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Perhaps we first need to agree on the definition of "literal"...

I agree that God's Truth has literal and figurative aspects. For example, I believe that Jesus is the Truth. However, I don't believe that He is literally a vine. "True Vine" is a figurative term, alluding to the qualities and works of our Lord, rather than His physical appearance or...

If Jesus is brighter than the sun, He can't literally BE the sun. So therefore, some figurative language DOES exist in Scripture. Likewise, Jesus's followers aren't literally salt.

Scripture says that God created the sun. Are you saying that Jesus is merely a created entity? Literally?

That's still a metaphor.

Fair point. I have not studied Hebrew, though I am proficient in other Semitic languages, so I don't know the answer to this: is this prior to the beginning of Jeremiah's formation (in which case wouldn't presence as a person have to preceed his conception?) or prior to the completion of his...

I suppose you and I have different purposes here. Given ample time, I would not be opposed to a classic, deep Calvin v Arminius debate at some point. However, my purpose in posting initially was briefly responding to the OP, rather than engaging in one of these debates again. While I am quite...

I think the confusion, at least on my part, is that while these prophets were called and apparently living persons while in the womb, this doesn't speak to when that personhood began. It could have been at conception, or the quickening, or what we would call today "viability", or at any other...

I see. It seems you are most willing to insult and misrepresent other soteriological interpretation while insisting that everyone carefully consider yours. Sounds less than fair to me, but we'll see what I can get to in the next few days. In the meantime, let me see if I can do some quick...

I see. So the difference between cancelling the debt and forgiving the sin... If someone steals from me, I can forgive him for stealing, but still want my money back. If I tell him to keep it, I've cancelled the debt too. That's not a perfect illustration for the difference soteriologically, I...

Is God literally the sun too? And at the same time, literally a shield? For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. - Psalm 84:11

I just told you that He is the only way. So you believe Jesus Christ, as he walked on this earth, was a literal door. People would see Him walking down the street and marvel, saying, "Among all these people, there's a door walking down the road right now"?

It seems you're the one who prefers "being smart". I'm a simpler sort of guy and prefer focusing on one or two things, rather than trying to construct paragraphs upon paragraphs in response to the same, as well as in response to Calvinist and KJV-O organizations' interpretations of soteriology...

Caesar salad, sauteed lamb, rotini with a cheese sauce, sweet corn

He is the only way. This is true. But He is not a wooden plank with a knob.

I think we'll have to disagree on the interpretation of these passages and on the doctrines of apostasy and perseverence respectively.

Those are big questions. I think I'll reserve an overall explanation of my soteriology for elsewhere and, at least on this thread, stick to the topic, begging your pardon. Perhaps if I say I'm more or less Wesleyan in my theology, that might give you an idea though.

I see cancelation of debt as one aspect of the atonement Christ bought on calvary. I don't think one atonement theory has the monopoly.

If nothing can be figurative in the Bible, this is a strange religion indeed. Did Mary give birth to a door? Not saying what you have to take figuratively and what you don't, but don't tell someone who understands a passage figuratively that they don't believe the words of Scripture unless...

I'd be willing to sacrifice my testosterone level if it would help keep Trump out of the White House.