<\/p>\n
In this series many controversial issues, such as: Can God be found? Do humans have free will? When was the Holy Ghost given? Does God ever lie? Does God love everyone?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
176. <\/strong><\/span>How long did the flood last?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> The flood lasted 150 days.<\/span> (Genesis 7:24, 8:3) <\/p>\n 177. <\/strong><\/span>Did everyone (except Noah and his family) die in the flood?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> No, some survived. <\/span>(Genesis 6:4, Numbers 13:33) <\/p>\n 178. <\/strong><\/span>Will the righteous flourish?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> The righteous will perish.<\/span> (Isaiah 57:1) <\/p>\n 179. <\/strong><\/span>Which flying creeping things may we eat?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> Some may be eaten.<\/span> (Leviticus 11:21-23) <\/p>\n 180. <\/strong><\/span>Is it OK to call someone a fool?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> It’s not OK to call someone a fool.<\/span> (Matthew 5:22) <\/p>\n 181. <\/strong><\/span>Is it good to be foolish?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> It is not good to be foolish.<\/span> (Psalm 5:5, Ephesians 5:15) <\/p>\n 182. <\/strong><\/span>Who forces non-believers to disbelieve?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> Satan<\/span> (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) <\/p>\n 183. <\/strong><\/span>How many Philistine foreskins did David buy his first wife with?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> 200<\/span> (1 Samuel 18:27) <\/p>\n 184. <\/strong><\/span>Does God forgive sins?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> No<\/span> (Joshua 24:19) <\/p>\n 185. <\/span><\/strong>How many generations from Jesus to Abraham?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> 41<\/span> (Matthew 1:2-16) <\/p>\n 186. <\/strong><\/span>Can God be found?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> God will not be found by those who seek Him.<\/span> (Psalm 18: 41, Proverbs 1:28, Lamentations 3:8, 3:44, Luke 13:24) <\/p>\n 187. <\/span><\/strong>From what were the fowls created?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> From the ground<\/span> (Genesis 2:19) <\/p>\n 188. <\/strong><\/span>Do humans have free will?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> Yes<\/span> (Deuteronomy 30:19, Joshua 24:15) No<\/span> (Jeremiah 10:23 and many references) <\/p>\n 189. <\/strong><\/span>Were the disciples frightened or gladdened when they saw Jesus?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> They were gladdened.<\/span> (John 20:20) <\/p>\n 190. <\/span><\/strong>Does God ever get furious?<\/strong><\/span><\/a> God is often (always?) furious.<\/span> (Isaiah 34:2, Jeremiah 21:5, 30:23, Micah 5:15, Nahum 1:2, Zechariah 8:2) <\/p>\n
\n\tThe flood lasted 40 days.<\/span> (Genesis 7:17)
\n\tRight<\/strong>. The word ‘mabul’ (flood) is used here for the forty days of heavy rain and the rising of the water.<\/p>\n
\n\tRight<\/strong>. The word ‘mabul’ (flood) is used here in a broader sense: the covering of the earth by water from the beginning to the end. (Genesis 10:32) <\/em>“…and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.” <\/em>The two meanings of the word ‘mabul’ (flood) are fully acceptable.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tYes, everything died except for those on the ark.<\/span> (Genesis 7:21-23)
\n\tRight<\/strong>. Of course many animals living in water also could survive.<\/p>\n
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. The critic suggests that the giants of which is spoken in Numbers 13:33 belong to the same family of the giants of Genesis 6:4. There is no evidence in the entire Bible for this assumption. So the contradiction is based on an assumption of the critic, nothing more. Certainly we have to do with a variation of extremely great people, that could develop under circumstances before and after the flood but which do not extend anymore.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tThe righteous will flourish.<\/span> (Psalm 92:12)
\n\tRight<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
\n\tWrong.<\/strong> It is not said that the righteous will not flourish, but that they live in a period that their death is not mourned: “The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil …” <\/em>Here is spoken about righteous men who end their flourishing lives harmless; the point is that a society not mourning about them shows its true nature: not being interested in righteousness at all. That is not promising-looking for a nation. "It is a sign that God intends war when He calls home his ambassadors." (Matthew Henry)
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tAll are unclean and may not be eaten.<\/span> (Deuteronomy 14:19)
\n\tRight<\/strong>. “all flying creeping things” were forbidden in the Jewish lifestyle.<\/p>\n
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. All flying creeping things are forbidden. The flying creeping and jumping things<\/strong> were not forbidden: locusts. The critic didn’t realize that there is not the classification “flying creeping things”, with a subclass “locusts”. Leviticus is speaking of two coordinated classes.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tIt’s OK to call someone a fool.<\/span> (Psalm 14:1, 53:1, Proverbs 28:26, Matthew 23:17,19, Luke 11:40, 24:25, Romans 1:21-22, 1 Corinthians 15:36, Galatians 3:1)
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. It is not OK. In all the referred cases there is spoken in a general way. E.g. <\/em>“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” <\/em>We don’t see here a personal accusation, neither in any other of the referred texts.<\/p>\n
\n\tRight<\/strong>. “…and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
\n\tIt is forbidden to directly speak to someone “Fool”, or ‘You fool!”.<\/em>
\n\tRead the article<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tIt is good to be foolish.<\/span> (1 Corinthians 1:21, 3:18, 4:10)
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. Here is spoken not spoken about foolishness in general, but about the foolishness of the Gospel for the world. That is Christ died and is risen from the dead for us. It is seen as foolishness. E.g. “Stupid that God died.” And: “Why did he die, if he arose three days later?” And if so: “How does it affect me?” The world doesn’t know how God’s grace can work even today through these acts and so the world sees them as foolishness. However where people see it at work, it will always compel admiration and respect.<\/p>\n
\n\tRight<\/strong>. Christianity brings wisdom and rejects foolishness. Where Christianity doesn’t bring wisdom it is self-contradictory and ready for extinction.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tGod<\/span> (John 12:40, 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. God doesn’t bring disbelief which is the result that people don’t believe in God. That is not said here. But people that have already rejected him are hit by God with “spiritual blindness” or “strong delusion”.
