Public intrigue
The critic seems to have found a new accusation to Christianity. It is not only about a simple Bible Contradiction here. No, he gives the impression of trying to paint a bad picture of the entire Christian belief. How? He gives seven occasions suggesting that it is a prescript for Christians to believe what you can’t see. It sounds both pious and stupid. And that is exactly the image of Christianity the critic likes to promote. However this picture is too ridiculous for words. Christians do not believe everything they can’t see. Praise God! They are saved from a silly way of life believing everything people say, what they have not checked themselves and thought over in rational thinking. Christian belief is not ridiculous blind faith which is what atheists are consistently try to suggest, but it is evidence based belief (J.C. Lennox, Gunning for God, 2011) as we will see.
Yes, we should believe in unseen things.
The definition of faith: belief in unseen things.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
No, the definition of faith is: Conviction of things not seen. Conviction implies: you have thought about certain unseen things, e.g. unseen is the past, but we can deduce from the phenomenon of Life in and around us that there is a Creator.
No Bible Contradiction
Unseen things are the object of faith.
while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18
No, the question is: What unseen things are the object of faith? Just earlier is said what that is: “knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.” (4:14) Certainty of eternal life and a resurrection into it are indeed parts of the unseen things of the Christian faith.
No Bible Contradiction
Believers walk by faith, not by sight.
for we walk by faith, not by sight
2 Corinthians 5:7
Yes, but what is the meaning of it? Daily life of a Christian is as important as that of a non-Christian. That’s for sure. However even as life on earth has its shortcomings as everyone can experience, the Christian has a perspective of a better life to come. That makes his walk on earth lighter (walking by faith).
No Bible Contradiction
And they are saved by an unseen hope.
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
Romans 8:24
Yes, but again what is the meaning? Again the future of eternal life is at stake in the context.
Christian hope is not another word for faith or belief, as hope is a result of that belief. Hope being the result of faith stands for the certainty of eternal life.
No Bible Contradiction
Paul says that we should believe “all things,” which would include things that are not seen.
[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:7
No, Paul didn’t say that we should believe “all things”, he said that “[Love] believes all things”. And again: what does that mean? Love doesn’t believe lies, transgressions etc. Just earlier he had said: “[love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;” Indeed Paul elaborates on [love] rejoices with the truth: [Love] bears all true things, believes all true things, endures all true things. Love is not described here as a rather soft positive feeling, but as a strong power inside that will not give up in all that is good, to begin with love itself.
No Bible Contradiction
To believe in God, you must believe that he exists, even though you’ve never seen him.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6
Amen.
No Bible Contradiction
Jesus praised people who believe in unseen things, calling them “blessed”.
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
John 20:29
This was said to Thomas who had his doubts about Jesus’ resurrection. However when he had seen the wounds in Jesus’ resurrected body he changed mind saying to Jesus: “My Lord and my God.” After Thomas many have experienced that neither sight nor touch have remained as a medium for knowledge of Jesus, only one medium remained: his words properly presented by Jesus’ speedy writers for all ages. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” (John 14:23) Jesus’ words has always been the vessel of information and revelation. Listening to his words is listening to Him.
No Bible Contradiction
No, we should not believe in unseen things.
Worship of angels and visions are forbidden.
Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
Colossians 2:18
Only this verse is given to represent the Bible Contradiction. Instead of believing in all sort of unseen things the critic likes to show here the Biblical opposite: to not “believe in unseen things” as worship of angels, to not take visions as a lead in spiritual matters. However there is no contradiction here, only a right warning for all who want to live with Christ instead of with uncontrolled fictitious ideas.
No Bible Contradictions
See the article Does God have a body?