did not say: You must be born again. He did not say: You must believe in the Bible. He did not say: You must remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy... What right has the church to add conditions of salvation?" What Must We Do To Be Saved?, Ingersoll's Works Vol. 1 p 465.
Incidentally, only five of the Ten Commandments were listed and "Love thy neighbor is not even a commandment. It's actually found in Leviticus 19:18.
Mark 10:17-19 repeats the essential message of Matthew 19:16-18 and also lists a commandment-defraud not that doesn't exist. Again, five of the Ten Commandments were omitted. (See also: Luke 18:18-22, 10:25-28, Acts 10:35 Ezek.18:4-9, James 1:25, 27, 2:21, 25, Romans 2:13, 1 Cor. 7:19, Luke 19:8-9, John 5:28-29, Deut. 10:12, Ecclesiastes 12:13). All the above verses resemble Micah 6:8 which says:
Micah 6:8 "...what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
All of them state one is saved by good works; none mentions anything associated with belief or faith. Good deeds alone are sufficient.
(2) Some verses contend your destiny has already been predetermined. It's fixed.
Acts 13:48 "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." and
Ephesians 1:4-5, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ..."
(See also: Eph. 13:8, 2 Thess. 2:13, Eph. 1:11, Matthew 24:24, 31, Proverbs 16:9, 20:24, 2 Tim. 2:10, 1 Peter 1:2, 2:8.)
(3) Some passages allege God merely selects people as He sees fit. Psalm 65:4 is a good example.
Ps. 65:4 "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts."
(See also: John 6:44, 65, 17:9, Acts 22:14, Romans 9:16, 18, Psalm 86:13)
(4) And of course, there are those verses which Christians quote to prove one is saved by faith. Acts 16: 30-31 is as representative as any.
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou halt be saved, and thy house. (See also: John 14:6, 3:15-16, 18, 36, 6:28-29, 47, 11:25-26, Acts 4:12, 13:39, Romans 1:16-17, Hebrews 11:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
All the above clearly shows that even if one were to surrender himself completely to Christian teachings, he still wouldn't know what to do. If he is saved by works then he had better commit good deeds; if he is saved by a Godly act of merciful selection then he can only hope to be chosen; if he is saved by faith, then he must choose the correct beliefs; and if his destiny is predetermined, he should ignore the entire matter. Why become concerned about something that is unalterable. It is interesting to note that although Paul often says saved by faith, Jesus clearly states you are saved by works. And unless "Christianity" is actually "Paulianity," Jesus' assertions take precedence.
Thomas Paine once made an astute observation with respect to Paul's salvation by faith: "One set of preachers make salvation to consist in believing. They tell their congregations that if they believe in Christ their sins shall be forgiven. This, in the first place, is an encourgament to sin, in a similar manner as when the prodigal young fellow is told his father will pay all his debts, he runs into debt faster, and becomes the more extravagant. Daddy says he, pays all, and on he goes: just so in the other case, Christ pays all, and on goes the sinner." The Life and Works of Thomas Paine Vol 9, p. 27
Paine made an equally apt comment with respect to predestination: "Another set of preachers tell their congregations that God predestinated and selected, from all eternity, a certain number to be saved, and a certain number to be damned eternally. If this were true, the day of judgement is Past: their preaching is in vain, and they had better at some useful calling for their livelihood. This doctrine has a direct tendency to demoralize mankind." The Life and Works of Thomas Paine, Vol 9, p. 208
Is it any wonder that Jesus' prophecy:
John 10:16 "... and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." has never materialized. One can easily understand how a book as inconsistent as the Bible has given rise to more that fifteen hundred separate Christian denominations. The deficiency lies not so much with the preachers as the book from which they preach.
Prophecy
Christians often assert alleged inspiration of the Bible is proven by accurate prophecies contained therein. Yet, any reasonably objective analysis of the Book will expose many inaccurate predictions. Generally speaking, prophetic failures can be grouped into three separate categories: Those which were fulfilled in a manner different from that promised, those which have never occurred, and New Testament references to Old Testament prophecies that don't exist. Besides Jesus' inaccurate predictions with respect to the cock crowing, the attainment of paradise by the thief on the cross, and the similarity in time between His internment and Jonah's period in the whale the following falsehoods could be mentioned.