\n\tRemark<\/strong>. God is not actually doing so to punish them severely. No, people are now without God, wandering in darkness through the Fall of Mankind. The lack of God’s existence in someone’s life brings misfortune and unhappiness.<\/p>\n
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. Even Satan doesn’t force people to disbelieve. There is only one who is responsible for not believing, that is the not-believing individual. Here also Satan has his share in the misfortune of non-believers <\/em>“the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them”.
\n\tRemark<\/strong>. “Spiritual blindness” is not the same as “blindness of mind”. Spiritual blindness stands for the inability to fully experience spiritual things. Blindness of mind is related to the inability to explore fully one’s intellectual capacities, often due to egocentrism.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\t100<\/span> (2 Samuel 3:14)
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. The number of 100 was Saul’s proposal that David accepted.<\/p>\n
\n\tRight<\/strong>. The number of 200 was the actual number David brought to Saul.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tYes<\/span> (2 Chronicles 7:14)
\n\tRight<\/strong>. This verse makes clear: if people turn to God and seek forgiveness, they will be forgiven.<\/p>\n
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. The critic forgot to quote also the next verse that makes everything clear. <\/em>“If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.” <\/em>(Joshua 24:20) Indeed when people turn from God they don’t ask for forgiveness.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\t42<\/span> (Matthew 1:17)
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. <\/em>The number 42 is not mentioned in the text of Matthew, but the critic has added three series of 14 generations: (1) from Abraham to David, (2) from David to until the carrying away to Babylon, (3) from the carrying away to Babylon unto Christ. But by doing so he has added David twice (one too many).<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tRight<\/strong>. All the names from Abraham to and including Jesus are 41.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tGod will be found by those who seek Him.<\/span> (Proverbs 2:3-5, 8:17, Matthew 7:8, Luke 11:9-10.)
\n\tRight<\/strong>. When they seek with all their heart<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. <\/em>God will not be found by those who seek with a divided heart<\/em>. E.g. by asking things that God can’t do or give, as it is against his Word; or unwillingly to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. In general: <\/em>“He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” (Proverb 28:9)
\n\t– <\/em>The occasions of Lamentations (3:8, 44) refer to the depressive mind of the prophet who feel helpless as if he is without God, but then he reminds: <\/em>“<\/strong>The LORD’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (3:22-23) <\/em>Significant is his reference that ‘they are new every morning<\/span>’, as the morning seems a difficult moment for the depressed mind, the transition from night to daytime is easier to overcome by seeking the Lord in prayer.<\/em>
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tFrom waters<\/span> (Genesis 1:20-21)
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. <\/em>The KJV has: “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that have life, …” The modern (and more accurate) translation is: “Let the waters teem<\/strong> with<\/strong> swarms of living creatures, …” <\/em>(NASB) <\/em>The Hebrew has here: ‘sjaraz’ (swarm, teem) and not ‘barah’ (create, Genesis 1:1), nor’ jaza’ (bring forth Genesis 1:24).<\/p>\n
\n\tRight<\/strong>. <\/em>“Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, …”
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tRemark<\/strong>. All theologians accept that man has a free will in many matters, but in several matters there is no free will. I am free to choose my style in clothing, or whether I go by train or by car. Every human being is submitted to a universal moral law and often we don’t obey to that. The question is not only “Do Humans have free will?” (The answer is “Yes”). But a question equally important is: “Are Humans always able to use their free will properly?” (The answer is “No, they are not!” through sin.)<\/p>\n
\n\tPartly right<\/strong>. <\/em>“…I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, …” (Deuteronomy 30:19) Apparently there is a free will. But by hearing the words of God the listener is brought in a position of grace and by that he is able to choose for life. God’s word gives the listener the power to use his free will properly.<\/p>\n
\n\tPartly right. <\/em><\/strong>All the quoted texts refer to special aspects of the above painted picture of the free will that is limited by the moral law, e.g.:
\n\t– <\/em>Jeremiah 10:23: “Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.” Jeremiah refers to practical limitations reducing human possibilities. But God is able to open ways that are closed.
\n\t– <\/em>Acts 13:48, Romans 8:29-30, 9:11-22, Ephesians 1:4-5, 2 Timothy 1:9. <\/em>These texts are particularly connected with what is called the doctrine of predestination and they require a special discussion. <\/em>See the article<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tThey were frightened when they saw him.<\/span> (Luke 24:37)
\n\tRight<\/strong>. <\/em>At first they were frightened when they didn’t recognise him.<\/p>\n
\n\tRight<\/strong>. <\/em>Later when they had recognised him, they were glad.<\/em>
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\tGod never gets furious.<\/span> (Isaiah 27:4)
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. <\/em>God can become furious when he sees unrighteousness. However being furious is not God’s character<\/em>, it is not God’s nature – so to say – as Isaiah said about him: “Fury is not in me.” <\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tWrong<\/strong>. <\/em>All the instances refer to all sorts of unrighteousness and God’s furious reaction on them. And that’s logical. What if a government wouldn’t react on transgressions of the laws of the State? That would be unacceptable. This is true all the more if God’s unwritten moral law in every human being becomes subject of transgression, how will He react? He will certainly stand against the transgressors.
\n\tNo Contradiction<\/span><\/p>\n