For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Should we bear each other’s burdens?
Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
No
“For each one will bear his own load.” (Galatians 6:5)
Yes
“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
(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 here tries to pit Galatians 6:5 which the skeptic claimed is teaching “We should not bear each other’s burdens” against Galatians 6:2 which the skeptic claimed is teaching “We should bear each other’s burdens.”
- The skeptic accurately cited Galatians 6:2 as teaching “We should bear each other’s burdens.”
- Logically speaking to contradict Galatians 6:2 which again teaches “We should bear each other’s burdens” the proposition would be either “We should not bear each other’s burdens” or “We should only bear each other’s burdens.”
- The skeptic misinterpreted Galatians 6:5 which he thinks is making the claim “We should not bear each other’s burdens.” Galatians 6:5 is actually telling us to “We should bear our own burden.” That’s not the same thing as saying we should not bear each other’s burden.
- Logically speaking to contradict Galatians 6:5 which again teaches “We should bear our own burden” the proposition would be either “We should not bear our own burden” or “We should only bear each other’s burdens.”
- The claims “We should bear each other’s burden” in Galatians 6:2 and “We should bear our own burden” in Galatians 6:5 are not mutually exclusive, as indicated by point 5 and 7.
- When I think of these verses I think about the analogy from my Marine Corps days. We are to carry our own pack. However when someone is hurt or drop something, we carry their packs and do not leave gear and equipment behind. They are not contradictory commands that are logically impossible to follow.
- 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.”
I appreciate your thorough debunking of this ludicrous attempt to rack up another fallacious contradiction. Steve/Stephen Wells’ rationale here is less than juvenile.
Thanks for reading this. I think this alleged contradiction from Steve Wells is quite juvenile and childish indeed. I mean seriously…its really silly! Thanks for reading this. I haven’t prayed for my posts lately but just prayed God uses this one and the other Bible contradiction posts; and I also prayed for God to use your posts especially your series responding to Catholic apologetics. Let us pray for God’s will be done amen?
Thanks for your prayer and I prayed for your posts! Yup, it’s the Holy Spirit Who opens eyes and hearts.
Good point that they are not logically contradictory as propositions. There is a balance going on here (rather than a contradiction) between bearing our own burdens and helping others to bear theirs. The GotQuestions site addresses this balance well in their answer on bearing one another’s burdens.
Glad to hear GotQuestions has a good piece on the balance of bearing burdens, with regard to one another’s. Thanks for telling me that! That is not always easy to find the balance and I’m sure its helpful to many such as yourself to remember it and to tell me about it!
[…] Should we bear each other’s burdens? […]
Great refutation. If you read the whole paragraph, it is clear it is not a contradiction. Thanks for continuing to tackle these.
Shalom!
Good point! The paragraph as a whole as the context shows this is not a contradiction
Thanks always…we shake our heads but should never forget many are held captive by the strategic lies and deceit of the enemy…may the Lord continue to use you as a beacon of Light!
So true it is what the enemy is doing that people are blinded and think this is a real contradiction with the Bible! Thanks for your encouraging comment and point. I hope to read your blog tonight and listen to things when I study! Been hectic with ministry and missions matter lately! Blessings to you sister, I hope you are doing well?
Glory to God! Thanks for serving our God in so many ways…all is well!
Atheists be all upset if you show it’s not a contradiction!
I hope atheists read this and own up to their mistake
I hope for that too. Thanks brother (or sister) for reading this!
This is so lazy on the part of Wells. I will say no more as I will go on a rant!
Yeah it’s so lazy and crazy! How are you?
Good, how are y’all?!
The Skeptic may lead some astray which is not good while driving others into a deeper dive into His Word and closer to Jesus.
Indeed some will go deeper in the Word and drawn closer to Him. That I pray for. Pray with me for that. I emailed you back too btw just saw that tonight
I agree with you in that Prayer.
Thank you, I will check the email and reply.
Those that genuinely seek the truth should see through these skeptics attack
They should.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
THE YESES HAVE IT!
[…] 4.) Bible Contradiction? Should we bear each other’s burdens? […]
Your answers on this and other contradictions has been helpful to me
Thanks thank you for reading this. How did you find our posts?
From searching 100 Bible contradictions. An apologetics group on Facebook said to google it since the second one is ironically very good
Great answers and great comments good job you all
Atheists don’t have much to say here. None showed up
Yep. To use the language of gangsters, none of them pulled up
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