- Jul 11, 2023
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For the past 10 years, I have been meeting persons who have the view that you do not have to take things in the Bible literally. They have the view that you get to decide if it's literal or not, and in most cases, people take almost everything in the Bible symbolic, from Genesis through to Revelation.
Is this righteous, or godly, and is it acceptable to God? Who decides if an account is literal of symbolic? God's word, or us?
2 Timothy 3:16, 17
According to scripture, it is God who decides, and any of us who thinks differently, is not allowing ourselves to be corrected, and trained in righteousness, to be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
It's as bad as it sounds, so we want to take it seriously.
Let's consider, a few examples where persons have decided that a literal account does not need to be taken literally, but can be viewed as figurative, of a symbolic representation.
Let's start with Jonah, since I just came from a thread, where some take this view.
Is the account of Jonah a literal account, or symbolic?
Matthew 12:38-42; Luke 11:29-32
The word of God tells us the account of Jonah is literal - it actually is a real event that occured in history, which God had recorded, and which his servants benefited from, and used. These were real people with a real story.
If we go against that, we are not allowing ourselves to be corrected, and trained in righteousness, to be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Are Adam and Eve allegorical characters, or real people?
Genesis 1:27; Mark 10:6-8; Acts 17:24-26; Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:44-49; 1 Timothy 2:13, 14; Jude 14, 15Genesis 1:27; Mark 10:6-8; Acts 17:24-26; Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:44-49; 1 Timothy 2:13, 14; Jude 14, 15
Without question, the word of God tells us that Adam and Eve were real people, and the account is not allegorical.
The events really took place in history, which God had recorded for the benefit of his servants.
If we go against that, we are not allowing ourselves to be corrected, and trained in righteousness, to be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Jesus said to the Pharisees abd Scribes,
We don't want to make the word of God invalid. This is a grave sin, and separates us from God, according to Jesus.
However, this is what happens when we insist on our own interpretation - thinking that we have the right to interpret the Bible. This is the result of the deviation from first century Christianity, to everyone having a monopoly on God's word, resulting in thousands of splinter sects having their own interpretation of God's word.
The word of God has been made invalid, by those who insist that the two accounts above are symbolic and not literal.
It's important to look at some more, for our benefit, so I'll do that in a moment.
Is this righteous, or godly, and is it acceptable to God? Who decides if an account is literal of symbolic? God's word, or us?
2 Timothy 3:16, 17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
According to scripture, it is God who decides, and any of us who thinks differently, is not allowing ourselves to be corrected, and trained in righteousness, to be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
It's as bad as it sounds, so we want to take it seriously.
Let's consider, a few examples where persons have decided that a literal account does not need to be taken literally, but can be viewed as figurative, of a symbolic representation.
Let's start with Jonah, since I just came from a thread, where some take this view.
Is the account of Jonah a literal account, or symbolic?
Matthew 12:38-42; Luke 11:29-32
Jesus - the son of God said:The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.
The word of God tells us the account of Jonah is literal - it actually is a real event that occured in history, which God had recorded, and which his servants benefited from, and used. These were real people with a real story.
If we go against that, we are not allowing ourselves to be corrected, and trained in righteousness, to be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Are Adam and Eve allegorical characters, or real people?
Genesis 1:27; Mark 10:6-8; Acts 17:24-26; Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:44-49; 1 Timothy 2:13, 14; Jude 14, 15Genesis 1:27; Mark 10:6-8; Acts 17:24-26; Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:44-49; 1 Timothy 2:13, 14; Jude 14, 15
Without question, the word of God tells us that Adam and Eve were real people, and the account is not allegorical.
The events really took place in history, which God had recorded for the benefit of his servants.
If we go against that, we are not allowing ourselves to be corrected, and trained in righteousness, to be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Jesus said to the Pharisees abd Scribes,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men..."
Mark 7:6-8We don't want to make the word of God invalid. This is a grave sin, and separates us from God, according to Jesus.
However, this is what happens when we insist on our own interpretation - thinking that we have the right to interpret the Bible. This is the result of the deviation from first century Christianity, to everyone having a monopoly on God's word, resulting in thousands of splinter sects having their own interpretation of God's word.
The word of God has been made invalid, by those who insist that the two accounts above are symbolic and not literal.
It's important to look at some more, for our benefit, so I'll do that in a moment.
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