Should I Literally Believe in Noah's Ark?

[this is a user name]

Hello

This is my first post.

As a new Christian, should I literally believe in Noah's Ark and other biblical teachings such as the Story of Creation? Or could I see them as representative of moral truths? or what? Really confused. Thanks for any help.

 

[Mess]

Best advice I could give any new christian, never question God. If the Bible says something happened, well you better believe it happened, if God tells you to do something, you better do something, if God tells you not to do something, don't do it. Never question His authority, and never question His Word. It isn't that the Bible says there was a huge flood with an ark, it's that God says that there was. Again, never question God, if you question Him, then where do you stop doubting things? And yes, according to scientific models it is possible, and even the Ark itself is proof that it existed. It's dimensions were far ahead of it's time. Only in the 20th century we learned of it's perfection.

 

[ElijahW]

If it doesn't seem reasonable to you to take it literally, then I wouldn't but plenty of people have historically thought it was possible so took it literally.

 

[Jase]

Hello

This is my first post.

As a new Christian, should I literally believe in Noah's Ark and other biblical teachings such as the Story of Creation? Or could I see them as representative of moral truths? or what? Really confused. Thanks for any help.

They are allegorical representations of theological concepts. Science has disproved the flood and literal creation story for hundreds of years now.

 

[timf]

Should I Literally Believe in Noah's Ark?

There is no reason not to believe it. The same with creation. When you look into what is called modern "science" you find that most people understand that if you want funding or to get your post graduate degree, you better follow the party line. What is called "science" today is not so much a search for truth, but employment based on conformity.

Before the flood people lived longer. Presuming animals did as well, and since unlike mammals reptiles get bigger the longer they live, it would not be surprising that the fossils of some reptiles are very large. After the flood people were given permission to eat meat. One might assume that the mastodon was a little slower than the elephant.

It is easy to understand why many people buckle under secular bullying. Secularists use their control of universities and media as a powerful assault on Christians. However, the thrust of their argument is the sheer number of people who support their ideas. It can be helpful to think of secularism as a competing religion (the worship of man in general and self in particular).

God gives wisdom to all who ask. God is truth and His word is truth. Your prayer life should include requests for wisdom and to be given discernment so that you can grow in truth.

Real truth is not so much a matter of exposing the schemes of Satan or the deceptions he has placed in the world. Real truth hits closer to home. It exposes our own sinfulness and shame and brings us to our knees as we can only be humbled by truth. It is this point that brings us closer to our Savior.

Satan even uses truth against us. He often gets us preoccupied with the sins of others or the wrongs in the world rather than seeing the wrong in ourselves.

As we abide (live) in the words of Jesus, we become His disciples and we know the truth and the truth sets us free. It is only when we grow in truth that the deceptions of the world lose their hold on us. Those who follow what is false will bury you and entangle you with their endless speculations, accusations, and declarations if you try to argue for what is true. Only those who are of the truth will respond to truth. The closer you draw to Jesus (who is truth) the more you recognize his "voice" and can walk in truth.

 

[NewUser777]

As a new Christian, should I literally believe in Noah's Ark and other biblical teachings such as the Story of Creation? Or could I see them as representative of moral truths?

Looking at the Bible as a book representative of moral truths leads to a great deal of subjective opinion. Looking at the Bible this way, you can create whatever "moral truths" you wish.

God is not complicated and He didn't write a complicated book. Bottom line is ... rocket scientists don't understand the Bible, while farmers do.

Just believe. That is what we have been commanded to do.

And to the person who said the flood has been scientifically disproven ... no it has not. You are really out of whack.

 

[shikyoblossom]

Of course you should

 

[Autumnleaf]

Keep an open mind. Also, keep in mind the Bible was written for people who didn't know as many scientific facts as you so God didn't get into particle physics. He used the KISS method for teaching in the Bible.

 

[parsley]

Other civilizations had flood accounts, so there is no reason to treat it like a myth. In their minds, it was recorded history. Whether Noah's boat was the only one, we can only guess. Take a look at this list -- it's bizarre.

Abiogenesis and the Origin of Life

 

[parsley]

I know quite a few PhD-holding Christians in the sciences -- nuclear physics, energy, environment, hydrology, biochemistry, medicine, engineering, math. Intelligence has very little to do with a human wanting spirituality built into their lives. We are all spirit-based beings.

In support of farmers -- look at Iowa statistics, and you will find one of the better-educated regions in the US (21% bachelor degree or higher).

State Data Center of Iowa:Census Demographics-Population,Housing,Economy,Government Statisticsecennial Data

Farming Science Degree Programs and Majors -PhD's for farmers

But back to your first question (sorry to get SO far off track!), take it slowly. Don't pretend to believe things you aren't convinced of. Use the word trust until things make more sense. Keep researching and digging.

 

[hedrick]

There's a fundamental difference in what Christians expect to get from the Bible. Unfortunately this decision is almost like a axiom in math. There's no way to prove axioms. They're what all other proofs are based on.

You've gotten a bunch of responses saying just believe it. This comes from the viewpoint that what we get from the Bible is answers. The other viewpoint is that what we get from the Bible is principles, but we have to make decisions in specific cases.