In Genesis 2:17 God told Adam. Gen. 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Yet, Adam ate the fruit and did not die that day. In fact, he lived to be 930 years old (Gen. 5:5). If a spiritual, as opposed to a physical, death was intended, as apologists allege, then why wouldn't this be true of what Nathan told David in 2 Samuel 12:14. David had sinned against God and Nathan said: 2 Samuel 12:14 "Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." Verse 18 clearly shows that the child died physically, not spiritually, shortly thereafter. [Which also goes against Deut. 24:16.]
Unless the context shows a verse should be given a spiritual interpretation, we should adhere to a literal approach. The well-known apologist W. Arndt aptly stated: "It must be remembered that a deviation from the literal sense is not justified unless the Scriptures themselves prescribe such a course." Bible Difficulties, W. Arndt, p. 133.
Another inaccurate prophecy is found in Genesis 28:13 which says, "...I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed." Jacob never received the promise land and it is questionable whether the spot on which he lay ever came into the possession of his descendants.
In Genesis 35:10 God said to Jacob: Gen. 35:10 "And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel"
Yet, just 11 chapters later the text says: Gen. 46:2 "And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I."
Another false prophecy among the scores available is found in Deuteronomy 23: 3: "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever." Ruth a Moabitess, not only entered the congregation of the Lord as Ruth 1:4, 1:22, 4:13, 4:17 show but gave birth to the ancestors of David and Jesus.
Even more noteworthy are prophecies that don't exist such as found in Matthew 2:23, "And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene." He shall be called a Nazarene does not exist in the Old Testament. There is no such prophecy.
Jesus, The Imperfect Beacon
Additional statements and acts by Jesus which disprove his perfection.
In Matt. 5:44 Jesus told people to: "...Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, ..."Yet repeatedly called his opponents names and hurled epithets. (See Matt. 23:15, 23:17, 19, 27, 33, John 10:8, Luke 11:40, Matthew 12:34)
In John 23:32 Jesus said: John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Jesus was allegedly lifted up but he is far from having drawn all men to him. The majority of mankind have never heard his name.
In Matthew 8:20 Jesus said: "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head." while in Mark 2:15 it says '...Jesus sat at meat in his house." Jesus had no place to lay his head, yet he owned a house. According to psalm 24:1 he owned everything.
In Matthew 19:19 Jesus said: "Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." while he said to his own mother in John 2:4: "...Woman, what have I to do with thee?" Apparently Jesus' love escaped him. This is the same Jesus who told everyone else to "Honor thy father and mother."
REVIEWS
In regard to eating the forbidden fruit, a related problem is especially troublesome to Biblicists. How could evil arise in the beginning if God created everything was good, yeah perfect. Certainly Adam and Eve couldn't have created evil since they were part and parcel of the perfect creation. As perfect beings they couldn't have created imperfection, i.e. sin. If they did, or could, create sin, then by definition they weren't perfect.
The apologist W. Arndt said it well: "Here we face a mystery, baffling to all thinkers, for which we, standing on the Bible, can offer no explanation than the one given in divine revelation, to wit; that Satan brought sin into the world. If the inquiry is pushed beyond this point (which I wouldn't hesitate to do) and it is asked, How could Satan, who evidently was created as a good being, become perverted and an enemy of God? We are not able to give a solution. It is a question on which God has not thought it necessary to inform us in His holy Word." Bible Difficulties, W. Arndt, p.132
Why no answer is given is quite easy to understand. There isn't any.
This directly parallels the problem presented by Isaiah 44:24, Eccle. 11:5, John 1:3, Eph. 3:9, Rev. 4:11 and other verses saying God must have created everything. If God didn't create everything and evil then either evil doesn't exist or God did not create some things, namely evil. It's that simple.
In attempting to remedy the problem W. Arndt alleged" "... there are angels who did not remain in the state of righteousness and holiness in which they had been created, but who sinned, leaving their own habitation, the mansions of Heaven, and by God were cast down to hell... It is here where we have the origin of evil in the universe. One of these fallen angels is Satan, and it was he who employed the serpent in his successful endeavor to lead mankind into sin." Ibid. p136
This explanation has an obvious fatal flaw. If God's original creation was perfect, then no aspect of it could have create evil. If the fallen angel was originally perfect then he could no more have committed an evil act than could the allegedly perfect Jesus.
