A 10‑Part Series on Difficult Texts and Deeper Faith
When you read the Bible carefully, it often seems to say two different things at once. To many readers, these feel like contradictions, but throughout the centuries, Christians have seen them as paradoxes—two truths that create tension from our perspective, yet fit together in God’s wisdom. This series explores ten of the best‑known biblical paradoxes and shows how grappling with them can deepen our faith, sharpen our thinking, and help us read hard passages with greater confidence.
Use this page as your guide to the series. Click each title to read the full article.
1. God’s Sovereignty vs. Human Free Will
Is everything ordained—or do my choices really matter?
The Bible affirms both that God is fully in control and that our decisions are real and significant. This paradox invites us to trust God’s rule without treating our choices as meaningless. Seeing this tension more clearly helps us live responsibly while resting in God’s wise and loving purposes.
2. Salvation by Faith vs. Judgment by Works
Paul says “faith alone”; James says “not by faith alone.” Who’s right?
Scripture insists that we are saved by faith and also that our works matter and will be evaluated. The paradox lies in how faith and works relate without cancelling each other out. Understanding this better guards us from both empty belief and anxious striving.
3. God’s Love for All vs. Election and Reprobation
If God desires all to be saved, why does the Bible speak of “the elect”?
The Bible proclaims God’s love for the world while also speaking of His choosing and of real judgment. The paradox is how God’s universal love and His particular purposes fit together. Seeing this more clearly can protect us from thinking of God as either weakly sentimental or coldly arbitrary.
4. Already Saved vs. Not Yet Saved
The Bible says you are, are being, and will be saved. Which is it?
Scripture describes salvation as something that has happened, is happening, and will happen. The paradox is that we live between what God has already done and what He has not yet finished. Grasping this tension helps us avoid both complacency and despair in the Christian life.
5. Jesus: Fully God and Fully Human
How can one person be truly God and truly man at the same time?
The New Testament presents Jesus as truly divine and truly human, not half of each. The paradox is how these two complete realities coexist in one person without mixing or separating. Seeing this more clearly strengthens our confidence that Jesus can truly reveal God and truly stand with us.
6. The Trinity: One God in Three Persons
Is believing in Father, Son, and Spirit really believing in one God?
Christians confess one God while also speaking of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as distinct and fully divine. The paradox is how God can be both one and three without contradiction. Understanding this more deeply keeps our worship both truly monotheistic and truly centered on Christ and the Spirit.
7. “Be Perfect” vs. Universal Sinfulness
Why does Jesus command perfection if everyone is sinful?
The Bible calls us to perfection while clearly teaching that all people sin and fall short. The paradox is why God commands what we seem unable to fully achieve. Seeing this tension more clearly helps us take holiness seriously while clinging to grace.
8. Dead to Sin vs. Still Struggling with Sin
If I’m a “new creation,” why do old battles persist?
Believers are described as dead to sin and made new, yet also as still fighting powerful temptations and failures. The paradox lies in how a new identity coexists with ongoing struggle. Understanding this better can free us from both denial about sin and despair over our weakness.
9. Pray Boldly vs. “Thy Will Be Done”
Should we ask God for exactly what we want—or hold back?
The Bible urges us to ask confidently and specifically while also submitting to God’s will above our own. The paradox is how bold request and humble surrender can exist in the same prayer. Seeing this more clearly strengthens both our honesty with God and our trust in His wisdom.
10. Peace and Joy vs. Suffering and Lament
How can Christians rejoice always and still weep and question God?
Scripture promises deep peace and joy, yet also gives space for grief, questions, and lament. The paradox is how rejoicing and sorrow can be real at the same time. Understanding this helps us pursue a resilient faith that neither denies pain nor lets it have the final word.
