:The contrasting texts in the exercise above all appear to '''[[Contradiction|contradict]]''', ''absolutely''—but only when the consistent tradition of the interpretation of the body of Christ, the church, the "mind of Christ" handed down from the time of the apostles, is rejected, in favor of independent, individualist interpretations formulated (a) according to the unguided intellect of [[Ignorance|ignorant]] Bible readers concentrating on the apparently "simple, plain and obvious meaning of the words" of the text, or (b) according to scholarly theologians, and researchers who have divorced themselves from the past and are standing apart from the whole community of the body of Christ, by isolating passages of scripture, even whole books of scripture, from the context of the Bible as a whole. [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A11-16&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 2:11-16 "we have the mind of Christ"]. [https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Sirach%203%3A24 "Their own opinion has misled many" Sirach 3:24] (see [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A16-17&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 3:16-17] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A19-2%3A1&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 1:19–2:1]).
:[[Specious reasoning|Speciously apparent]] contradictions in the biblical text have been seen as a willing pretext, or (unfortunately) an ''unwilling'', pretext , or opportunity for [[apostasy]] from the faith. Many have been so [[scandal]]ized by what they think are inconsistencies in the Bible that they have decided that Christian belief is [[Logical fallacy|wrong]]ly founded on [[falsehood]]s and [[myth]]s without any basis in reality and therefore cannot be true (''"so why should we believe it?"''). The majority of [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologists]] could easily cite the parable of the sower of the seed, and the meaning of "[[Satan]]" as "accuser, faultfinder", the [[Devil]], "the birds of the air" taking away the word ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13%3A18-30&version=RSVCE Matthew 13:18-30]). There are Christians who place their faith solely in Christ and the truth of the Bible alone without relying on the Church or any scholarly research (''[[sola spiritu]]''), and there are Christians who place their faith in Christ and the Church alone without feeling the necessity of relying solely on understanding the truth of the Bible to confirm their faith. There are also those [[Hypocrites|hypocritical individuals]] who are comfortable in being [[Christian In Name Only|nominal believers]] for whom doctrine is simply a casual matter of [[opinion]] and [[indifference]], like those careless individuals who are [[Cafeteria Catholic|Catholic in name only]], Christians who believe the Bible does not actually need to be true, who see no need for debate over its meaning, content to be "reasonably moral citizens" who go to church when it is convenient, who pray from time to time when it occurs to them, and are untroubled by apparent inconsistencies and contradictions. They indirectly support the [[Social Gospel|social gospel]] without being [[Activism|activists]] and implicitly accept a vague and indefinite form of [[preterism]]. The simple faith of those untroubled by "contradictions" rests on the belief that ultimately all mysteries will be revealed in heaven. [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+131&version=RSVCE Psalm 131]. Compare [[Eternal security (salvation)]].
:Those whose faith dismisses, even strenuously resists, on ''doctrinal principle'', all appeals to supportive arguments based on reasonable logic and scholarly research outside of the Bible, in defense of the reasonable truth of Christianity, are said to have "blind faith". They are presented by liberal [[Skepticism|skeptics]] as evidence of the "ignorant stupidity" of Christian belief ([[Nutpicking]]). But the adherents of "blind faith" Christianity represent only a small minority among Christian believers in the truth of the Bible and the claims of the Christian faith of the apostles. They have been misled ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A29&version=RSVCE Matthew 22:29]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A24&version=RSVCE Mark 12:24]). They claim to know the Bible, but they do not know the Bible. They utterly ignore (''disobey, don't believe'') the scripture that says, "'''and ''be'' ready always to ''give'' an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you'''" ([https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/1Peter%203%3A15 1 Peter 3:15]). They stand on the simple, uncomplicated truth that all scripture is inspired of God for training in righteousness that the "man of God" may be complete, equipped for every good work ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A16-17&version=RSVCE 2 Timothy 3:16-17]). It is enough for them to read it. But in their unconscious pride of being "plain and simple" believers, "unlike those who have been misled by academically trained intellectuals who ''[[ipso facto]]'' heed deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils" ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+4%3A1&version=RSVCE 1 Timothy 4:1]), they are unaware of the very real danger of the possibility that, being deliberately ignorant, they can unintentionally "wrest" (twist) the scriptures to their own destruction ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A16-17&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 3:16-17]). When confronted with what seem to be apparently contradictory inconsistencies in the Bible, and not knowing how to answer, and finally believing that there is no answer (because they have no confidence in the intelligent scholarship and research of academics and theologians with university degrees, and thus are self-deprived of the possibility of having any recourse to informed, knowledgeable insights and answers in defense of the truth), they may lose their faith and fall away ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+6%3A4-8&version=RSVCE Hebrews 6:4-8]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A23-31&version=RSVCE 10:23-31]). Satan has gained advantage over them because they have been kept ignorant of his designs by their own ignorant teachers who in many cases are perhaps not at fault, and are [[Invincible ignorance|innocent]], having been themselves ignorantly taught by their own teachers whom they trusted ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+15%3A14&version=RSVCE Matthew 15:14];[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+2%3A11&version=RSVCE 2 Corinthians 2:11]). But if they truly desire to know the truth, God will not abandon them, and he will bring them to Himself ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A7-11&version=RSVCE Matthew 7:7-11]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A24-28&version=RSVCE Acts 18:24-28]). See [[Invincible ignorance]].