"The Bible is Full of Lies and Contradictions." __(An atheist's observation)

An atheist (Blogger name: Caveman 73) commenting on Ray Comfort's blog, said:

"[T]he bible ... is a very tough read... So many contradictions and lies. "

My response:

Yep. Starts right about here:

"And the serpent said unto the woman, 'Ye shall not surely die':" [1]

...is expanded upon right about here:

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." [2]

...and ends right about here:

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." [3]

After that, a new era begins:

"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." [4]

[1] Gen. 3:4; [2] John 8:44-45; [3] Rev. 21:8; [4] Rev. 21:27

The Believer's High Esteem of Jesus Christ

"Christ is never rightly conceived of, nor commended, but where other things come down, vanish and disappear, when compared with him; 'Whom have I in heaven but thee? and I desire none on earth beside thee,' saith the Psalmist, Psalm 70:25, as having full satisfaction, and all that can be wished for in Him."

___James Durham

The Epiphany, or The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles

_________________________

"We have seen his star in the east,
and have come to worship him."

The Collect

O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious God-head; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle

Ephesians iii. 1.
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
   ²If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
   ³How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
   ⁴Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
   ⁵Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
   ⁶That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
   ⁷Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
   ⁸Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
   ⁹And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
   ¹⁰To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
   ¹¹According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
   ¹²In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

---

The Gospel

St. Matthew ii. 1.   ¹Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
   ²Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
   ³When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
   ⁴And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
   ⁵And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
   ⁶And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
   ⁷Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
   ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
   ⁹When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
   ¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
   ¹¹And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
   ¹²And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

The Circumcision of Christ

The Collect

ALMIGHTY God, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man; Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit; that, our hearts, and all our members, being mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts, we may in all things obey thy blessed will; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle

Rom iv. 8.
   Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
   ⁹Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
   ¹⁰How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
   ¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
   ¹²And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
   ¹³For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
   ¹⁴For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

---

The Gospel

St. Luke ii. 15
   And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
   ¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
   ¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
   ¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
   ¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
   ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
   ²¹And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The Sunday after Christmas-day

_________

The Collect

ALMIGHTY God,who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.



The Epistle

Gal. iv. 1.
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
   ²But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
   ³Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
   ⁴But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
   ⁵To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
   ⁶And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
   ⁷Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Gospel

St. Matt. i. 18.
NOW the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
   ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
   ²⁰But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
   ²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
   ²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
   ²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
   ²⁴Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
   ²⁵And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.