False Doctrine Of Bible Contradictions

False Doctrine Of Bible Contradictions

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 10, 2026 (Donate)

If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13, NKJV)

Critics often claim that the Bible contains “contradictions”. If even one genuine contradiction existed in Scripture, it would be a serious problem because two contradictory propositions can’t both be true at the same time and in the same sense.

However, alleged Bible contradictions quickly disappear once the passages are carefully examined in their context or with a little research. Furthermore, there is a deeper presuppositional problem for the critic: the critic must borrow the biblical worldview's foundation for reason, truth, knowledge, and specifically, the law of non-contradiction, in order to argue that the Bible is allegedly contradictory! In other words, they must argue that he Bible is true to argue that the Bible isn’t true—hence, the logic dilemma for the unbeliever.

Logic, truth, knowledge, and reasoning are predicated on the truthfulness of God and His Word. Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

What Is A Contradiction?

The law of non-contradiction is a fallacy where something cannot be both A and not-A at the same time and in the same relationship. For example:

"The door is open."

"The door is not open."

If both statements refer to the same door, at the same time, and in the same sense, they contradict one another.

But differences aren’t necessarily contradictions. Matthew 8:28 mentions two demon-possessed men, while Mark 5:2 and Luke 8:27 focus on one. There is no contradiction. If there were two men, there was obviously one man. Mark and Luke simply focus attention on one of them. It is similar with the cock crowing where Mark mentioned two cocks crowing (Mark 14:68-72) and the other gospel accounts (e.g., Matthew 26:34, 26:74-75; Luke 23:34, 22:60; John 13:38, 18:27) mentioned one—if there are two, then there is one. The other gospel accounts focus in on the final one that was the important one. Mark simply gives more detail leading up to it—again, not a contradiction but complimentary.

Many alleged Bible contradictions involve similar mistakes. Critics may overlook context, assume that "one" means "only one," confuse complementary accounts with contradictory accounts, misunderstand ancient customs or figures of speech, or occasionally encounter a translation or manuscript question rather than a contradiction in the original text.

Why Should We Expect The Bible To Be Non-Contradictory?

The Bible reveals that God is the absolute source and ultimate foundation of truth and knowledge because God is the truth. Jesus says God's Word is truth (John 17:17) and He (the Son of God) is the truth (John 14:6). Colossians 2:3 says that in Christ "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." God can’t deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13), and God doesn’t lie (Titus 1:2).

Therefore, genuine contradictions would be contrary to God's nature. The laws of logic aren’t autonomous authorities standing above God that He must obey and submit to. Instead, logical consistency reflects God's perfectly consistent nature and thus are tools by which we can use to examine various matters as well as universe. This is because a logical God created and upholds all things in a logical fashion.

But Here Is The Deeper Problem For The Critic

Suppose an unbeliever says:

"The Bible can’t be true because it contains contradictions."

That statement assumes several things:

1. Truth exists.
2. We can know truth.
3. Laws of logic exist.
4. The law of non-contradiction is universal.
5. Contradictions are necessarily bad or false.
6. Man has reasoning capabilities.

But what worldview accounts for those things? Not the unbeliever’s worldview! The biblical worldview does.

God is eternal, immaterial, universal in His sovereignty, unchanging/invariant in His nature, truthful, and logical. Humans are made in God's image (Genesis 1:27), which explains why we can use reason to understand His creation—even in a sin-cursed and broken world since Genesis 3. Thus, universal, immaterial, invariant laws of logic make sense within the biblical worldview.

A materialistic worldview fails miserably! If reality is ultimately matter in motion and human brains are merely the products of unguided chemical reactions, why should immaterial and universal laws of reasoning exist? And why should someone's particular brain chemistry establish what must logically be true everywhere in the universe? The fact is that truth and logic, and any other immaterial concept can’t exist in the materialistic worldview (e.g., atheism, naturalism, secular humanism, etc.)

Calling logic merely a “human convention” or a “human invention” doesn’t solve the problem either. If people invented logic, another person or culture could invent different logical laws. Yet the materialistic critic doesn’t treat the law of non-contradiction as a personal preference. He assumes that it is universally binding, even when attacking Christianity. If the materialists did think this way, then why not wake up in the morning and intentionally stub your toe on the corner with hopes that today it is going to be great, wonderful, and happy sensation!

I don't suggest trying it! Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

The Critic Must Borrow From The Bible

This exposes the self-defeating nature of the objection. To argue that the Bible is false because it supposedly contradicts itself, the critic must first assume the validity of the law of non-contradiction. But from the presuppositional understanding is that the biblical God is the ultimate basis to provides the necessary foundation for universal laws of logic in the first place.

It is like arguing that air doesn’t exist while using air to speak the argument. The person's argument depends upon the very thing being denied. I would suggest further that other worldviews must "borrow" the preconditions of intelligibility—truth, knowledge, logic, and rationality—from the biblical worldview in order to argue at all.

So, the Christian should certainly examine alleged contradictions carefully and show where the critic has misunderstood the biblical text. But we should also challenge the critic at the worldview level:

By what standard do you know that contradictions are necessarily wrong?

The critic can’t logically attack Scripture without attempting to use logic, truth, knowledge, and rationality. Yet these very things make sense because the God revealed in Scripture exists—whether they profess to believe it or not.

Therefore, alleged Bible contradictions don’t overturn biblical authority. Ironically, the critic must stand on ground supplied by the biblical worldview in order to launch the attack. If the biblical worldview weren’t true, universal and invariant laws of logic would lack a rational foundation (i.e., be self-refuting from the start!). Yet laws of logic are meaningful and necessary.

