Christians, which do you believe?

Question

Ecclesiastes 1:4 says that the earth will last forever; II Peter 3:10 says that it won't.

Genesis 6:19 tells us that God ordered Noah to take one pair of each animal into the ark. Genesis 7:2 tells us that God ordered Noah to take seven of every clean beast and two of every unclean beast.

Exodus 20:5 says that God will punish a child for his father's sin (see also Jeremiah 16:10-11); but Ezekiel 18:20 says he won't.

II Samuel 24:1 says that the Lord incited David to take a census of Israel; I Chronicles 21:1 says that Satan incited David to take a census of Israel.

Genesis 10:5 says that at that particular point in history, different peoples had different languages; Genesis 11:1, just a few verses down, says that there was only one language in the world.

So far, we have dodging the question, a baseless claim that they're reconcilable, and a baseless claim that I'm taking them out of context.

Is it just me, or do you guys play the context card without ever bothering, to oh, I don't know... EXPLAIN WHY YOU DON'T THINK IT'S IN CONTEXT?

Answer 1

You had to know that they'll tell you that you've taken those verses out of context. I know you haven't, but they'll lie through their teeth to defend a completely fallible bible.

Answer 2

1) Solomon is saying that people live and die and it doesn't really affect the world. It has nothing to do with the eventual fate of the world.
2) Noah took one breeding pair into the ark, and 5 extra "clean animals" to eat, but they didn't neccesarily survive the entire trip.
3)"Visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children" is not the same as "punishing the children for their father's sins". Ex 20:5 is referring to the generational results of sin (if your father is a drunkard you (2nd generation) probably will have emotional scars that will affect the 3rd and 4th generation). However, as Peter says, you won't burn in hell because of anything your parents did.
4) I think these were different censuses. At least they seemed to come up with different numbers (II Sam 24:9And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. and I Chron 21:5And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.)
5) Genesis 10 is a geneiology (sp?) and a long view history of Isreal, whereas Genesis 11 is a story of a specific incident early in that history.
I still believe the whole Bible. Next time, challenge me will ya?

Answer 3

About the first one the world will last forever but is reborn when the kingdom of God comes upon it so it is no longer the earth as we have known it. The second one is usually taking two of every kind. The sins of a parent affect the child for his entire life but the childs choices are his and will only be judged for his sins on judgement day not his ansesters before him. It is the devil. Samuel II 24:1 was written when many people thought that evil things came from God which is why that term is used. Originaly there was only one language the sons of Noah slowly developed their own language just like there are many languages that have dirived from latin. The tower of bable is just a story that is told mainly to explain this. The people were trying to be God so he made it so that they would no longer understand each other. Keep in mind that the Bible was written by many different authors and at different times before they were assembled into the books they are today. The authors had different styles of writting which is why it seems like they are saying different things when they are actually saying the same thing.

Answer 4

Point 1: The earth will last forever, because God rebuilds it after he destroys it. He builds a new earth and new heavens.

Point 2: Seven is a greater number than two, therefore if you take seven you are also taking two.

Point 3: Your parent's sins can effect you, but you are not held accountable for them.

Point 4: God can use many things to accomplish something, including Satan.

Point 5: Genesis 10 is post flood, it talks about Noah's decendants, Genesis 11 is preflood, it talks about the plane of Shinar and the tower of Babel.

Answer 5

I will be honest with you. I only looked up the first verse to know what I would think of the rest of your listing.

This is, sadly typical, the worst kind of eisegesis and poor contextual use of scripture. This type of bad logic and use of the word of God is the reason why Christians find these types of questions tedious and boring.

Now to the verse: ESV Ecclesiastes 1:4 - A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

I mean, c'mon man. Obviously this verse is in context to the entire chapter is apocalyptic literature, and specifically dealing with unbelieving Israel's problems. God is contrasting the transient nature of man in his pride to the continual beauty of His creation. The verse is not saying the Earth will exist in space and time forever .....

I find these "contradictory" scriptures 99% to be as poorly thought out as this one. I will not bother with the rest of them because honestly this bores me.

Please come back with legitimate issues, not this straw man argumentation that is pointless.

Ath

Answer 6

I believe that any fool can take a verse here and a verse there and make it say what they want.

You have to read those passages in context, and compare them to the Bible as a whole.

You are reaching with those, you really are.

Answer 7

I believe all of it. you can just choose two verses and compare them duhhhhh, you have to get ALL the facts

when you read all the surrounding verses THEN think about askin this question

Answer 8

I feel an explanation for you to read everything to consider the whole will fall useless and deaf ears.

Answer 9

My favorite verse is the one that says "and the wicked shall not understand".

Answer 10

I believing in Jesus Christ the son of God, who died for or sins!