RECONCILING SEEMING CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE If you did not know that there were two different programs of God in the Bible, and that God is working in accordance with only one of them ( The dispensation of the grace of God), the Bible would be a very confusing book. Let us take a look at some of these seemingly contradictions. Acts 1 v 5: For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” pay very close attention to the words “baptized with”. Who was the baptizer on the day of pentecost? The Lord Jesus Himself. Mark 1 v 8: I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Let us now contrast the prophetic kingdom gospel with the gospel of the grace of God which was revealed to the Apostle Paul for the Gentiles. 1 Corinthians 12 v 13: For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Under grace, we are not baptized with the Holy Spirit but by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. The role has been reversed, hence we have the one baptism found in Ephesians 4 v 5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism. So those who say that at the time of salvation they were baptized with the Holy Spirit and this is the reason why they speak with tongues, as well as being baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, and then they follow up salvation with water baptism. Do you see how far we have drifted from the one baptism done by the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation? Galatians 2 v 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. What does James have to say about this? James 2 v 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect. 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? What's Paul's response. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Romans 4 1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: James justification by faith plus works and Paul's justification by faith alone, is one of the major doctrinal stumbling blocks within the body of Christ, because most Christians do not rightly divide. It is not a matter of who is right or who is wrong, it has to be viewed from a dispensational position. James was not writing in the the dispensation of grace to Gentile Christians, he was writing to the 12 tribes scattered abroad – James 1 v 1: James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: James perceived this new dispensation that the Lord Jesus revealed to the Apostle Paul at the Jerusalem council. We read about this in Galatians chapter 2: 1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
Understanding Paul's distinct apostleship and message as well as the temporary setting aside of the earthly prophetic kingdom program due to Israel's unbelief and rejection of Christ is the key to understanding the word of God rightly divided. At the Jerusalem council, Peter, James and John perceived, they saw through the illumination of the Spirit that the Lord Jesus had given a new message and program to Paul for the Gentiles, that was very different from what they were preaching. They were preaching Christ as the Messiah of Israel, they had to believe that He was the Son of God, and be water baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. The Apostle Paul never preached Christ in this manner. He preached the death of Christ for our sins, His burial and resurrection as the foundation of faith leading to salvation. I am deeply troubled by Pastors and Bible Teachers who spend a considerable amount of time studying the word and somehow have not yet come to see that there are two different programs of God in the new testament and only one is in operation today, the dispensation of the grace of God. Do not allow the traditions and commandments of men to blind you. You have a lot more to give an account of, and if you mislead your congregation because of fame and the fear of men, you will suffer much loss. Preach the word rightly divided no matter the cost.