Thus, the Bible isn’t merely something we test using autonomous human logic. The truth of the biblical worldview is the necessary precondition that makes logical reasoning, truth claims, and the identification of contradictions possible in the first place.

So there are no contradictions in God’s Word since God is the truth and the absolute standard of non-contradiction (I know that’s deep!). For critics to attempt and argument against God and His Word, they must appeal to a lesser authority (i.e., themselves) and thus commit the faulty appeal to authority fallacy right from the start!

From there, they must borrow truth, logic, knowledge, reasoning, and so on just to try to argue against Bible by suggesting there are contradiction in His Word. But upon basic research each of these alleged Bible contradictions wither up and the Bible repeatedly stands true against all opposition.

Whole books have been published refuting the specific instances (I’ve been on some). I would direct your attention to these resources for refutations to pointed alleged contradictions.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

*Image by generative program as requested by Bodie Hodge

 

Denial Of God In The Flesh—A False Doctrine

Denial Of God In The Flesh—A False Doctrine

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 9, 2026 (Donate)

Many cultic groups (e.g., Jehovah’s Witnesses, Islam, Judaism, and Mormonism, etc.) hold positions that the Creator God did not take on flesh and become a man (while remaining fully God). Jehovah’s Witnesses, for instance, hold that instead, a created angel, Michael, took on flesh and became the man Jesus Christ.

The nature of the Babe in a manger is essential; Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

The 66 books of the Bible reveal that salvation is predicated on true identity of Jesus Christ. A person can’t reject the biblical Christ, and then substitute a different Jesus, and still expect true salvation.

God’s Word says that denying that Jesus Christ came in the flesh as a mark of false doctrine and antichrist teaching (1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 7). Thus, they don’t follow the true Christ and don’t have the true Christ. When cultic groups deviate into this false doctrine, they have blatantly denied Christ who is God.

Jesus Christ Came In The Flesh

John gives Christians a straightforward test:

By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (1 John 4:2-3, NKJV).

Simply put, every spirit that doesn’t confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh "is not of God" (1 John 4:3). John identifies this with the spirit of the Antichrist.

This doctrine appears throughout Scripture. The eternal, uncreated Word "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 14). Jesus’ physical body was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Mary (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-35).

Thus, he attained genetic material from Mary as well as via the power of the Holy Spirit. By emptying Himself, He experienced human limitations such as hunger and thirst (Matthew 4:2; John 19:28), suffered physically (1 Peter 2:24), died (1 Corinthians 15:3), but due to His infinite godly attributes, He physically rose from the dead (Luke 24:39). Consider this emptying as described in Philippians:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8, ESV)

As a point of clarification, Christ becoming man and taking on flesh didn’t mean that He ceased or stopped being God. He is fully God and remained so, though He emptied Himself, and also became fully man.

Jesus is Immanuel, meaning "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). Thomas called Jesus “God” directly in John 20:28. Colossians 2:8-9 (NKJV) says,

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.

Jesus is God in the flesh according to Scripture. The biblical Christ is therefore entirely God and became entirely man—your and my relative!

A Different Christ Can’t Save

Salvation doesn’t come merely from believing in someone named Jesus. Salvation comes through the actual Jesus Christ revealed by God.

Paul warned about those preaching another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4). Jesus likewise warned that "false Christs" would arise (Matthew 24:24). The Bible even records one of these false Christs—Bar-Jesus, which means false Jesus in Acts 13:6!

Someone could therefore use the name "Jesus" while believing in a fundamentally different person. A Jesus who is merely a created being, an angel, a spirit pretending to possess flesh, or merely an ordinary man isn’t the Jesus revealed in Scripture.

The Islamic Jesus is just a mere created being who is a prophet (demoting His Godhead); the Mormon Jesus is a man who became one of many gods (polytheism) who is lesser than the universe; those holding to Judaism believe that Jesus isn’t God in the flesh either and denies the Son of God. Consider what the Holy Spirit says about denying and hating the Son:

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:23, NKJV)

"He who hates Me hates My Father also" (John 15:23, NKJV).

It is a serious matter with eternal consequences.

And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:23-24, NKJV).

Acts 4:12 similarly says that salvation is found in no other. Salvation requires the biblical Christ, not a counterfeit or false/bar Christ.

Therefore, a person can’t biblically say, "I worship the true God, but I reject Jesus as God." Rejecting the Son revealed by the Father is totally rejecting the Father.

Why False Christs Negates Salvation

The issue becomes especially clear in 1 John 5:11-12:

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (NKJV)

This isn’t presented as a minor theological disagreement—but an essential one! Eternal life is found in the Son of God who is God in the flesh. Remove the true Son, and the biblical basis for salvation is removed with Him.

2 John gives a warning. Those who deny Jesus Christ coming in the flesh are called deceivers and antichrists (e.g., 2 John 7), and whoever doesn’t abide in the doctrine of Christ doesn’t have God (e.g., 2 John 9). Again, this is serious.

Conclusion

Therefore, according to Scripture, denying Christ's incarnation, deity, or true identity as fully God isn’t simply getting a secondary doctrine wrong—it replaces the biblical Jesus with a false Christ. And a false Christ can’t save.

The biblical confession is that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who truly came in the flesh, died for sins, bodily rose again, and is Lord. To reject this Christ is to reject the Son; to reject the Son is to reject the Father; and to be without the Son is to be without eternal life.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

 *Image by generative program as requested by Bodie Hodge

 

The False Doctrine Of Addition And Subtraction To Scripture

Can Churches Add Or Subtract Scripture?