DIALOG & DEBATE
Letter #3 from Ray Wigdal of Cedarville, Ohio (After quoting 2 Tim. 3:16 which contends all scripture is inspired, Ray continues) The first question I would like to ask is why are you going to such lenghts to disprove the authority of the Word of God. Secondly, Do you believe that a Christian who loves the Lord Jesus has the authority to refute the Word of God? Thirdly, do you believe this verse (2 Tim. 3:16) to be the Word of God or the word of men? I believe it to be the verbal plenary inerrant word of God!... Fourthly, do you believe our God is a God of truth? We know from Titus 1:2 "God who cannot lie" that God cannot lie. Lastly, Mr. McKinsey If you do not know Jesus Christ personally as a Savior then your heart and mind is darken by the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. See Eph. 2:1-10... (After asking me some common questions generated by preachers on the stump, Ray continues) Are you saved by faith? I would like sometime to personally meet with you and discuss this matter more personally. Please respond to my questions. The only reason I can ask you these questions is because it is so vital to know Christ in order to rightly divide and understand the truth. I definitely would enjoy responding to some of your arguments on errancy and the various verses you have quoted! But I trust that you are looking to the word of God for salvation in Christ and not to prove your own convictions."
Editor's response to Letter #3 Ray, I appreciate receiving your letter not only because several major fallacies within Christian beliefs are exposed but also because dialogue can occur. Unlike Christian preachers on radio and television, I believe both sides with respect to the Bible's validity deserve a hearing. The emergence of truth is impossible when millions listen to or read only one side. In large measure that is the problem with denominations today. Each group lives in an ideological cocoon with all the accompanying feelings of superiority.
Let me respond to your statement one at a time. You begin by making the most serious mistake of all Christians asserting the Bible is the Word of God. I'd like to give you a list, a litany, of the deeds that God committed somewhere in the Old Testament. Now remember, God, the Perfect Being, did all of following in what is supposedly His book. He created evil (Lam. 3:38, Jer. 26:3, 36:3, Ezek. 20.:25-26, Judges 9:3, 1 Sam. 16:23, 18:10); He deceived (Jer. 4:10, 15:18, 20:7, 2 Chron. 18:22, Ezek. 14:9, 2 Thess. 2:9-12); He told people to lie(Ex. 3:18, 1 Sam. 16:2); He lied (Gen 2:17, 2 Sam. 7:13); He rewarded liars (Ex. 1:15-20); He ordered men to become drunken (Jer. 25:27); He rewarded the fool and the transgressor (Prov.26:10); He delivered a man, Job, into Satan's hands (Job 2:6); He mingled a perverse spirit (Isa. 19:14); He spread dung on people's faces (Mal. 2:3)); He ordered stealing (Ezek. 39:10, Ex. 3:22); He made false prophecies (Jonah 3:4. Gen. 5:10); He Changed his mind (Jonah 3:10); He caused adultery (2 Sam. 12:11-12); He ordered the taking of a harlot (Hosea 1:2, 3:1-2); He killed (Num. 16:35, 21:6, Deut. 32:39, 1 Sam. 2:26, Psalm 135:10); He ordered killing (Lev. 26:7-8, Num. 25:4-5); He had a temper (Deut. 13:17, Judges 3:8); He was often jealous (Deut. 5:9, 6:15); He wasn't omnipresent (Gen4:16, 11:5, 1 Kings 19:11-12); He wasn't omniscient (Deut. 8:2, 13:3, 2 Chron. 32:31); He often repented (Ex. 32:14, 1 Sam. 15:35); He practiced injustice (Ex. 4:22-23, Joshua 22:20, Rom. 5:12); He played favorites (Deut. 7:6, 14:2, 1 Sam. 12:22); He sanctioned slavery (Ex. 21:20-21, Deut. 15:17); He degraded deformed people (Lev. 21:16-23); He punished a baster for being illegitimate (Deut. 23:2); He punished many for the acts of one (Gen. 3:16, 20:18); He punished children for the sins of their fathers (Ex. 12:29, 20:5, Deut. 5:9); He prevented people from hearing his word (Isa. 6:10, John 12:39-40); He supported human sacrifice (Ex. 22:29-30, Ezek. 20:26); He ordered cannabalism (Lev. 26: 29, Jer. 19:9); He demanded virgins as a part of war plunder(Num. 31:31-36); He ordered gambling (Joshua 14. 2, Num. 26:52, 55-56); He ordered horses to be hamstrung (Joshua 11:6); He sanctioned violation of the enimies women (Deut. 21:10-14); He excused the beating of slaves to death (Ex. 21:20-21); He required a woman to marry her rapist (Deut. 22:28:29); He taught war (Psalm 144:1); He ordered the burning of human feces to cook food (Ezek. 21:3-5); He intentionally issued bad laws (Ezek. 20:25); He excused the sins of prostitutes and adulerers (Hosea 4:14); He excused a murderer and promised his protection (Gen. 4:8-15); He killed a man who refused to impregnate his widowed sister-in-law (Gen. 38:9-10); and He is indecisive (Gen. 18:17).
