SOLUTIONS TO BIBLE “ERRORS”
https://defendinginerrancy.com/bible-difficulties/
Select from the OT to the NT for resolutions. Our faith may not be taken into account because these are evangelicals but so far I see this as a great resource.
And now for some "golden bowl" counsel to remain in the middle of the road, safety first.
We read in Great Controversy, page 397: "The spirit of error will lead us from the truth, and the Spirit of God will lead us into truth. But, say you, a man may be in an error, and think he has the truth. What then? We answer, The Spirit and word agree. If a man judges himself by the word of God, and finds a perfect harmony through the whole word, then he must believe he has the truth; but if he finds the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with the whole tenor of God's law or book, then let him walk carefully, lest he be caught in the snare of the devil."—1SR:13.2
The most common cause of doctrinal confusion among Bible students lies in their so very frequently failing to view a subject in full perspective from the writer's point of view,—a failing which results in their seeing it from some foreign standpoint so narrowing their view that instead of gaining the writer's idea on the subject, they gain a false idea on it. And if the idea be to their liking, they magnify and zealously promote it as truth, whereas if it be not to their liking, they vigorously oppose it, and then lay it to the responsibility of the writer!—3Tr:103.2
Never is it right to interpret any scripture isolated from its context, for to do so is automatically to do violence to its meaning.—3Tr:111.3
Moreover, whatever interpretation we may place on any statement in reference to any truth, must be in harmony with every OTHER statement on the subject.—3SC1:11.1
…But the position of those who know the truth, and who all speak the same thing, will be in harmony with EVERY inspired statement on the subject.—2SC12:7.2
If only one of these applications could be right, then which one should we choose? ________ When the questioner harmoniously unifies the above scattered periods to which Malachi 3:1 is applied, then "The Shepherd's Rod" will prove to him to be in perfect harmony with "The Great Controversy" and "Gospel Workers." Though one statement seems to contradict the other, yet we are compelled to conclude that every one of these inspired applications must be correct. Says the great apostle, "Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That Thou mightest be justified in Thy sayings, and mightest overcome when Thou art judged." (Rom. 3:3, 4.) {1SC4:5.1}
The trouble does not lie in the statements themselves, but rather in man's limited knowledge of the truth therein, which proves that we are in the period of the Laodiceans,—"wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." But the worst part of it all lies in that the Lord is saying to the church of today, "Thou knowest not" your great ignorance in not understanding rightly the Word of truth, and she does not believe Him! The apparent contradictions being discussed in this article are harmonized…—1SC4:5.1, 2
Those who entertain the idea that there is only one sifting, and only first fruits, will never be able to harmonize every statement of the Bible and of the Spirit of Prophecy, for while their idea may perfectly harmonize in one instance, it will not in another. But the position of those who know the truth, and who all speak the same thing, will be in harmony with every inspired statement on the subject.—2SC12:7.2
…Let us remember always to observe the inviolable rule that an interpretation of one inspired statement must harmonize with all other related statements. {3An:41.3}
Some who are anxious to risk Present Truth on the weight of what one inspired statement seems to say or imply, are thereby presumptuously or very ignorantly overlooking the "weight of evidence." Others are doing this through shortsightedness, while still others are doing it to prop up certain cherished ideas of their own.—3An:41.3, 4
When those who love the truth study any doctrinal subject, they never, in trying to harmonize their private opinions with a scripture in point, leave the scripture so interpreted as to contradict either other portions of the Bible or the position of constituted authority, but rather they forsake their opinions.—3Tr:113.2
If we cannot harmonize any one particular statement with the foregoing facts, we would then be better off to be out of harmony with the one than to disregard all the other statements, none of which we can controvert. Either the word, "second," in the "Desire of Ages" is misprinted, or the sentence is not correctly understood.—3SC1:9.8
Inspiration makes very clear that the Lord's messenger dare not in any way improvise upon revelation (Rev. 22:18-20) although often privileged to articulate it in his own words. Judged by the same standard, no one else dare meddle with the inspired writer's work. This rational sequence consistently concludes that when a point in one's writings is not clear, then only the writer himself should be consulted concerning it, if he is living. Otherwise, only the same Spirit of Inspiration, the
Vol. 8 Symbolic Code Nos. 1-12 3
original author of the writings, can clarify whatever is involved.…—8SC1-12:3.12
The final advice I would like to leave with you all is in the following passages:
Some of our brethren wish to know the position we hold on the message in the "Rod." The question is, Do we allow mistakes in it, or do we hold that the contents in the "Rod" are unquestionable? This we answer as follows: Analysis proves that truth has never come at any time by the power and wisdom of men, but by the Spirit of God through instruments of His own choice. Said Jesus, "When the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into ALL truth." If we should believe the words of the Master, then we must conclude that the "Rod" contains either ALL truth or there is NO truth in it, save the quotations of truth. Therefore, if we admit one truth revealed by the "Rod," then we must accept it ALL. If God has been able to guide His servants in the past into ALL truth, He is able now. Therefore, we take the position that the message in the "Rod" is free from error in so far as the ideas put forth are concerned.—1SC8:1.5
There is but one way of knowing that we are being led, by Christ our Lord, in the straight path to the pearly gates, and that is, by neither adding to nor taking from the Word of Truth, but by carefully following in the way of light, going not a step ahead of it, lingering not a step behind it, nor walking along its side-edges, but by following right in the middle of the road. Hence, let not your zeal for progress drive you ahead of the light and make you to walk in the darkness; neither let your caution against running too far ahead cause you to drop back and lag behind; nor yet let carelessness verge you toward the edges. Stay in the center of the road, where the light shines the brightest. Do not follow ideas which stand upon implications, upon enlargements, upon diminishings, of the meaning of authoritative statements. Says Christ: "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life." (Rev. 22:18, 19.) {3SC3,4:13.4}
Extremists never walk in the blaze of the light, but are always found ahead of it, and those who are passive invariably walk far behind it, while the careless and the indifferent stray to the edges. But those who are the true children of light never vary a step left or right, front or back from the brightest spot of the Christian's narrow road.…—3SC3,4:13.4, 6
…The excellence of truth is more clearly seen from every successive point from which it may be viewed. Error requires disguise and concealment. It clothes itself in angel robes, and every manifestation of its real character lessens its chance of success....—1SC7:5.8
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