For me, the decision hangs on the kind of book the Bible is. Any kind of objective view will suggest that there are different viewpoints about God represented. Trying to say that the Bible gives a single answer to most questions requires a lot of fancy interpretation. E.g. there are pretty clearly two creation stories, one in Gen 1 and one in Gen 2. They give different orders. The most obvious answer is that neither account is intended as a competitor to the scientific answer, but that they're intended to teach something else. To get a single account you have to use an interpretation that I find unconvincing.

In my view, the Bible represents the history of Israel's experiences with God, particularly including Jesus. We can learn from it. But we can't just take sentences out of it and use them as final examples. If Jesus had intended to dictate a specific theology, instead of Gospels we'd have theological textbooks and law books.

So I think the simple, literal view of Scripture is that it isn't intended to provide a simple, literal view.

In this context, Genesis, particularly Gen 1-11, is pretty clearly not literal history. We're better off using science and archaeology. Later on, as we get to the time when historical records were kept, the Bible is more historical, and gives a lot more information than we could get from other sources.

 

[Bella Vita]

Yes you should the Bible tells us it is the true infallible word of God. Therefore you can not just believe in parts of it you either believe it all as it is there or none of it. You also need to look at God's character scripture tells us he the supreme power of the universe and an all knowing being. You can not really believe that and think he could not have done the things of the Bible. God did and does amazing things believe it or don't but if you are going to call yourself a Christian I would hope you have faith enough in God and the word to say it happened.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5

 

[If Not For Grace]

It could easily be literal---we yet do not know

If you have studied ancient civilizations you will find things like Stonehenge, the Mayan temples that man can did not explain how it was done but that it was done.
Just go to Egypt-We do not know what technology was available to Noah.

The Romans had a form of Air Conditioning and an advanced sewer system. The Egyptians had a form of embalming, Maybe Noah had an ancient form of petri dish or test tube or some form of something we have not yet discovered.

Maybe it was like feeding the thousands-when was the last time you served dinner and had more food left over than when you started?

For me the only question in the whole Bible that I had to study to determine my faith is "Was the Tomb Empty"?

I came to the conclusion-it was, So If I believe Jesus died, & the rose from the grave-a boat built in the desert for a flood that came when it had never before rained, a'int much to ask.

 

[RobCrandall]

Here's something that helped me: I thought one day, "I don't believe that Jonah was swallowed by a whale and then was spit out after 3 days and lived." Then God said to me, "What if you saw it on the news? You would believe it without question wouldn't you?" That's a good way to think about it

 

[ChrisHolland619]

Good grief. Reading the replies in this thread makes me further realize that most of the people that post on this forum are not Christians. /facepalm

Of coarse you should believe in the Ark and in Creation. It's in the Bible.

 

[someguy14]

Should I Literally Believe in Noah's Ark?

Yes.

 

[CounselorForChrist]

When I grew up and became a christian at 7, I was taught what the bible says is truth. Even if some stories sound made up like the parting of the sea. I've always read the stories we all have and take them as fact. To doubt it would be like doubting God is real. The saying goes nothing is impossible through God, therefor no "Story" is fake.

Now the problem is thanks to technology and other "world views", we see alot of fantasy stuff like movies, games...etc. Thinks that are called fiction, like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars.

But as a new christian sometimes your mind puts the bible in the categorey of fiction to because we seem to forget just because Lord of the Rings is fictional, doesn't mean the bible is. Its hard to explain really what I am getting at but the easy answer is yes, you should believe.

Heres a REALLY good example. I'm so used to seeing stuff about dinosaurs only existing millions of years ago that I keep forgettings thats not true. Dinosaurs did exist during the time of the bible. Think about it. On the sixth day man and animals were created, which includes dinosaurs!

Some say dinosaurs weren't mentioned in the bible directly. Thats because the word Dinosaurs was not invented until the 1800s. In the book of Job he mentions seeing a behemoth. This behemoth also is said to have a long tail, so that rules out elephants and hippos. Most assume what he seen was a Bruhathkayosaurus (think of the dinosaur at the beggining of Jurassic Park). The word dinosaur means "Terrible Lizard", which would make sense because when sin came into the world, they started to eat meat. Which would make them "terrible lizards".

So, while I turned this into something very long (lol), you get my point. The bible is truth. We just have to dismiss what the world claims to be true, which most things are based on flawed theories that have no real evidence they are right (again such as when dinos existed).

 

[riverhooks]

You should use the Word of God to Believe into a relationship with Jesus. God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes into Him literally believes into a relationship with Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Without faith it is impossible to please Him . Hebrews. It is impossible for God to lie. Also Hebrews . His Word is the Truth. You are not to believe fables and lies . You are to Believe God. God said it I believe it that settles it.

 

[someguy14]

Santa Clause?
I don't even know who that is. Sorry kiddies, don't let your parents lie to you.

We celebrate Christ alone and may God have mercy through my beatings and persecutions that God alone is worthy of allowing me to suffer for His name, and His name only. All glory to God alone.

 

[Jase]

Yes you should the Bible tells us it is the true infallible word of God.

Circular reasoning. The Bible is infallible because the Bible says so is a logical fallacy.