Let's make one thing clear, do not assume what I believe and don't believe. If you want to know, ask me. As for taking the bible literally or figuratively, the one great thing about reading it, is that the bible explains itself. The context give you the clues of what is literal and figurative.
The bible explains itself...
30,000 denominations later....
I don't interpret the scripture, the Holy Spirit does that for all those who were baptized and received Him.
Like the JW or the Mormon who says they have the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit led them to interpret scripture under the guidelines of Joseph Smith?
And where is it in the bible where it says "I will give you the Holy Spirit so you can interpret scripture"
By all means, explain who the 'little horn' is in the book of Daniel. Who are the other horns? What does 666 signify? Is the Beast or Dragon an actual beast or dragon? Is 666 Nero's name in greek? How much has already passed in the book of revelation? Or is it all futuristic? Pre trib or post trib, amillenial? Are the 6 days of creation 24 hour human days? Or are they 6 periods outside human time? Or is it simply a poetic revelation of God's creation that doesn't take into account time? They say a thousand years to God is a day and a day a thousand years. Are the 6 days 6000 years then? Is there a literal 1000 year earthly reign of Jesus Christ or is the thousand years a symbolic number or a symbol of the reigning of the Church? Is satan bound, or is he not bound yet? What about the 144,000? Is there actually 144,000 people who are predestined like the JWs think? is it a symbolic number? why isn't it literal? why isn't it symbolic? Is Beelzebub Satan himself? or a minion of Satan? or just a Pagan idol?
Since everything is so lock-stock and barrel, you should have no problem answering these questions.
How exactly do you think they understood scripture? Was it not the Apostles who went around teaching the first century church? Was it not the Holy Scripture helping them understand? We are told that the Holy Scripture works through the scripture. We are not told to understand scripture on our own, it is the Holy Spirit's job to interpret it for us. The scripture tells us that it is the Spirit that gives us spiritual understanding (1 Corinthians 2). So, no, I agree that I wouldn't understand any of that on my own. But it is not by my understanding that I lean. Most certainly when Christ gave the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20, teaching was emphasized. And the Holy Spirit does give some to be teachers and discerner and so on, but realize that it is should be the Holy Spirit who is doing this and He helps us through the word.
So your saying you know scripture equal to that of the apostles? And with the apostles, much of what they preached was oral, considering the NT wasn't fully promulgated until after 300 A.D. Oral teaching came first, then people like Mark and Luke recorded it. So the apostles were speaking by a special commission directly from the Holy Spirit and to write God breathed inspired scripture.
Who told you that? Did the scriptures say such a thing or did man?
considering God usually sends his message and revelation through men and doesn't drop a book from the sky I would assume what some men say is very important. The hebrews didn't say to Moses "well since your a man, I will not listen to you, I will listen to God directly". If you read the bible you will notice he confers his message mainly through men(prophets, patriarchs, apostles, judges, etc). He does direct divine revelation in some cases, like with Elijah and Moses on the top of Mount Sinai, or Noah and Lot, but those are very rare cases.
The irony of the Ethiopian Eunuch was that he was reading the bible apart from the rest of the body. Yet Philip came to him and explained Christ to him. There wasn't an unanimous consent of people needed, but Philip was lead by the Holy Spirit.
funny how that is exactly what I was saying. Reading the bible in the context of the body of Christians , and more importantly the ancient Father's and councils.
Consensus does not determine doctrine. Scripture determines doctrine.
I guess the apostles were wrong when they made a consensus on Matthias?? Or made a consensus in the council of Jerusalem in the book of Acts?
I challenge you to find the post where I have stated that I know about the Pope's knowledge of the bible. I simply stated that the most important thing that was left off his credentials was how long he has studied the bible. I have never said, "I have studied and know more than the pope", I simply meant that the OP forgot to tell us how often the Pope studied scripture. I am not sure what blanket statement that I have made of someone's knowledge of the bible, so please enlighten me.
"and the successor of Peter of all people"...that is another topic for another day. And if I somehow showed pride in my post, I apologize. I simply wanted to state that the OP left off the most important credential of one's knowledge of the bible...which is, how often does he read it.
no, the most important credential is charity and ones knowledge of Christianity as a whole. They are all equally important. Reading the scripture is just as important as listening to the voice of the Church, helping the poor, alms-giving, prayer, fasting and avoiding sin.
