It’s literally in the Bible...

Originally posted by @fmf
Does this trust in "God’s Holy Spirit" mean you always think your interpretations are correct?

If the interpretation is via God’s Holy Spirit and not my carnal mind, then obviously, yes.

Originally posted by @romans1009
If the interpretation is via God’s Holy Spirit and not my carnal mind, then obviously, yes.

How can you know which of your case-by-case interpretations are "via God’s Holy Spirit" and which are not?

Originally posted by @fmf
How can you know which of your case-by-case interpretations are "via God’s Holy Spirit" and which are not?

Don’t think the answer can be carnally explained but certainly an interpretation from God’s Holy Spirit would follow sincere and undistracted prayer so that my mind and heart are receptive and sensitive to receiving guidance/instruction from God’s Holy Spirit.

FMF: Does this trust in "God’s Holy Spirit" mean you always think your interpretations are correct?

Originally posted by @romans1009
If the interpretation is via God’s Holy Spirit and not my carnal mind, then obviously, yes.

How does this kind of assertion work if there are Christians who claim the same inspiration [and who make the same kinds of assertions about their sincere and undistracted prayers and their receptive and sensitive hearts and minds] but who end up having interpretations that differ from or even contradict yours?

Originally posted by @fmf
How does this kind of assertion work if there are Christians who claim the same inspiration [and who make the same kinds of assertions about their sincere and undistracted prayers and their receptive and sensitive hearts and minds] but who end up having interpretations that differ from or even contradict yours?

It could be that one of our interpretations is not based on instruction from God’s Holy Spirit or that our interpretation is best suited for where we are in life and in our walk with Christ. I would say the latter would not be the case on major doctrinal issues, but that’s just a knee-jerk opinion.

Originally posted by @romans1009
It could be that one of our interpretations is not based on instruction from God’s Holy Spirit or that our interpretation is best suited for where we are in life and in our walk with Christ. I would say the latter would not be the case on major doctrinal issues, but that’s just a knee-jerk opinion.

So you accept that your case-by-case interpretations might "not be based on instructions from God’s Holy Spirit" while those who disagree with you might indeed, by contrast, be inspired?

Originally posted by @fmf
So you accept that your case-by-case interpretations might "not be based on instructions from God’s Holy Spirit" while those who disagree with you might indeed, by contrast, be inspired?

I said already that interpretations from my carnal mind are obviously not from God’s Holy Spirit. If I am convinced an interpretation is from God’s Holy Spirit and follows a time of sincere and undistracted prayer, then I would say it is.

Originally posted by @romans1009
I said already that interpretations from my carnal mind are obviously not from God’s Holy Spirit. If I am convinced an interpretation is from God’s Holy Spirit and follows a time of sincere and undistracted prayer, then I would say it is.

How do you know which interpretations are from your "carnal mind" and which are from "God’s Holy Spirit"?

Originally posted by @romans1009
I trust God’s Holy Spirit.

But God’s Holy Spirit has not yet told you wether or not the critical doctrine of eternal suffering is right or not?

Originally posted by @dj2becker
Give me an example or something you think should be taken literally and tell me why you think that is. Or do you think none of it is literal?

The existence of Jesus Christ as described in the Gospel books. I’ve explained how I decide if something is literal.

Originally posted by @romans1009
Don’t think the answer can be carnally explained but certainly an interpretation from God’s Holy Spirit would follow sincere and undistracted prayer so that my mind and heart are receptive and sensitive to receiving guidance/instruction from God’s Holy Spirit.

Can you give an example of a “case” where the Holy Spirit confirmed to you that something was not literal?

Originally posted by @divegeester
I take it that this is true in your own application of biblical text?

By and large, I find the gospel preached by Jesus during His ministry to be reasonably sound and reasonably coherent within themselves. What's more, I find much of what was attributed to Him to be remarkably deep and quite profound. As such, by and large, I find the words attributed to Jesus while He walked the Earth to be "true". 

I don't share that view of the mythology and beliefs that the NT writers wrapped around them. At best, they can merely echo His words. At worst, they deviate from His words and at times substantially so. 

The truth in the gospel preached by Jesus during His ministry still rings out loud and clear despite the corruptions that were introduced by the NT writers. The core of His gospel are contained in the parables, explanations of the parables, the Sermon on the Mount, passages where Jesus is explicitly describing the Kingdom and what living in the Kingdom entails, passages where Jesus is explicitly describing what is required for "eternal life" / living in the Kingdom etc. In short, passages where Jesus is explicitly preaching the vision of His gospel. 

By limiting the Bible to the gospel preached by Jesus during His ministry and those words that are consistent with those words, most of the inconsistencies, discrepancies and outright contradictions are weeded out.

Originally posted by @thinkofone
By and large, I find the gospel preached by Jesus during His ministry to be reasonably sound and reasonably coherent within themselves. What's more, I find much of what was attributed to Him to be remarkably deep and quite profound. As such, by and large, I find the words attributed to Jesus while He walked the Earth to be "true". 

In terms of the nature of Jesus - the man himself who "walked the Earth" - do you ascribe any supernatural or divine attributes to him?

Originally posted by @thinkofone
By and large, I find the gospel preached by Jesus during His ministry to be reasonably sound and reasonably coherent within themselves. What's more, I find much of what was attributed to Him to be remarkably deep and quite profound. As such, by and large, I find the words attributed to Jesus while He walked the Earth to be "true". 

I don't share that ...[text shortened]... se words, most of the inconsistencies, discrepancies and outright contradictions are weeded out.

Yes I can see why you would think the words of Jesus are true.

Jesus claimed he was sent by God, do you believe those words of his to be literal and true?

Originally posted by @fmf
In terms of the nature of Jesus - the man himself who "walked the Earth" - do you ascribe any supernatural or divine attributes to him?

No supernatural or literally divine attributes.