The Bible - just an interesting read or the divine inspired flawless Word of God?

[bonosloveslave]

Any personal thoughts on this? Historical research you'd like to share (melon I'm betting?)?

Yes, the Bible was written by men, but I believe God has power/control to have it written as He intended it to be. If you say it can't be flawless because it has contradictions, I'd love to hear examples.

[Dreadsox]

lol....am I responsisble for this too?

[FizzingWhizzbees]

I'm going to start with the most obvious contradiction.

How do you explain away the contradiction between the story of "Creation" in the Bible and evidence of evolution?

[Dreadsox]

I would say there is NO CONTRADICTION. Only a greater revelation of the creation......

My answer would be......

What is a day to GOD? At the time man understood what a DAY was. Do you think God is restricted by TIME? Is a second to God an eternity of time? What can God accomplish in a second?

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Originally posted by Dreadsox
lol....am I responsisble for this too?

Mmm. We are seeing a plethora of spin-off threads tonight...

[Dreadsox]

Here is a contradiction.......

Either Jesus lied, the translation is wrong.....or people get to decide what is Literal or Allegory depending on what they wish to point out.

"An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Mt 12:40)

Now count with me.....

Good Friday One Night
Saturday Two Nights
Sunday Rose from the dead.

This is not THREE NIGHTS.....

[ThatGuy]

Originally posted by Dreadsox
I would say there is NO CONTRADICTION. Only a greater revelation of the creation......

My answer would be......

What is a day to GOD? At the time man understood what a DAY was. Do you think God is restricted by TIME? Is a second to God an eternity of time? What can God accomplish in a second?

How does this one work, then? God creates day and night on the first day, but then somehow waits until day number four to create the sun and all the other stars.

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Originally posted by Dreadsox
What is a day to GOD? At the time man understood what a DAY was. Do you think God is restricted by TIME? Is a second to God an eternity of time? What can God accomplish in a second?

So the Bible isn't the *literal* word of God, but rather more symbolic?

How do you tell the difference? A day doesn't have to mean a day...what else is symbolic, representative, not definite?

[BVS]

Originally posted by Dreadsox
I would say there is NO CONTRADICTION. Only a greater revelation of the creation......

My answer would be......

What is a day to GOD? At the time man understood what a DAY was. Do you think God is restricted by TIME? Is a second to God an eternity of time? What can God accomplish in a second?

I agree. I don't think anyone can take Genesis(along with many other portions of the OT) as literal. It can't be, historically they all happened before men could even record history. I think there are a lot of metaphorical stories that make up the OT, it doesn't make them any less important, but I don't think you can take them literally.

[nbcrusader]

Originally posted by FizzingWhizzbees
So the Bible isn't the *literal* word of God, but rather more symbolic?

This can be a source of confusion. There are times where God uses imagery and parables to communicate with us.

God exists outside of time. So the concept of a day for God is meaningless, but it is something we can understand.

The Bible is the inherent Word of God. The writers of the books of the Bible were directly inspired by God, thus their physical presence at events (like creation) is not required.

[nbcrusader]

Originally posted by Dreadsox
Here is a contradiction.......

Either Jesus lied, the translation is wrong.....or people get to decide what is Literal or Allegory depending on what they wish to point out.

"An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Mt 12:40)

Now count with me.....

Good Friday One Night
Saturday Two Nights
Sunday Rose from the dead.

This is not THREE NIGHTS.....

Dread, let me get back to you on this one. We've got some good material on this point.

[Dreadsox]

Originally posted by ThatGuy


How does this one work, then? God creates day and night on the first day, but then somehow waits until day number four to create the sun and all the other stars.

I am not sure you understand what I am saying....


If God revealed himself in all of his capacity, do you think man would understand it?

I would say that through the centuries man has learned more about the creation and the science of it.

The Bible was written in words with concepts that could be understood then.

[Dreadsox]

Originally posted by nbcrusader


Dread, let me get back to you on this one. We've got some good material on this point.

Cool, I had some real fun in college messing with people on this one....hehe Loved watching people studying for the ministry start to twitch...

[ThatGuy]

Originally posted by Dreadsox


I am not sure you understand what I am saying....


If God revealed himself in all of his capacity, do you think man would understand it?

I would say that through the centuries man has learned more about the creation and the science of it.

The Bible was written in words with concepts that could be understood then.

Than how can we take these words that were written for people of the time to understand and try and apply them to the present day? I understand that 3000 years ago people didn't necessarily understand that the light provided for day comes from our star, the Sun. If we are to take the words used then, like "day" and "night" and try to interpret what they might mean in the present day, we could go on forever.

I agree with you that if God revealed himself in all of his capacity that man would not be able to understand it. Why, then, did God choose to describe His creation of the world with such detail? That opens it up to criticisms over scientific validity (ie example about light). Why not just skip over the part that people couldn't understand, rather than talling a story that doesn't add up?

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Originally posted by nbcrusader


This can be a source of confusion. There are times where God uses imagery and parables to communicate with us.

God exists outside of time. So the concept of a day for God is meaningless, but it is something we can understand.

The Bible is the inherent Word of God. The writers of the books of the Bible were directly inspired by God, thus their physical presence at events (like creation) is not required.

Firstly, how do you differentiate between passages intended as parables or symbolism and passages intended to be taken literally?

Secondly, what are your beliefs about "creation" -- God created the world in seven literal days, God created the world in seven days which differ from our concept of a day? "Creation" is symbolic or literal?

[nbcrusader]

It is literal that God created all things. By using "seven days", God shows that He is a God of order, plan and purpose.

[Katey]

I suppose I believe that the Bible to be flawless in the sense that it carries God's authority. That is was written by men and tranlated sure the literal meaning might have some error but not the message . Then I suppose the holy spirit inspired men to write, but it was the mens words and personality inerrancy of the text. If the Bible says X happened and then we find out X really never really happened , how can we see truth in anything else

So if you think of the bible as being written by God and believe.If the Bible says X happened and then we find out X really never really happened , how can we see truth in anything else if the bible is Gods word and what he said was proven wrong.

the Bible itself says Gods word is flawless, so If you believe in the Bible as being inspired by God but written by Man who is not flawless it seems this to me makes much more sense.I see great stories in the bible that teach me lessons everyday and that humble me and I can't claim to be any sort of good christian at all . I take some of it literally and some of it as parable meant to be just that.

I guess it's why too it is a great to have the Message by Eugene Peterson, and look at the translation he has done ...

[Dreadsox]

The Massage is an excellent book

[Katey]

Indeed I think it's an excellent book

[bonosloveslave]

Originally posted by Dreadsox
Here is a contradiction.......

Either Jesus lied, the translation is wrong.....or people get to decide what is Literal or Allegory depending on what they wish to point out.

"An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Mt 12:40)

Now count with me.....

Good Friday One Night
Saturday Two Nights
Sunday Rose from the dead.

This is not THREE NIGHTS.....

This is kinda long so I won't post it all here, but there is an explanation here:

http://www.apologeticspress.org/abdiscr/abdiscr49.html