Beware Of This A False Doctrine

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 2, 2026 (Donate)

I’ve previously discussed the false idea of the “open canon”. That was the idea that the canon of Scripture is still open and alleged new prophets could potentially add new book to the Bible. Now I want to address the greater issue behind this idea—dealing with both alleged additions and subtractions to the Bible—this is still a false idea!

Christians need to be discerning in a culture (and church) that pulls people away from the 66 books of the Bible; Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

Throughout the 66 books of the Bible, God repeatedly warns people not to add to, subtract from, or alter what He has revealed. This principle is important when evaluating alleged prophets, additional Scriptures, new revelations, and modern claims that God is giving inspired messages.

God's Word Mustn’t Be Altered

The warning appears early in Scripture:

·       “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2, NKJV).

·       “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it. “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, “and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’  — which you have not known —  ‘and let us serve them,’ “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 12:32-13:3, NKJV)

·       Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6, NKJV).

The book of Revelation has an especially serious warning concerning it. Anyone adding to "the words of the prophecy of this book" faces God's plagues, while anyone taking away from it faces God's judgment (Revelation 22:18-19). Of course, that is discussing that specific book.

The point is that fallible, sinful man doesn’t have authority to rewrite, add to, “correct”, or remove what God has spoken. For instance, if you hear someone say that a translation corrects the original Greek or Hebrew manuscripts, then that should be an immediate red flag.

False Prophets And New Revelations

Scripture repeatedly warns about people who claim divine authority for words God didn’t give them. God condemned false prophets who said, "He says," when God hadn’t spoken (Jeremiah 23:21, 25-32; Ezekiel 13:6-9). Deuteronomy 18:20 says that a prophet who presumes to speak something in God's name that God hasn’t commanded is a false prophet.

There is a biblical test for anyone claiming to be a prophet. The question isn’t merely, "Does this person sound spiritual, or nice, or learned, or clever, or godly, or kind?" Instead, we must ask whether the person's teaching 100% agrees with God's previous revelation and whether alleged prophecy actually comes from God (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Isaiah 8:20) and does the New Testament expect more?

Paul likewise warns that even if "an angel from heaven" proclaimed a different gospel, that message must be rejected (Galatians 1:8-9). So, the discerning Christian should be aware.

What About Alleged New Prophets?

Any alleged new prophet/prophetess must be evaluated by the same biblical standard as everyone else. Their claims can’t be accepted merely because they claimed new godly revelation, prophetic insight and wisdom, angelic communication, or special interpretation.

In other words, you don’t use alleged new revelation to judge the previous revelation—don’t be deceived into thinking that! You must use previous revelation to judge any alleged new revelation.

Muhammad's later teachings deny basic biblical doctrines concerning the Son of God—this contradicts God’s previous revelation (e.g., unitarian). Joseph Smith introduced additional alleged “scriptures” and “revelations” and taught another conception of God (e.g., polytheism) and then changed thousands of verses in the Bible (JST). Ellen G. White claimed prophetic visions that must likewise be tested rather than assumed to be divine (e.g., vegetarianism, denial of eternal conscious torment in Hell). Charles Taze Russell's teachings associated with the early Watchtower movement rejected essential biblical teachings concerning Christ's identity (e.g., unitarian, etc.) and then changed Bible passages to conform to their new beliefs (NWT).

From the standpoint of the 66 books alone, none have the authority to correct or supersede Scripture. A later messenger who contradicts what God has already revealed can’t be accepted as God's prophet.

Galatians 1:8 is particularly powerful. Even alleged supernatural appearances don’t outrank God's already-revealed gospel. An alleged angel or person bringing another gospel or a denial of it, must be rejected. Remember demonic and satanic influence could be involved…masquerading as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

What About “Modern” Prophecy?

The same principle raises an important question about modern claims such as, "God told me," "The Lord says," or other alleged prophecy in the New Tongues and New Prophecy movement.

If someone claims that God has actually revealed previously unknown words to him or her, then the claim is much more serious than giving advice, preaching, interpreting Scripture, or expressing an impression.

If God actually spoke the words, then those words are “God's words”. Writing them down would then causes a dilemma. If they truly came from God, they possessed divine authority before being written. Biblical prophecy was God's revelation whether spoken or subsequently recorded (2 Peter 1:20-21).

This creates a serious problem for someone claiming prophecy. If a message is genuinely from God, God can’t lie (Titus 1:2), and His words can’t be treated as potentially erroneous human opinions. But if portions of an alleged prophecy are indeed false, don’t come to pass or inconsistent with God’s previous revelation, those portions didn’t originate with the God of truth—and that person is a false prophet and has been deceived!

Scripture therefore commands, "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and we are to test these things against God’s Word (1 John 4:1). Test it against God’s previously revealed Word.

Furthermore, there is another hurdle. Based on the New Testament concept of a now-closed canon, we shouldn’t expect any new revelation.

What About Tongues?

Biblical tongues were miraculous languages gifts given by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4-11). When tongues operated in the church, interpretation was required; otherwise, the speaker was commanded to remain silent (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).

Furthermore, genuine prophecy and tongues weren’t uncontrolled spiritual experiences. "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" (1 Corinthians 14:32), and God required worship to occur "decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40).

If someone claims that an interpreted tongue contains a new message directly from God, the same issue arises as with prophecy: either God said it or He didn’t. If God said it, it is true and authoritative. If God didn’t say it, it mustn’t be attributed to Him.

