Previously we discussed the concept of seeming contradictions. We would like to take this idea a step further because it is crucial to the changing of Christian thinking concerning the relationship of God's grace to righteous behavior.

Remember, in resolving these seeming contradictions we are not speaking of balance. We think balance has more to do with the diet fed the sheep, that is, we are not to harp continually on one aspect of salvation such as Divine love, or Divine wrath. Faithful pastors and teachers attempt to provide a balanced diet. For example the attention given today to the "rapture" teaching is far out of balance in terms of the little emphasis given it in the New Testament.

The problem with the application of balance is that "balance" can be used to dilute truth. We cannot dilute the perfection of the Divinity of Christ with the perfection of His humanity in an attempt to balance these two aspects of His Nature. We intend to discuss balance in a minute.

Neither are we, when referring to the resolving of the faith-works controversy, speaking of the possibility of "earning salvation." We cannot earn a salvation that is being offered freely by the Lord and has been paid for by the blood of Christ.

Rather we are speaking of something quite different, and that is the correct manner of determining Divine truth when seemingly contradictory statements are made by the writers of the Scriptures.

Here are a few of the seeming contradictions found in the passages of the Scriptures:

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Jesus does not bring peace but a sword.

Believers are not judged. Believers are judged.

God gives us mercy. We shall reap what we sow.

We have been elected according to the foreknowledge of God. We are to labor to make our calling and election sure.

Prostitutes enter the Kingdom. The works of the flesh cannot enter the Kingdom.

We are justified by the gift of grace apart from any works of righteousness. We are exhorted to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

How are we to approach these seeming contradictions?

We shall present two incorrect and destructive ways, and then the three components of the correct way.

After this we shall select one seeming contradiction, the one involving the gift of God versus the necessity for righteous behavior, and show how the incorrect way of approaching this particular seeming contradiction has tended to destroy the churches of America and is preventing the depth of repentance and moral change God is demanding in the last part of the twentieth century.

The first incorrect way of approaching a seeming contradiction is to accept the one part of the seeming contradiction and to ignore the other. The part we have accepted then becomes an axiom. It is unassailable truth from which conclusions are drawn. If a seemingly contradictory idea is suggested by any passage of Scripture it is discarded or else treated in some manner that renders it incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.

This is, of course, what we have done in the case of the truth that salvation in Christ is a gift from God, and with its seeming opposite, the believers are commanded to live a godly life.

The second incorrect way of approaching a seeming contradiction is to develop a compromise that waters down each position. A good example of this is the adding of parts of the Law of Moses, such as the Sabbath day, to the Christian salvation. The Law of Moses is not rigorously observed and salvation has strings clinging to it.

To be continued.