Expert: Eric Christy - 9/17/2007

Question
I was just wondering why exactly you call yourself a christian, or a believer in the word rather, if you are trying to disproove the word by saying it has error. If the word had an error than where would the questioning stop? If you cannot believe one part, or more appropiately in your case I think, just not understand it, then how can you believe the rest? Do you see in order for our message to be true, the whole entirety of the bible must be. I assure you Satan's power is none compared to that of a true believer, for Christ's power has saved them, but I tell you his power over the non believer, or the misguided believer can be great, so be very careful with the twists of the scripture that you have come to admire, and if you have a question concerning this message and its purpose, which is not out of hate (although perhaps a bit peturbed because it is not good to twist the scripture of the word of OUR god! and this is something I feel very strongly about) but in fact out of love for a fellow believer, who is in obvious need of a rebuking, I tell you there is an eternal hell, and a pit, and God on Judgement day shall judge all according to their deeds, thoughts, intentions, hearts and every idle word and every word in general that they speak. He will throw all unworthy of heaven, and all who do not believe in Him. If you have missed this part I wonder what else you have missed.
You are loved greatly, but this message you have put out to the public is greatly rebuked, and greatly unappreciated.

Answer
Hi Jesuit,

I appreciate your heartfelt concern for my spiritual welfare. It shows in the fervor in your message to me. I like it that you challenge my position on this issue of whether there are errors in the bible. As you know, I state that the bible does have errors, here and there. Proving the bible has errors is an easy thing to do. If you wish that I prove them for you, state so in your reply to me.

Now, the more important question is whether the bible having errors destroys the bible's credibility as being God's Word. Here were God's options when He decided to give humanity His written Word:

1). God could have decided to do all the writing and copying of the text down through the centuries Himself, and using angels to give the copies to the rabbis, priests, and laymen as needed. This would guarantee that errors would not creep into the text, but it would also guarantee that God would have to do all the copying of the text and this He obviously chose not to do.
2). God could dictate to man His Word and then leave it up man to do all the copying down through the centuries. This would leave the task of copying to man, not God. So, this is what God decided to do. He virtually guaranteed that errors would creep into the text, sooner or later, because He let man do the copying. And, we didn't disappoint Him. We came through!

Okay, so either God does all the work Himself, or He leaves it to man. He left it to man, and we have a bible that is remarkable consistent, but still contains errors, here and there. No big deal. Errors are to be expected and they do exist. The question we now need to ask is how to correct the errors? Do we excise the passages we find errors in, or do we put our God-given brains together and with prayer and humility seek to solve the errors? I believe that since God knew that giving man the job of copying down through the ages would guarantee errors would creep into the text, He is much less bothered by them, than we are. What's more important to God is that we know what is TRUE about the bible, and what is not true. I'd call it spiritual intelligence coupled with honest humility. It's the TRUTH that matters to God, and it also matters to me.

Now about Jesus the Savior. He is the Savior. There is no other means of gaining salvation, than through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. There is no other name, given among men, that can save us, but the name of Jesus Christ. And regarding my previous statements about hell, I now believe that hell is exactly as the bible describes it, eternal punishment and horrific torment. I was wrong to believe that hell is anything but that. Hell is eternal HORROR!

So, don't worry about my salvation. I'm safely in the loving arms of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Fortunately, heaven is eternal joy. Both heaven and hell are eternal (Matthew 25:46), there's no escaping that. I will be interested though in how God justifies an eternal hell. He never did so in scripture, but I'm sure He will when we ask Him in heaven. But since I believe that God does not make mistakes, He will clearly explain why an eternal hell is the best of all options in regard to what to do with the lost souls and lost angels. Why He doesn't give them a second chance, but expects us to make the right choices here on earth is still a mystery to me, considering what's at STAKE(!), but Father knows best. I will, however, task Him to give me a sound rationale for it. And I fully believe that is what God would want from His children. Mindless obedience to God is as distasteful to Him as willful rebellion. God wants mature sons and daughters, which requires that we can think, we can ask, and we can expect answers from our heavenly Father. He would have no other way.

Eric