Subtraction Of Scripture

There is one prominent religion that subtracts Scripture. Judaism. Talmudic (Rabbinic) Judaism developed after the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70 and differs extensively from biblical Christianity. They have entirely subtracted the New Testament and deny all 27 books about the Messiah and Passover Lamb Jesus Christ.

Then they added the alleged traditions of the fathers through commentary notes (and commentary upon commentary) of the Old Testament books of the Bible. This was actually done twice and so, there are two different sets of these commentaries—the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud. Both were written well after the New Testament (first century AD) where these were written over a long period of about AD 200-500.

From a Christian perspective, the problem is one of subtraction and replacement of authority. They have blatantly denied the authority of God in the New Testament. The Old Testament anticipated the Messiah and the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Isaiah 53; Daniel 9:24-27).

Those promises culminate in Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection. This is revealed by God in the New Testament, completing the 66-book biblical canon (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:15-16). The New Testament is 100% consistent with the Old Testament and fulfillment of what the Old Testament looked forward to.

The religion of Judaism, sadly, rejects Jesus as the Messiah and consequently rejects the New Testament as the Word of God. Thus, from the Christian standpoint, 27 inspired books are effectively removed from religious authority in the eyes of those following Judaism.

At the same time, Judaism gives enormous authority to traditions preserved in the Talmuds. These works contain generations of discussion by rabbis (teachers) and interpretation concerning the Hebrew Scriptures, Jewish law, customs, ethics, and religious practice.

Christians can therefore argue that Talmudic Judaism commits two similar errors: it rejects later divine revelation in the New Testament while elevating later rabbinic traditions as authoritative.

Jesus had already warned against allowing human religious tradition to supersede God's written revelation (Mark 7:13, NKJV; see also Matthew 15:3-9). This distinction is important. The Old Testament itself isn’t Talmudic Judaism—this was a later development.

We, as Christians, accepts the Old Testament as God's Word but maintains that its promises and prophecies find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ and are authoritatively explained in the New Testament (Luke 24:25-27, 44-47; Hebrews 1:1-2). In the same way the book of Isaiah was recognized and authoritative Scripture alongside Moses, so the New Testament book stand equally revealed next to the Old Testament books.  

Scripture Is Sufficient

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that Scripture equips the man of God "for every good work." Jude 3 speaks of "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints", thus the Bible is complete and sufficient. Christians are repeatedly directed back to the written Word as their standard (Acts 17:11; Isaiah 8:20).

Therefore, Christians don’t need Muhammad, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze Russell, modern prophets, new “scriptures”, the Talmud, subtracted Scriptures, or additional revelations to complete what God supposedly left unfinished.

The proper response is to receive what God has revealed, test every religious claim by Scripture, reject anything contrary to it, and refuse to place man's words alongside God's Word.

God's revelation isn’t ours to edit, subtract from, or supplement. We are called to believe it, obey it, defend it, and faithfully proclaim it.

Apocryphal Additions?

Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Oriental Orthodox churches grant full scriptural authority to a few books that between the Testaments (when there were no prophets). These writings that Protestants classify as the Apocrypha rather than inspired Scripture.

Roman Catholicism formally affirmed its “new” Old Testament canon at the Council of Trent (1546), including Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1-2 Maccabees, and additions to Esther and Daniel. Catholics formerly call these apocryphal books "deuterocanonical," which meant useful but not Scripture (this was the view of Jerome who translated the Latin Vulgate and was the dominate Catholic view for over 1,000 years). But Rome accepted these old books as canon Scripture as of Trent as a response to the Reformation.

Eastern Orthodoxy generally accepts a broader Old Testament canon, including the Roman Catholic deuterocanonical books and, depending on the Orthodox tradition, additional works such as 1 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and the Prayer of Manasseh.

Oriental Orthodox churches vary considerably. Some, especially the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, possess an even broader canon that includes books such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees.

Thus, each of these add alleged different Scripture! From the 66-book Protestant position (which has been recognized early-on and even in the days of Jerome about AD 400), the issue isn’t merely preserving ancient books for historical or devotional usefulness. These traditions elevated additional writings, that aren’t Scripture, to canonical or scriptural status. Protestants instead distinguish useful ancient literature from the inspired canon, recognizing only the 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books as Scripture.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

*Image by generative program as requested by Bodie Hodge

Prayer To Anyone Other Than God—A False Doctrine

Prayer To Anyone Other Than God—A False Doctrine

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 1, 2026 (Donate)

Throughout the 66 books of the Bible, prayer is consistently directed to God. Prayer to false gods was forbidden and useless anyway since they don’t exist.

Praying to God; Photo requested by Bodie Hodge*

Scripture doesn’t give permission to pray to angels, departed saints, Mary, deceased relatives, or any other created being. Prayer is an act of dependence and worship that belongs to God.

Prayer Is Directed To God

Jesus, who is God, taught His disciples how to pray by saying:

“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, NKJV).

He repeatedly told believers to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:6; John 15:16; 16:23). Christians are also told:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV).

Christ also has an amazing prayer to the Father in John 17. God speaking to God in the persons of God is to be expected and isn’t problem considering the Triune nature of God.

Throughout Scripture, God's people call upon the Lord (Psalm 50:15; 86:6-7; Jeremiah 33:3; Acts 4:24-30). Prayer is never presented as something believers should redirect toward created beings or inanimate objects like wooden or golden idols.

