Human vs. ghostly impregnation?
ACT 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
MAT 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
When read in context, it is apparent that Acts is showing that from the fruit of David's loins, that from among David's descendants, God has promised that David would have a descendant on the throne. And so through the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born, God in the flesh.
No contradiction.
You have no earthly idea how freakin' mad I'd be if I was ever impregnated by a ghost.
Is it folly to be wise or not?
PRO 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
ECC 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
1 Cor.1:19: "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and wil bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
The problem is different Greek and Hebrew words all translated to "wisdom" in English because that's the closest thing that English has. When we get down to focusing on what the authors are talking about, we find the messages complementary rather than contradictory.
Commentary on Proverbs 4:7: Job 28:28 "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.' " Verses 1-13 We must look upon our teachers as our fathers: though instruction carry in it reproof and correction, bid it welcome. Solomon's parents loved him, therefore taught him. Wise and godly men, in every age of the world, and rank in society, agree that true wisdom consists in obedience, and is united to happiness. Get wisdom, take pains for it. Get the rule over thy corruptions; take more pains to get this than the wealth of this world. An interest in Christ's salvation is necessary. This wisdom is the one thing needful. A soul without true wisdom and grace is a dead soul. How poor, contemptible, and wretched are those, who, with all their wealth and power, die without getting understanding, without Christ, without hope, and without God! Let us give heed to the sayings of Him who has the words of eternal life. Thus our path will be plain before us: by taking, and keeping fast hold of instruction, we shall avoid being straitened or stumbling.
Commentary on ECC 1:18 v. 18. There must be a great deal of pains taken to get it, and a great deal of care not to forget it; the more we know the more we see there is to be known, and consequently we perceive with greater clearness that our work is without end, and the more we see of our former mistakes and blunders, which occasions much grief. The more we see of men's different sentiments and opinions (and it is that which a great deal of our learning is conversant about) the more at a loss we are, it may be, which is in the right. Those that increase knowledge have so much the more quick and sensible perception of the calamities of this world, and for one discovery they make that is pleasing, perhaps, they make ten that are displeasing, and so they increase sorrow. Let us not therefore be driven off from the pursuit of any useful knowledge, but put on patience to break through the sorrow of it; but let us despair of finding true happiness in this knowledge, and expect it only in the knowledge of God and the careful discharge of our duty to him. He that increases in heavenly wisdom, and in an experimental acquaintance with the principles, powers, and pleasures of the spiritual and divine life, increases joy, such as will shortly be consummated in everlasting joy.
Commentary on 1Corinthians 1:19 : Verses 17-25 Paul had been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus, was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel. Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by his death we live. The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, if explained and faithfully applied, appears foolishness to those in the way to destruction. The sensual, the covetous, the proud, and ambitious, alike see that the gospel opposes their favourite pursuits. But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified, than in all his other works. God left a great part of the world to follow the dictates of man's boasted reason, and the event has shown that human wisdom is folly, and is unable to find or retain the knowledge of God as the Creator. It pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. By the foolishness of preaching; not by what could justly be called foolish preaching. But the thing preached was foolishness to wordly-wise men. The gospel ever was, and ever will be, foolishness to all in the road to destruction. The message of Christ, plainly delivered, ever has been a sure touchstone by which men may learn what road they are travelling. But the despised doctrine of salvation by faith in a crucified Saviour, God in human nature, purchasing the church with his own blood, to save multitudes, even all that believe, from ignorance, delusion, and vice, has been blessed in every age. And the weakest instruments God uses, are stronger in their effects, than the strongest men can use. Not that there is foolishness or weakness in God, but what men consider as such, overcomes all their admired wisdom and strength.
No Contradiction.
The number of beasts in the ark:
GEN 7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
GEN 7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, GEN 7:9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
Is 2 bigger than seven? Or can seven include two? Does it say only two? If you have seven apples, do you not also have 2 apples? He took 2 of everything, and of the clean animals, five more.
C'mon! Think about something before you you proclaim that it is a contradiction. You are all capable of seeing that these do not contradict.
I'd still be really mad if I was impregnated by a ghost, and especially if it was two or seven ghosts!
Is Jesus equal to or lesser than?
JOH 10:30 I and my Father are one.
JOH 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Here's another simple math one:
.4 + .6 = 1
.6 is greater than .4
This may not reflect the relationship between God the Father and God the Son, but it shows that the passages are certainly not contradictory. Suppose the Father is greater in that he is more powerful, does this mean that he cannot be in unity with Jesus? No.
Christ was God incarnate, but becoming human he gave up some of his divine powers. You'll notice that he performed no miracles until after his baptism and the descending of the Holy Spirit on him.
No contradiction.
Who was at the Empty Tomb? Is it:
MAT 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
MAR 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
JOH 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Does Matthew say "only Mary Magdalene and the other Mary"?
Does John say "only Mary Magdalene"?
Do the following two statement contradict?:
"I ran 10.5 miles on Friday"
"I ran 10.5 miles with JimBob on Friday"
They do not contradict because the first did not say that I ran alone, only that I ran. Both may be true. I just focused on different runners in each statement.
No contradiction.
Which first--beasts or man?
GEN 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
GEN 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. GEN 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
I love it when someone has already typed the more lengthy answers for me:
http://www.tektonics.org/jedp/creationtwo.html
Josh McDowell's
Answers also has a good comprehensive answer to this objection.
If you read the bible as you would a law text it wouldn't make much sense. It's poetry, not informative fact.
The sins of the father
ISA 14:21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
DEU 24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
A more comprehensive answer than what I was going to say:
http://www.carm.org/diff/Deut5_9.htm
The Scriptures tell us that the son cannot be punished for the sins of the father. The son can be punished, however, if he commits the same sin as his father even if he does so only because that is what his father taught him to do. The son can also suffer from the consequences of his father's sin. Sin can be pervasive and its effects far reaching.
No Contradiction.
War or Peace?
EXO 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
ROM 15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Answer:
http://www.carm.org/diff/Rom15_33.htm
If war had not been waged on Hitler and Nazi Germany, do you think the product would be peace? The Hebrews were enslaved and oppressed by the Egyptians. Through war came peace.
God good to all, or just a few?
PSA 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
JER 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
Is it not only by God's mercy that we even have life. Jeremiah proclaims the end for the wicked and unrepentent of Israel. God will not give them mercy because they will not give him repentence. They have had His tender mercies, but praised Him not; rather, they despised Him. All His works have his mercy. That doesn't mean they can't lose it.
No contradiction.
Yay! I'm done for now and the Bible comes out innocent of all accusations! Not that I'm suprised.
Oh, good. You're done for now. I thought you were just ignoring cyracus and me. Didn't know if you actually wanted to discuss anything or just copy past.
Squinney, I thought you were just adding some well placed light-heartedness, not argument.
Cyracuz, to say the Bible is poetry is to entirely give away that fact that you know very little about the Bible. Parts are poetry. Much of it is not.
All of it is fiction, but that's a minor point.
Run 4 fun wrote:Squinney, I thought you were just adding some well placed light-heartedness, not argument.
Ah shucks. You're on to me.
Run 4fun, who's to decide which parts are what? You? The pope? Elvis?
Eric Cartman says: "Respect My Authority!"
Run 4fun says: "......you know very little about the Bible" , "the Bible comes out innocent of all accusations!"