Now, can you imagine anyone saying, "Yes, that's my book, that represents me; that's the way I am." -especially a supposedly perfect being. What villain, what criminal, in all history had a record to match?
Second, you ask if I believe a Christian who loves the Lord Jesus has the authority to refute the Word of God. To begin with, it is not a question of "authority," its a question of "right." Everyone, Christian or otherwise, has a right, indeed, an obligation, to question the truth of what he is told and to demand evidence. Blind obedience leads to disaster. And every part of BIBLICAL ERRANCY proves the Bible is something other than God's word.
Third, you ask if I know and love our Lord and Savior. My answer should already be obvious. He isn't the Lord and he isn't our Savior. But mere assertions by you or me prove little; evidence, such as that provided by BIBLICAL ERRANCY is what counts.
Fourth, you ask if I believe the Bible to be the Word of God. You say you believe it is plenary and inerrant. But what you or I believe is irrelevant and immaterial. As is true in court, the evidence, must speak for itself.
Fifth, you ask if I believe our God is a God of truth. BIBLICAL ERRANCY is not concerned with the nature of God; it is concerned with the Bible. By definition God cannot lie, but the Bible does.
Six, constantly saying Jesus is our Savior proves nothing. Why do you keep repeating this, while providing little or no proof. Believers seem to think that if they repeat a statement long and hard enough people will eventually succumb.
Seven, am I saved by faith? No, neither are you according to Jesus. How one is saved, assuming salvation exists, was discussed earlier. The Bible can't give anyone a definitive answer to this question.
And, in answer to your last question, Ray I am sorry to say you are wrong on both counts. I am not looking to the Bible for salvation in Christ because it isn't God's word and Jesus isn't my Savior; and I am not proving my own convictions. I provide facts, evidence, documentation and information. Others formulate the convictions; they are the jury.
Editors Note: BIBLICAL ERRANCY will always provide a hearing for apologist. Indeed, creating a forum for debate between proponents and opponents of the Bible's validity is one of the primary reasons for it's existence. However, increasing numbers of apologists want more than a hearing; they seek to turn the publication into little more than a spokesman for fundamentalism by putting unacceptable controls on their letters. For example, one writer sent a 13 page handwritten analysis of BIBLICAL ERRANCY and stated his writing could only be published if done so verbatim and en total. Another writer sent me a lengthy tract and said, it too, must be published verbatim. If this continues, they will be wanting me to publish entire books. BIBLICAL ERRANCY is composed of 6 pages not 60. I would be glad to address the points made in both writings but the conditions imposed are unreasonable. Any submitted manuscript having less than 200 words will be probably be published verbatim, but those exceeding 200 words must, of necessity, be edited with only the stronger aspects being published. I suggest those having many points to make either write several letters over a period of months or submit one comphrensive summary. They could even write a lengthy letter divided in such a matter that one section could be discussed each month. Secondly, any literature sent to BIBLICAL ERRANCY could very well be published unless the submitter indicates otherwise.