Jesus Christ Is Our Mediator

One of the clearest reasons Christians don’t need heavenly intermediaries is found in 1 Timothy 2:5:

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

Through Jesus we have direct access to the Father (e.g., John 14:6; Ephesians 2:18). The books of Hebrews says we Christians may "come boldly to the throne of grace" through their great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Therefore, we don’t need Mary, saints, angels, or deceased believers to carry their prayers to God. Christ is our Mediator and High Priest.

Prayer To Angels?

You already know the answer to this don’t you! Angels mustn’t receive prayer either. Scripture gives striking examples of angels refusing certain religious things reserved for God alone. When John fell before an angel, the angel immediately responded:

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10, NKJV; see also Revelation 22:8-9).

Angels are servants of God like us, not substitutes for God (Hebrews 1:14). If an angel refuses such religious devotion, Christians certainly shouldn’t direct prayers toward angels.

What About Mary And The Saints?

Mary was greatly blessed and should be respected as the earthly mother of Jesus (e.g., Luke 1:28, 42, 48). But Scripture never commands Christians to pray to her. Mary herself prayed to and worshiped God, calling Him "God my Savior" (Luke 1:46-47). Mary, though favored and rightly so, still needed the blood of Christ to be saved just like we do.

Likewise, Scripture regularly honors faithful believers (though also points out their sins), but never teaches Christians to address prayers to deceased saints. When believers needed prayer, they asked living Christians to pray for them (see: Romans 15:30; Ephesians 6:18-19; James 5:16).

The distinction is important. Asking a living Christian beside you to pray is explicitly biblical. Attempting to communicate with those who have died a physical death is not. The Bible forbids calling upon the dead—which are sinful actions by mediums and spiritists (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Leviticus 20:6; Isaiah 8:19).

Can You Pray To The Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is God. So, praying to the Holy Spirit is praying to God. So rightly, the Bible doesn’t forbid praying to the Holy Spirit. Although the normal biblical pattern is prayer to the Father, through the Son, in/by the Holy Spirit (e.g., Matthew 6:9; John 16:23; Ephesians 2:18, 6:18).

The Holy Spirit is fully God, not a created being (Acts 5:3-4), and is a distinct divine co-eternal Person who speaks, teaches, guides, and can be grieved (e.g., John 14:26; Acts 13:2; Ephesians 4:30). Therefore, there is no biblical reason that addressing Him directly in prayer would be sinful.

Nevertheless, Scripture doesn’t explicitly give examples of prayers addressed directly to the Holy Spirit. Instead, believers ordinarily pray to the Father while relying upon the Spirit, who helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27). In biblical instances, the Holy Spirit spoke directly to men (e.g., Acts 8:28, 10:19, 13:2)

Thus, praying to the Holy Spirit is permissible, but the predominant biblical pattern is prayer to the Father through Christ by the Spirit.

Seeking the Dead Is Condemned

As mentioned, Scripture condemns attempts to seek information or spiritual assistance from the dead. Saul did it and the Lord smote Him for it. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 condemns mediums and those who "call up the dead." Isaiah asks:

And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:19-20, NKJV).

The biblical answer is obvious: God's people should seek God and pray to Him alone.

Conclusion: Prayer Belongs to God

Prayer is a God-given ability to commune directly with Him. He is all-knowing (omniscience) and all-present (omnipresence) and this permits our prayers—even in our silent thoughts, to be heard by God. God knows our thoughts and hearts—we can’t hide them (Psalm 139:1-4; Jeremiah 17:10). He can hear His people wherever they are and respond accordingly.

Scripture never attributes God's omniscience or omnipresence to Mary, departed saints, created being, idols, or angels.

The biblical pattern is therefore straightforward: pray to God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, with the help of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 6:9; John 16:23; Romans 8:26-27; Ephesians 2:18).

Directing prayer toward another being, who isn’t God, introduces an intermediary that Scripture never warrants. Christians already possess something far greater: direct access to God through Jesus Christ.

Prayer should, therefore, be directed to God alone. He alone is worthy of worship, He alone possesses the divine attributes necessary to hear His people everywhere, and He has already provided the one perfect Mediator between God and man: Jesus Christ.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. 

*Image by generative program as requested by Bodie Hodge. 

 

What About Slander, Libel, Gossip And False Accusations?

What About Slander, Libel, Gossip, And False Accusations?

False Personal-Attack Doctrines That Permeate The Church

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 31, 2026 (Donate)

We live in a secularized world where God’s commands are often set aside. As a result, the society at large tends to defy God’s Law and pick and choose their own opinions and whims to which they follow.

It is a sad state of affairs and allows for many terrible things to occur in our culture—you could probably attest to that! But what really gets me is that some of these secular and unchristian like behaviors infiltrate churches and grow freely in these some congregations.

Slander, gossip, and false accusations are sadly entertained in many churches; Photo by Bodie Hodge

This brings me to the sins of gossip, slander, libel, and false accusation. These false doctrines aren’t confined to the secular world. They can—and do—occur among professing Christians, within families, ministries, workplaces, and even churches. When Christians begin treating these sins as acceptable behavior or simply overlooking them, a false doctrine has effectively crept into practice.

The idea that God's commands are being shunned so easily concerning truth, justice, and our neighbor should abhor us as Christians! But instead, slander, gossip, and false accusations are often repeated without so much as hearing what the truth really is.

The Slow Secularization Of The Church

Over the last two centuries, many Western churches have gradually absorbed aspects of secular culture. Biblical authority has sometimes been replaced by man's opinions, popular psychology, evolution and millions of years type of thinking, sexual immorality, theological liberalism, and slowly degrading cultural standards.

