Yes and No: Reconciling the Contradictions of God

Why does Scripture present truths that contradict each other?
If God is perfectly consistent, why are his words so contradictory?

We are told to trust completely—but also question, seek, and wrestle.
God commands us to ask, seek, and knock, yet many prayers go unanswered.
God is good, but his creation is full of evil.
Paul says that none are righteous, yet we are commanded to be perfect.
We are saved by grace, but judged by our works.
God loves all, but he makes the Israelites a chosen people.

Faced with these tensions, readers often feel compelled to choose one side and dismiss the other.

In Yes and No: Reconciling the Contradictions of God, Dr. Paul W. McDonough confronts one of the most persistent challenges in scripture: the presence of seemingly opposing teachings that both claim divine authority.

Rather than dismissing one side or forcing shallow harmony, this book demonstrates that these tensions are intentional, meaningful, and essential to understanding God’s plan.

Across 78 carefully structured chapters, each “contradiction” is presented in three parts:

• Yes — scriptural evidence supporting one principle
• No — equally compelling scriptural evidence supporting the opposite
• Reconciliation — a clear, thoughtful resolution that reveals how both are true

Through this approach, readers discover that truth is not diminished by tension—it is deepened by it.

This book examines important and often unsettling questions:

• Is God in control of our lives, or are we?
• Are we instruments in God’s hands, or agents?
• Does Christ come to us, or must we go to him?
• Does God unite or divide?
• Does God seek diversity, or uniformity?
• Should we stand in holy places or be out in the world?
• Will many be saved, or few?
• Is God inclusive or exclusive?

Each section stands alone, making this both a comprehensive study and an excellent reference tool.

• Deeply scriptural — over 1,000 citations from the Bible and LDS scripture
• Doctrinally rigorous — engages the contradictions directly through scripture
• Faith-strengthening — resolves doubt by expanding understanding
• Accessible — clear, repeatable format in every chapter

Who This Book is For

• Those seeking greater faith through insight.
• People wrestling with difficult Bible questions.
• Those willing to set aside assumptions and search honestly.
• Christians seeking deeper understanding.
• Latter-day Saint readers desiring greater discernment in the totality of God’s revealed word.

Whether you are a lifelong believer, a careful student of scripture, or someone wrestling with faith, this book invites you into a richer, more complete understanding of God and his truth.

God’s truth is complex and paradoxical, and though it appears contradictory, it is not.

When we learn to hold both “yes” and “no,” we begin to see not confusion—but divine completeness. God’s truth is not found by choosing one side. It is found by understanding both.