For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Is the law of God perfect?
Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
Yes
“The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7)
No
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, to the extent that He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been free of fault, no circumstances would have been sought for a second.” (Hebrews 8:6-7)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
- When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction. A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time. To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
- One should be skeptical of whether this is a Bible contradiction given the website’s track record of inaccurate handling of biblical passages. See the many examples of their error we have responded to here in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions. Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this post, which is what the remainder of the post will do. But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages the Skeptic Annotated Bible cited and see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
- The skeptic tries to pit Psalm 19:7 which he claim asserts “The Law of God is perfect” against Hebrews 8:6-7 which the skeptic think is telling us “The Law of God is not perfect.”
- The skeptic interpreted Psalm 19:7 correctly, that it does show the Law of God to be perfect. The word translated “perfect” from the Hebrew is תָּמִים and most of the time it is translated elsewhere as blameless; see Genesis 17:1 as an example. Exodus 12:5 uses this term to talk about the need for male sheep or goat that is without blemish, so we see the semantic domain of the term include the idea translated as “perfect” in the sense of without blemish.
- The skeptic misinterpreted Hebrews 8:6-7 as telling us “The Law of God is not perfect.”
- It does not talk about the law in this passage.
- The two things being contrasted in this passage is not the Law, but two covenants, specifically the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant.
- The New Covenant is not against the Law since in the context after our passage Hebrews 8:10 it quotes the Old Testament to say that through the New Covenant (see v.8) God says “I will put My laws into their minds, And write them on their hearts.“
- The argument is that there is a better covenant coming (the New Covenant) and the issue is not the problem with the Law or even the Covenant themselves but man’s sinfulness require something deeper to help man.
- There is no contradiction here. Seems the skeptic needs to learn of How to Handle Bible Contradictions.
- We shouldn’t miss that worldviews are at play even with the skeptic’s objection to Christianity. The worldview of the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible actually doesn’t even allow for such a thing as the law of non-contradiction to be meaningful and intelligible. In other words for him to try to disprove the Bible by pointing out that there’s a Bible contradiction doesn’t even make sense within his own worldview. Check out our post “Skeptic Annotated Bible Author’s Self-Defeating Worldview.”
Wow! Talk about making things up. “It does not talk about the law in this passage.”
Blessings.
Indeed it is so crazy! The skeptic Steve Wells totally miss this one, by a super long shot!
Good point showing that there is no contradiction between those verses:
“The two things being contrasted in this passage is not the Law, but two covenants, specifically the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant.”
Thanks for reading this
Amen․🦋AMEN 💕 AMEN 🙏🙏🙏💯💯💯💖️❤️❤️․
Thanks for reading this!!
Thanks for thoroughly refuting this alleged contradiction. Once again Steve/Stephen Wells demonstrates his lack of intellectual rigor. Good thing I wasn’t eating lunch at the time I read his arguments because I guffawed with gusto.
Oh man you made a point there with the last sentence! What did you eat for lunch??
After I was done reading posts I had a Zweigle’s white hot dog. That’s my go-to lunch if I don’t have anything else.
What was lunch for you today?
Excellent work as always brother Jimmy! If he is going to talk about the Bible, he should represent it and the positions of Christians accurately. It would be fantastic to see you and Steve Wells debate.
Anti-theism presupposes theism.
Mr. Wells does not like to have too much about himself out there. His bio shows he is active at a local university. Which one? What is/(are) his degree(s) in? If his academic work is like this stuff, I’m sure it would be an abysmal piece of work. Right now, he does not have any credibility except the sycophants who are god-haters.
The depth of their depravity and hypocrisy are evident. These people malign and blaspheme God (e.g. Drunk with Blood) and yet they are swimming in the blood of children in the womb. They are the culture of death. His is just another opening for those on the broad path leading to destruction.
Here is an atheist YouTube channel that has some interviews with him you might want to check out brother Jimmy!
https://www.youtube.com/@FriendlyAtheist1/search?query=steve%20wells
Wow thanks for this link! In the past I saw there’s not a lot of videos out there from him and I’m surprised this is a newer interview! Were you able to watch it? I’ll have to get to it this weekend..
Not yet but will this weekend too. Listening to Dr. Bahnsen and this up and coming guy Jimmy. 🤪
Finished vol 2 of RST and now starting vol 3 on the Spirit and Salvation. At the same time working through Murray’s commentary on Romans.
I feel like I should know what is RST. What is it? Lol
My apologies. Reformed Systematic Theology.
Btw…totally respect the way you were teaching members of the church textual criticism and transmission. Not a lot of churches do that at all. Extremely unfortunate as the kids are sitting ducks when they go to secular university and to the likes of Bart Ehrman.
Also, you are a great role model for younger ministers on how to teach and deal with multi-general members all at once.
God bless you brother Jimmy! 😀✝️✝️✝️📖
Lol wow I’m honored
Great work, once again. The problem with these persons who are trying to find contradiction is that their carnal mind can not discern the spiritual things of God.
You are right about their problem that is the root to these problematic Bible interpretation. Thanks sister for reading this!!!
The non-believer does not consider Christ as the living law. Both Covenants are under the law, which is perfect and points to Jesus, who is perfect.
Good point Vincent, good point. Thanks for commenting, always good to see you on here!
Thank you!!
[…] Is the law of God perfect? […]
Great answers
I gotta think the skeptics are silly if they bring this up in conversation
One have to laugh at how ridiculous their slanders are
What an absolute farce by the skeptic.
Agreed; you gotta wonder how Steve Wells don’t blush or be embarrassed posting these…crazy huh?
The skeptic in my opinion, actually makes a case for Jesus being who He says He is without meaning to in his use of Hebrews 8:6-7.
Thank you for sharing another thoughtful discussion. In His divine wisdom, our perfect God sought to use His perfect Son as the only perfect bridge between the Old and New Covenants.
Thanks for reading this!!!
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