The same danger exists regarding how we, as Christians, treat one another. The world's methods of personal attack, rumor, character assassination, selective quotation, and trial by public opinion can and does creep into the church—to our detriment, I might add.

Christians should operate differently—based on Gods infallible and perfect Word. Scripture says:

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16, NKJV).

Truth should matter even when the truth is inconvenient. In any situation where gossip, slander or libel are involved, kindly seek the truth by hearing both sides as God commands (Proverbs 18:17).

What Are Gossip, Libel, And Slander?

Gossip involves spreading private, harmful, unnecessary, or unverified information about another person. Gossip may contain falsehoods, but it can also involve spreading true information that we have no legitimate reason to spread (lack of discretion).

Slander normally refers to harmful false statements spoken about someone. Libel, like slander, traditionally refers to harmful false statements but in this case, it is put into writing or published (e.g., internet, public letters, magazines, newspapers, etc.).

A false accusation is the broader practice of charging someone with wrongdoing that he or she didn’t commit. These sins often overlap. A person hears a rumor, assumes it is true, repeats it to others, adds his own interpretation, and eventually a distorted story can become widely accepted as "fact." Recall, that James warns that the tongue, though small, can cause tremendous destruction (James 3:5-10). The Holy Spirit in the book of Proverbs warns:

An ungodly man digs up evil, And it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends. A violent man entices his neighbor, And leads him in a way that is not good. He winks his eye to devise perverse things; He purses his lips and brings about evil. (Proverbs 16:27-30, NKJV).

Why Are These False Doctrines Wrong Biblically?

God is a "God of truth" (Deuteronomy 32:4). Satan, by contrast, is called "the father of lies" (John 8:44) and "the accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:10).

Christians should, therefore, be extremely cautious about accusations—especially in our secularized culture. Under the Mosaic Law, serious charges required witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). A malicious false witness could receive the penalty he intended to bring upon the innocent person (Deuteronomy 19:16-21). And we saw that enacted by God using the King with Haman in Esther (Romans 13:1).

The New Testament states that accusations shouldn’t be accepted carelessly. Consider, Paul instructing Timothy (and churches at large):

"Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses." (1 Timothy 5:19, NKJV).

Christians should investigate before condemning.

The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. (Proverbs 18:17, NKJV).

Jesus Christ Was Falsely Accused

Our Lord Jesus Christ understands false accusation personally. That was the last straw as to what sent Him to the Cross if you recall.

·       His enemies repeatedly attempted to find accusations against Him (Matthew 12:10; Luke 11:53-54).

·       Some accused Him of casting out demons through Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24).

·       Others falsely portrayed Him as opposing Caesar (Luke 23:2).

During His trial, "the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death" (Matthew 26:59, NKJV). False witnesses were finally brought forward, and His words concerning the Temple were distorted (Matthew 26:60-61)—keep in mind that these were the same evil people that Jesus drove out of the Temple who turned the House of God into a money changing fiasco (John 2:14-21).

Jesus was perfectly innocent, yet false accusations helped send Him to the Cross.

What Can Slander, Libel, And Gossip Do To The Victim?

The consequences of these false allegations can be devastating. False accusations can destroy reputations, friendships, marriages, finances, families, careers, ministries, churches, and businesses. They can cause enormous emotional and financial suffering. 

A particularly cruel feature of slander is that disproving a rumor or false claim is much harder than spreading it. One person can make an accusation in seconds, while the accused may spend years trying to correct the record.

Christians must therefore reject dangerous assumptions that an accusation equals guilt. When we seek the truth and want biblical justice, we have to hear both sides, be discerning, evaluates the reputations of each involved, evaluate the evidence in honestly, and in context.  This helps us distinguish between false or embellished rumors and the truth. We need to be careful not to condemn merely because a story that sounds believable from a single source.   

Why Is It A Heart Problem For The Instigator?

Jesus taught that sinful words ultimately come from a sinful heart:

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”" (Matthew 12:33-37, NKJV).

Gossip and slander may arise from jealousy, bitterness, anger, hatred, revenge, pride, envy, the desire for attention, or an effort to gain power over another person or what they stand for. These are not fruits of the Spirit! Sometimes,  people spread damaging information because it makes them feel important or special or looking for pity. This is why the solution isn’t merely learning to speak more carefully. The heart of the accuser(s) must be brought into submission to Christ. 

Before repeating an accusation, Christians should ask: Do I know this is true? Have I heard both sides? Am I relying on firsthand witnesses or merely repeating hearsay? Is there a motive for this accusation? Is sharing this information necessary? Am I trying to restore someone or destroy someone?

Conclusion

Christians should never imitate a culture that condemns people through rumors, social pressure, or unproven allegations. Gossip, slander, libel, and false accusation contradict the character of the God of the Bible.

When genuine sin occurs, Scripture provides methods for addressing it truthfully and justly such as Matthew 18:15-17 (step-by-step procedure). Also, Galatians 6:1-2 (NKJV) says:

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

But Christians must never manufacture, exaggerate, carelessly repeat accusations, or treat people poorly because of a false accusation.

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25, NKJV).

A church should be committed to biblical authority and the laws of Christ within. And in doing so, we must be committed not merely to defending true doctrine, but also to speaking truth about one another—this is how we show a godly love toward another as Christ commanded.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. 

 

Will There Be More Books Of The Bible? “Open Canon”—A False Doctrine

Will There Be More Books Of The Bible?

