God Does Not Contradict Himself 

My wife’s recent interaction with our cable provider reinforced the notorious reputation such businesses have for making it difficult for their customers to make changes in their service. First my wife explored our options online and attempted to handle the matter herself on the company’s website. However, after several mixed messages we were left uncertain whether the desired transaction had been completed or not. The next day, she spoke to a representative in person at their local store. There she was presented with totally different information from what she had received from the website. Finally, she chatted with another person online, ending up with a resolution, but one that was still different from the previous ones we had been given. It is confusing and frustrating when different sources from the same company are telling you different things.

Thankfully, the Lord is consistent and unchanging when it comes to truth. Although we do have different sources of divine revelation, they all faithfully coincide and support one another. The original manuscripts of the Bible are a unique, divinely-inspired, authoritative revelation of God’s will. However, Jesus – the Son of God and the express image of His Father – states that He did not come to destroy God’s Word but to fulfill it. Nothing He said or did contradicted that written revelation. Additionally, we as believers have the Holy Spirit to teach us and to guide us into all truth. Nevertheless, the Spirit will not ever direct us to do anything that goes against what Jesus taught or the commands given to us in the Bible. Sometimes there may seem to be contradictions due to our not having a clear understanding of God’s Word or of the actions of Jesus. Or we might mistake our own thoughts or feelings for the voice or promptings of the Holy Spirit. But we can be confident that God and His faithful representatives do not mislead us, make mistakes, or contradict one another. If God, His Word, or the Holy Spirit tell us something, we can believe it.

Unfortunately, there are fallible humans who profess to be representatives of God who may, unintentionally or purposefully, misguide us about God and His will. In some cases, they will discredit some of these divine sources, such as ignoring some of Jesus’ words or actions that don’t fit their agenda, or claiming that the Bible is a manmade document full of errors and outdated ideas, or ignoring any idea of a Spirit from God living in us and speaking to us. Or they pit one of these sources against another, giving more prominence to whichever one goes along best with their own ideas. While God doesn’t contradict Himself, there are those who misrepresent Him who can confuse and mislead people.

How do we know whom to listen to? Prayerfully read and study God’s Word yourself. Know it well so that you can recognize the counterfeit versions when they show up. Look at what Jesus said and did. Don’t readily accept somebody else’s idea of what Jesus would say or do today. Get to know Him and His will yourself. And learn to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit from all the other voices vying for your attention, including your own. The more we listen and yield to Him, the easier it will be for us to recognize His voice.

Let’s not be too quick to accept what someone says simply because they claim to represent God. Test the spirits to see if they truly are of God. God will not contradict Himself, whether through His Word, His Son, the Holy Spirit, or any other reliable source of revelation. He is not a cable company representative. He is the God of truth we can count on.