Increasing the coherence of your model of Christ

The coherence of your model is a question of how consistent and complete it is. Increasing the coherence of your model will require behavior that directly contradicts the training of most religious people. Religious people tend to develop a strong tendency to turn away from any apparent inconsistencies or contradictions they might find in scripture. This tendency is so strong that, for many, they don’t even notice themselves doing it. They are taught that questioning their current beliefs is a sign of a lack of faith, when the reality is quite the opposite.

Apparent inconsistencies or contradictions are invitations to discover and correct limits in your beliefs. A considerable portion of the length and significance of the Lord’s teaching in the gospels was given in response to clarifying questions asked to him. And yet, on so many occasions, Jesus’ contemporaries failed to ask him about things he said or did that they were unsure about or perplexed by.¹ It’s sad to think of how much more we might have if they had the faith to ask him.

You ought to vigorously pester God with sincere questions whenever you encounter anything in scripture or life that:

• You do not understand.
• You could not explain to another, including those with very different intellectual capabilities or experiential backgrounds.
• Seems like something God would not do.
• Seems to be anything but the greatest possible expression of perfect love.

For example, most Christians struggle to reconcile God’s qualities of justice and mercy. Can you explain how he resolves the conflict between them? As another related example, the Christian world struggles to reconcile the God of the Old Testament and God of the New; can you reconcile the two without violating the principle that God doesn’t change?²

Instead of avoiding apparent inconsistencies and contradictions, you should seek them out! Not only will you vastly improve the accuracy and extent of your beliefs, you will also increase your confidence in them and your ability to convincingly explain them to those who do not have the faith that you have exercised by searching out and addressing apparent inconsistencies and contradictions.