“Open Canon”—A False Doctrine

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 27, 2026 (Donate)

For 2,000 years, the canon of Scripture has been closed. Yet, many alleged prophets pop up in history trying to add to Scripture as if God’s Word isn’t complete or sufficient. Inevitably, these “new prophets” take people in different direction than the Bible. Of course this is a problem.

A few alleged "Holy Books"; Photo by Bodie Hodge

But this brings me to the issue behind why people do this. It is an underlying belief that the canon of Scripture is still open to be added to (called an “open canon”). More technically, an "open canon" is the belief that God's canon of inspired Scripture isn’t complete and that additional writings or revelations can still be added with the same divine authority as biblical Scripture.

In contrast, a closed canon recognizes the 66 books of the Bible as the completed written Word of God and rejects later claims to additional inspired Scripture.

Why Is An Open Canon A Problem?

The issue isn’t whether God is capable of revealing more. God is sovereign, all powerful, and all-knowing and can do whatever is consistent with His will and nature. The question is whether Scripture gives Christians a reason to expect continuing additions to the Bible.

When we start with the Bible that has already been revealed, we expect a completed revelation centered upon Christ and delivered through His authorized Apostles and prophets. Let’s look at the passages.

The Faith Was Delivered

The book of Jude is one of the last books of the Bible (by chronology) and is written after 2 Peter, showing the fulfillment of much what Peter predicting in 2 Peter 2-3. Jude 3 tells Christians to:

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (NKJV)

Christianity is presented as a body of truth already delivered, not an unfinished faith awaiting new doctrines from later prophets. Hebrews 1:1-2 similarly contrasts God's former revelation through the prophets with His climactic revelation through His Son:

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds. (NKJV)

Jesus then commanded His Apostles to record His teaching and the Holy Spirit would help them (John 14:26; 16:13). The early church "continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine" (Acts 2:42). The Bible describes the church as:

“having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:20-22, NKJV)

A foundation is laid once, and then the structure is built upon it. The church isn’t described as repeatedly receiving new foundations through new generations of Apostles and prophets.

The Apostles also possessed unique qualifications. They were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1), and Christ gave them particular authority to establish His church. The Holy Spirit through Paul indicated that prophecy was indeed coming to an end

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10, NKJV)

Adding To God's Revelation Is Serious

Scripture repeatedly warns against tampering with God's Word:

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2).

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6).

Revelation 22:18-19 concludes with another severe warning against adding to or taking away from "the words of the prophecy of this book." These passages apply directly to their respective revelations, but together they show an important biblical principle—man has no authority to supplement what God has revealed.

But it gets even more serious when read God’s civil punishment. The punishment in the Law of Moses for a false prophet was death. God states in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 states:

 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, “and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’  — which you have not known —  ‘and let us serve them,’ “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

“You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. “But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, NKJV)

Consider also:

‘But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ “And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’  —  “when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22, NKJV)

What About Alleged New Prophets And Alleged New Scriptures?

An open canon potentially provides an avenue for later figures to claim, "God has given me additional Scripture." Of course, previous revelation must be used to judge any later revelation as Moses instructed.

So simply put, the Mosaic principle is that any alleged new revelation from God can’t contradict previous revelation from God. Signs, wonders, prophetic claims, or religious authority don’t supersede what God has already revealed.

This principle continues in the New Testament. Paul says that even an angel from heaven must be rejected if he proclaims a gospel contrary to the one already delivered (Galatians 1:8-9; cf. Isaiah 8:20; Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1). Keep in mind that Paul defends Jesus and the Gospel using the Old Testament—which was previously revealed (e.g., Acts 18:28).

In other words, previously divine revelation is the authoritative standard by which subsequent claims of revelation are tested. This is relevant to alleged later revelations associated with Muhammad, Joseph Smith, Papal proclamations, Apocryphal additions, Charles Taze Russell, and others. How do their claim stand up against the Bible? They fail. Thus, they are not Scripture.

Their claims can’t simply be added to Scripture. They must first survive Scripture's tests for revelation (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:20-22; Isaiah 8:20; Galatians 1:8-9). They must be 100% consistent with previous Revelation. But it is like this with anyone claiming an open canon today.

Conclusion: Scripture Is Sufficient

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says Scripture is God-breathed and able to make the man of God, "complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

If Scripture thoroughly equips God's people, Christians don’t require an expanding collection of new inspired books to complete their faith. Any additional adds nothing!

An open canon is therefore dangerous because it leaves the door open for man's fallible words to be elevated to God's authority—and deceive others into those new false beliefs. Sadly, we’ve seen it over and over again throughout history with many false prophets.

Biblically, Christians should remain anchored to the prophetic and apostolic revelation God has already given in the 66 books of the Bible, testing every teaching by Scripture rather than continually entertaining the idea that there is an expanding Scripture to accommodate new revelations.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

 

Are There Many Paths To God?

Are There Many Paths To God?

A False Doctrine With Eternal Consequences

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 26, 2026 (Donate)

With sadness, there are far too many people who think there are many ways that lead to God and salvation. What they don’t realize is that God utterly disagrees with them. God is the Judge and if someone has trodden down a false path, it can be dangerous eternally.

The idea that there are many paths to God (e.g., salvation, heaven, paradise) isn’t compatible with the 66 books of God’s revealed Word—which is the absolute authority on the subject. Scripture doesn't present Christianity as one religious option among many.

Pondering; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Instead, the Bible teaches that there is one true God, one true Christ, one gospel, and one way of salvation. This has serious consequences not only for non-Christian religions, but also for churches that redefine Jesus or teach that people can be saved through other religions or other paths.

