Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Firstly, well done for going out on a limb. (Though it is noted you asked for 2 example of contradictions rather than the more discombobulating divine acts of monstrosity).
I've been away from the threads, so please excuse me if my posting this morning was not preceded by a thorough review of all exchanges leading up to this point.
I'm pressed for time today and continuity may be a problem.
I feel we have been down this path before and your call for my 2 most problematic contradictions will most probably be anticipated and bated away with explanations well used. - So instead I'll try to be a little more unexpected in the examples tendered:
Believe it or not I am genuinely interested in a search for the
truth.
I might even supply some very difficult paradoxes in Scripture for me to reconcile.
You see, I never felt to stop cold in my tracks in reading the Bible and say "That's it! I can't take anymore of these difficulties." For some reason since about 1971 I have never come accross an absolutely impassible difficulty to my faith in Christ or love for the Scriptures.
To say that, is to admit that I am so given to the love of Scripture and of Scripture's God,
I am effectively "ruined" for any kind of Atheism, though a case here or there I might admit they may seemed to have.
I am biased. I love Jesus Christ. This is kind of like someone pointing out flaws with one's husband or wife. The spouse is not likely to adopt any hating attitude towards the love of his or her life.
1. In Leviticus we have God departing laws that He calls 'everlasting' How does this stack up with 'for if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second'? —Heb 8:7
That's a good question that I need more time than I have now to contemplate.
I'll get back to you with my viewpoint.
What are we seeing here sonship, God changing his mind, God revealing imperfections, the divine ability to cause fault?......Or are we just seeing a biblical contradiction?
Fault is still seen, exposed and judged by God.
In brief - I think what we are seeing that Jesus Christ came to
fulfill the purpose of the law of God.
Romans 10:4 says :
"For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who believes."
The eternal purpose of securing a righteousness before God has found its conclusion in Jesus Christ. He said He came not to abolish but to fulfill.
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. " (Matt. 5:17)
Take for example the instance of the woman caught in adultery in
John 8. The law said that with the witnesses she should be stoned. That was God finding fault and assigning a penalty.
Now Jesus as the Son of God comes and brightens the light. He makes the light more penetrating. He makes the light pierce deeper. How does He do this?
He says that the one who has no sin should be the first to cast a stone at the adulterous woman. Beginning with the oldest and latter with the young and impetuous they all slinked away in conviction and embarrassment. Their own consciences convicted them in the presence of Jesus that they TOO were as guilty as she.
No one was left who felt qualified to execute the woman.
Did Jesus abolish the law there? No. He made it more penetrating, more exposing, more convicting. He came to complete its job. He heightened the penetrating power of the Old Covenant.
Now to be fair Christ did underplay some of the ritual aspects and ceremonial aspects of the law. But the moral aspect He uplifted, and made more penetrating down into a deeper part of man's being.
You have heard that it was said by the ancients ...... But I say to you ....."
He did the same eternally assigned work of the law of Moses yet with greater conviction and also with a greater atoning sacrifice of Himself, to propitiate for sins.
And I will have to continue latter. But in this way the Apostle Paul says that the law of Moses was like a tutor or child-conductor leading God's people to a deeper lesson in new covenant grace.
" So then the law has become our child-conductor unto Christ that we might be justified out of faith. But since faith has come, we are no longer under a child-conductor." (Gal. 3:24,25)
The eternal God is exceedingly profound. And His revelation of Himself and His eternal purpose is revealed progressively in the Bible.
Look at it through this analogy:
A mother tells a baby to pick up his food with fingers and eat it.
Latter she says for the young child to use a spoon.
Latter still she tells the youngster to use a fork.
Her heart is revealed progressively. And the child grows in instruction.