One of the arguments against Christianity is the conflicting interpretations of the Bible within the church itself. They reason that if Christians cannot agree on what the Bible means why should they even bother trying to figure it out. It seems a fair question but actually reveals an intellectual dishonesty common among non-believers. People disagree on just about everything. Should disagreement keep us from engaging in those areas? If doctors disagree on a particular method of treatment should the patient decide against treatment all together? Wouldn’t such disagreement motivate them to seek the best option?

Have the differences in biblical interpretation among denominations and religions ever bothered you? How are we to think about the inevitable doctrinal conflicts that often rise within the Christian church? What you need to know is that the Bible itself addresses this issue. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. We should expect unbelievers to misinterpret scripture.

Just because a person is called a biblical scholar doesn’t mean they should be considered an authority on its meaning. I’ve listened to some of these experts, such as Bart Ehrman, and it's clear that they do not believe the Bible, and they’re antagonistic toward it. Most every one of these non-believing biblical scholars possesses an anti-supernatural bias. They don’t believe Jesus was born of a virgin, nor do they believe in his bodily resurrection. We should not be surprised by this. Our Lord warned that false prophets would arise and deceive many (see Matthew 24:11).

2. There is great consensus on major doctrines.

Should you ever hear someone bemoan all the disagreements within Christianity, be sure to ask them which disagreements they mean. As Robert Plummer writes in his excellent work on biblical interpretation, “We must be certain that we are considering real cases of disagreement and not vague notions of incongruity.” In reality, there is great doctrinal consensus within the evangelical faith. Any real disagreement concerns matters of secondary importance.

Christians may differ on issues such as the method of baptism, divorce, liturgy, Christian liberty, and even eschatological questions. But when it comes to the fundamentals of the faith, there is incredible unity. Luther, in recognizing our tendency towards disagreement said, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”

3. The Holy Spirit helps us understand the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible also aids the believer in understanding and obeying it. He carries on the work of Jesus in “opening our minds to understand the scriptures” (see Luke 24:44-45). Jesus promised his followers that the Spirit would “guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13) We should follow the example of the Psalmist who prayed, “Lord, open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things in your law.” (Psalm 119:18)

4. We will never be able to comprehend everything in the scriptures.

The Bible was written to be understood and obeyed. Yet, some things in the Bible will remain a mystery, for in this life “we see in a mirror dimly.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) Even the apostle Peter had to admit that some things in Paul’s letters were “hard to be understood.” (2 Peter 3:16) Yet the Bible gives us sufficient guidance and wisdom so that might live in obedience to God’s will.

5. We should make every effort to understand the Bible.

Even though we won’t comprehend everything we read in the Bible, we should certainly seek a deeper, greater understanding of it. Wayne Gruden, a respected evangelical Bible scholar, writes, “The clarity of Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that it is able to be understood, but right understanding requires time, effort, the use of ordinary means, a willingness to obey, and the help of the Holy Spirit; and our understanding will remain imperfect in this lifetime.”

One of those “ordinary means” Grudem referred to is the teaching of the Bible by faithful men and women. God has given some Christians the gift of discernment, skill in interpreting the Bible, and the ability to effectively communicate it, and we have all have benefited from their insights. However, that these have labored faithfully in interpreting the Word of God should not dampen our own enthusiasm in “rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)