There Is Only One True God

The Bible begins with one Creator: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). God later declares, "I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me" (Isaiah 45:5; see also Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; 44:6).

Therefore, contradictory religions can’t all be different roads to the same God. If one religion teaches one God, another many gods, another that everything is divine, and another that no personal Creator exists, these claims can’t all be true.

Paul makes this distinction between true and false worship in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6. There may be many things "called gods," but for Christians there is "one God, the Father" and "one Lord Jesus Christ."

Jesus Isn't “One Way” Among Many

Jesus made one of Scripture's clearest statements about salvation:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6, NKJV).

Jesus did not say He was "a way." He is "the way." Nor did He say some people could reach the Father through Him while others arrived through another religion. Jesus also said,

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.(John 10:9, NKJV).

The Holy Spirit through Peter affirms:

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, NKJV).

1 Timothy 2:5 (NKJV) likewise says there is "one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."

The biblical teaching is exclusive because salvation itself is found exclusively in Christ. You need to understand why—it is the infinite and eternal nature of the punishment and the infinite and eternal nature of He who could take that punishment on our behalf.

Why Other Religions Can't Save?

Man's fundamental problem is sin (Genesis 3, Romans 3:23). The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23), and good works can’t erase guilt before God (Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:8-9). We deserve a righteous punishment form an infinite and eternal being!

Therefore, mankind doesn't simply need religious sincerity, morality, rituals, meditation, sacrifices, or good intentions. We need a Savior. Jesus, who is the infinite and eternal God, alone satisfies our need. He bore our sins upon the Cross (1 Peter 2:24), died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3) taking the punishment we deserve on Himself, and then He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:4).

Religions that reject Christ's deity, incarnation, atoning death, resurrection, or exclusive saving authority necessarily reject the biblical means of salvation. The Bible says:

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:23, NKJV)

Sincerity doesn't make a false belief true. Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV) warns,

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

But What If Someone Believes in "Jesus"?

Simply using the name "Jesus" isn't enough. Scripture warns about false versions of Christ. Counterfeits if you will. In many cases, these are sinful corruptions from the mind of man or from Satan or spiritually demonic influences.

Paul warned that people could preach "another Jesus whom we haven't preached" and "a different gospel" (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6-9). Many deviate from the Christ of Scripture thinking they are following God but the reality is that they have been deceived. The Bible reveals:

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14, NAS)

A non-biblical idea of Jesus who is merely a “created being”, an “angel”, “one god among many gods”, merely a “prophet”, or merely a “good moral teacher” isn't the Jesus revealed in Scripture.

The biblical Jesus is the eternal Word, who is God and became flesh (John 1:1-3, 14). He is "God with us", Mighty God, or Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Matthew 1:23), the Son who shares the Father's divine honor (John 5:23), and the One in whom "dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9).

What About Churches Teaching Many Paths?

This issue (common in churches like the universalist movement) becomes particularly serious when a professing Christian church teaches that Jesus is merely one path among many. I’ve met people like this!

Such a church is contradicting Jesus' own teaching. If salvation can be obtained through another religion without Christ, then Jesus' statement in John 14:6 is false, Peter's proclamation in Acts 4:12 is false, and the apostles' missionary work becomes unnecessary.

Peter and John at the empty tomb from a discontinued exhibit from the Creation Museum; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Why preach the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:19-20)? Why tell people to repent and believe (Mark 1:15)? Why did Paul endure persecution to preach Christ (2 Corinthians 11:23-28)? Why send missionaries at all if people already possess acceptable alternative paths to God?

Religious pluralism [as this is called] undermines the Great Commission because it removes the necessity of conversion to Christ. It’s simply another attack on Jesus Christ and His Word.

A False Gospel Can't Save

Paul treated corruption of the gospel seriously! In Galatians 1:8-9, he, by the power of the Holy Spirit, says that even if an apostle or "an angel from heaven" preached another gospel, that messenger was to be rejected.

This means churches don't possess authority to broaden or change or add to or subtract God's terms of salvation in order to accommodate modern secular, cultural, or social ideals. Jesus warned that people could call Him "Lord, Lord" while never truly belonging to Him (Matthew 7:21-23). This should be something we should all take to heart. Religious profession or the idea that “I’m spiritual” by itself is embarrassingly insufficient before God—only through Christ is one saved.

The question isn't merely whether someone “believes something” about Jesus. The question is whether that person's faith rests in the true Christ and true gospel revealed in Scripture.

Why This Matters Eternally

When it comes to salvation, there are two roads: the broad way "leads to destruction," while the narrow way "leads to life" (Matthew 7:13-14). John 3:36 (NKJV) states the eternal consequences:

"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

The biblical response to other religions should, therefore, not be hatred, coercion, or arrogance. Christians are commanded to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), give answers with "meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15), and proclaim the gospel to everyone (Mark 16:15). After all, we too needed to learn and grow in that same grace and proper understanding of who Christ is and what He did.

There aren't “many paths to God” because there aren't “many saviors”. There is one God, and one Savior. Jesus Christ isn't one option among many. He is the only Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), the only Savior, and the only way to the Father. A religion or church that falsely substitutes another path, another Jesus, or another gospel doesn't provide an alternative form of biblical salvation—but has been deceived themselves.

It’s an error—a crucial error! According to Scripture, these false views direct people away from the only One through whom salvation is found—the Lord Jesus Christ. It's time to get back to the Christ of Scripture and if you've been caught up in false views or thinking there are many paths to God without Jesus, I want to encourage you to challenge that false view and humbly repent before God. 

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.