Not taking the bible literally

[SCHIZO]

If you're not one of the christians who take the bible literally, how do you decide which parts are real and which ones aren't? what are some examples of events that you believe did happen as described, and some parts that you believe didn't?

do you believe that it was originally intended to be taken literally?

What about hypocrisy? Which part of hypocrisy should we take literally? For example; we are told to sacrifice animals in the old testament and then in the new testament we are told that they are not necessary by Jesus, yet he has come to fulfill the law. The law includes animal sacrifices. That is hypocrisy. Which is to be taken literally?

 

[ScottySatan]

I though I had answerd your questions.......

On the History question. There is no "Easy" answer. You have to do a little study.

I'm not asking about christianity or the bible, I'm asking about you.

 

[ScottySatan]

What about hypocrisy? Which part of hypocrisy should we take literally? For example; we are told to sacrifice animals in the old testament and then in the new testament we are told that they are not necessary by Jesus, yet he has come to fulfill the law. The law includes animal sacrifices. That is hypocrisy. Which is to be taken literally?

can you elaborate?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I'm not asking about christianity or the bible, I'm asking about you.

I told you my path....
The Holy spirit leads us, If we Listen...
Leads us to God,
The teachings are from God through Jesus.
The Bible is only an incomplete resource.
We must search for our own answers
Including quiet prayerful listening.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I told you my path....
The Holy spirit leads us, If we Listen...
Leads us to God,
The teachings are from God through Jesus.
The Bible is only an incomplete resource.
We must search for our own answers
Including quiet prayerful listening.

True, Jesus did teach us to pray for God's holy spirit at Luke 11v13 B.
If the Bible is an 'incomplete resource' why didn't Jesus teach that?
Jesus taught Scripture is religious truth or religious fact.-John 17v17; Matt.4v4.
The Psalmist agrees at Psalm 119v105

The Bible is stating at 2nd Tim. [3vs16,17] that all of the Bible is from God.

How did the Ethiopian official 'search' for answers according to Acts 8v30,31?

How did the people of Acts [17v11] search or research but by examining the Scriptures each day to see if what they were hearing was found in Scripture.

1st Cor. [2v16] mentions being able to have the mind of Christ.
Where else would we find the mind of Christ except in Scripture?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

True, Jesus did teach us to pray for God's holy spirit at Luke 11v13 B.
If the Bible is an 'incomplete resource' why didn't Jesus teach that?
Jesus taught Scripture is religious truth or religious fact.-John 17v17; Matt.4v4.
The Psalmist agrees at Psalm 119v105

The Bible is stating at 2nd Tim. [3vs16,17] that all of the Bible is from God.

How did the Ethiopian official 'search' for answers according to Acts 8v30,31?

How did the people of Acts [17v11] search or research but by examining the Scriptures each day to see if what they were hearing was found in Scripture.

1st Cor. [2v16] mentions being able to have the mind of Christ.
Where else would we find the mind of Christ except in Scripture?

If Timothy said that all the Bible is from God then it is wrong. There was no Bible at the time.

You seem to switch between Jewish Scripture ( that Jesus would have known and understood as a Jew) and the New Testament (Which he certainly did not know, as the contents were as yet unwritten and uncompiled.) He taught nothing about it at all.
Such scripture as we have is what the compilers selected from the available material at that time. Some they discarded as it did not support their understanding of the New Christianity.

Much had already been lost through Wear, death of the author. or because no copies of known works could be found. Some is incomplete because it was never finished.
Some was discarded because no known Apostolic link could be found. (one of the criteria for inclusion) Some was discarded because of Gnostic links (though Mark's work got through)

The Bible is not authoritative, it contains errors, it has omissions.
It contains at least some of Jesus teachings (there must have been a lot more that did not survive) Many of the Authors are not in fact, who they are ascribed to be.

Even after saying all this.... the Bible is still the most important Christian resourse that we can find...


Quotes from the Bible (such as you have given ) can not be proof of themselves or of the accuracy of the Bible itself. That is logically unsupportable.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The ancient manuscripts support accepted Bible canon.

The apocryphal books exclude themselves because of being out of harmony with the rest of Scripture. Not having the parallel or corresponding verses and passages as does the rest of Bible canon

Bible canon was well established early on, so it was not the church that established it,
but merely testified to what was already accepted as the Word of God.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

The ancient manuscripts support accepted Bible canon.

The apocryphal books exclude themselves because of being out of harmony with the rest of Scripture. Not having the parallel or corresponding verses and passages as does the rest of Bible canon

Bible canon was well established early on, so it was not the church that established it,
but merely testified to what was already accepted as the Word of God.

There never has been a single accepted Bible Canon.
The Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant( various), eastern Orthodox, Coptic and Ethiopian churches, to name a few all have their own.

The Apocryphal books are used in many churches including Catholic and Anglican and many others. Readings from them are included in the Standard Lectionary which is used as a cycle every Sunday. As far as I know the Baptists do not use them nor some of the new American evangelical churches.

 

[javajo]

I agree. This is what I'm thinking about when I ask this stuff, but do many christians agree with this?

I believe the Bible is God's Word and trustworthy:

15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. 3.

I believe Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and all who trust him that he did that are freely and eternally saved:

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree...1 Peter 2:24a
...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom.6:23b.
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John 10:28