Originally posted by scottishinnzWell, if parts of the bible can be allegorical, it can ALL be allegorical.
Well, if parts of the bible can be allegorical, it can ALL be allegorical.
Genesis, unlike the gospels, does not purport to offer an historical account of creation. The beginning of the Gospel of Luke explicitly acknowledges its aim to be an authentic record of Jesus' life. That rules it out as being allegorical. The letter of Paul, also, cannot be allegorical: they are discursive, rather than narrative.
Furthermore, the Genesis account uses forms which are recognisably allegorical: talking animals, for instance. And early Christians such as St. Augustine admitted the possibility that Genesis might not be totally literal - but maintained that the gospels were not allegorical.
Originally posted by Conrau KParts of the new testament are quite clearly attempts to make Jesus fit OT prophesy - especially events surrounding his birth. I suspect the writers did not intend it all to be taken as fact. I do not know if allegorical is the right word though.
Furthermore, the Genesis account uses forms which are recognisably allegorical: talking animals, for instance. And early Christians such as St. Augustine admitted the possibility that Genesis might not be totally literal - but maintained that the gospels were not allegorical.
Originally posted by PinkFloydBut the people I was addressing claim that that has never happened. But they do have a history of changing their claims as circumstances require ...
Also, since God is omnipotent and can make a amn out of dust and sons of Abraham out of stones, it'd be a piece of cake for him to evolve some snakes with venom, others to be constrictors, etc.
Originally posted by AThousandYoungI take the story to be historical. However it may have been passed down orally by early people. In the hands of the inspired prophet of God he under the direction of the Spirit of God as the rest of Scripture wrote it for spiritual purposes. What Moses wrote was under the sovereignty of God as the rest of Scripture.
Yes. Snakes are also dust-feeders. Right?
And as the rest of Scripture he may have indicated things beyond his present wisdom but to be illuminated upon by future generations by the Spirit of God.
"Concerning this salvation the prophets who prophesied concerning the grace that was to come unto you, sought and searched deligently,
Searching into what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ n them was making clear, testifying beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glores after these." (1 Peter 1:10,11)
This passage says that the prophets who wrote Old Testament Scriptures searched the things written to try to ascertain when and what was the manner of the coming suffering and rising Savior. The Spirit of the pre-incarnated Son of God was testifying within the writers of the Old Testament of events about the coming of the Messiah.
Having said that this is how you should understand the snake eating dust matter:
The serpent is to be understood to represent Satan a cosmic evil spiritual being who has set himself up against God. Eating of the dust to which he was condemned may have been the words passed down from early generations in a folkish way. But the true significance is that man was made of dust and Satan's "food" would be the sinful and fallen mankind.
The dust eating serpent represents that you and I in our sins are a tasty meal for the Devil. He is feed and nourished and made strong by his "feeding" on our corruption and trangressions before God.
Satan entered into man as a parasitic evil being. This is told to in Ephesians which says:
And you, though dead in your offenses and sins, in which you once walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience, among whom we also conducted ourselves once in the lists of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." (Eph. 2:1-3)
The Satanic spirit is "operating in the sons of disobedience". That is the sons of Adam who do not repent to be saved.
The Satanic spirit operating is also the "ruler of the authority of the air". Somehow this evil spirit is in the atmosphere of the planet and is a ruler of this sinful world which is lost in trangressions and rebellions against God. That constitutes us children of wrath - meaning candidates for the eternal punishment from a righteous God.
So you should understand the dust as YOU. And the eating of the dust as SATAN eating YOU. Me too. But I have turned to Christ Jesus the Savior who crushed the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:11) but had His own human life crucified in the process.
The prophecy concerning the coming of the Savior to deal with fallen man's predicament here:
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed; He will bruise you on the head, But you will bruise him on the heel." (Gen. 3:11)
The seed of the woman is the Son of God who was latter to be born of the virgin woman Mary. She is the only woman in the Bible of which is speaks of a female SEED. Every other place speaks of the seed of a male. The woman's seed points to the virgin birth of the only man to defeat Satan directly - Jesus Christ.
If you make light of the story you lose out. It concerns Christ coming to defeat Satan from eating you as a dusty meal.
Turn to Jesus and don't let Satan the Devil eat you up.
Originally posted by zozozozoIt is a book telling us why we are created and what the eternal purpose of God is.
no need to, just a bunch of lame storys, i read better books!
:p
I bet you have no clue about any of these things apart from the Bible.
If I am wrong then tell us all - WHY are you here ? Why do you exist in this universe? And what is your destiny and purpose ?
Any of you skeptics. And don't bother coming back with "Why do we have to have a purpose anyway?"
Such attitudes are pretty hopeless.
Originally posted by Conrau KSo, the bible is true because it says it is..... 😞
[b]Well, if parts of the bible can be allegorical, it can ALL be allegorical.
Genesis, unlike the gospels, does not purport to offer an historical account of creation. The beginning of the Gospel of Luke explicitly acknowledges its aim to be an authentic record of Jesus' life. That rules it out as being allegorical. The letter of Paul, also, cannot ...[text shortened]... t Genesis might not be totally literal - but maintained that the gospels were not allegorical.[/b]
Originally posted by jaywillYou are apparently immune to logic.
It is a book telling us why we are created and what the eternal purpose of God is.
I bet you have no clue about any of these things apart from the Bible.
If I am wrong then tell us all - WHY are you here ? Why do you exist in this universe? And what is your destiny and purpose ?
Any of you skeptics. And don't bother coming back with [b]"Why do we have to have a purpose anyway?"
Such attitudes are pretty hopeless.[/b]
There is no requirement to have a "purpose". You are presupposing the requirement for an answer in your question.
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I wrote above:
Such attitudes are pretty hopeless.
Let me clarify that.
The attitude may be hopeless, but the person who comes to Jesus is by no means hopeless.
You come as you are. ... "Just as I am, without one plea ... fightings within and fears without ... Oh Lamb of God I come, I come."
The attitude is hopless maybe. But the person with such an attitude who trusts him or herself to Jesus has all the hope in the world.
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Originally posted by scottishinnzNo , the evidence is not just it is true because it says it is , but look Who is doing the talking.
So, the bible is true because it says it is..... 😞
Jesus Christ. He has built up a lot of credibility. And He says it is true.
Jesus inspires trust in many of us. So for that reason we're inclined to believe the Bible is true.
Originally posted by scottishinnzI am thankfully immune to the fallen and darkened, sin centered, self exalting, and conscience suppressing "reasoning" of minds scared by sin who refuse to repent.
You are apparently immune to logic.
There is no requirement to have a "purpose". You are presupposing the requirement for an answer in your question.
Those "logics", thank God, I am learning to be immuned to.
Those kinds of minds can take darkness for light and light for darkness.
Originally posted by scottishinnzThere is no requirement to have a "purpose". You are presupposing the requirement for an answer in your question.
You are apparently immune to logic.
There is no requirement to have a "purpose". You are presupposing the requirement for an answer in your question.
This is a typical evasion of the mind befuddled by Darwin worship.
Even if there is no requirement they still have no clue who or what they are.
If your Evolution religion is true then I think you were better off as an ape !
Originally posted by jaywillYou are totally crazy.
[b] There is no requirement to have a "purpose". You are presupposing the requirement for an answer in your question.
This is a typical evasion of the mind befuddled by Darwin worship.
Even if there is no requirement they still have no clue who or what they are.
If your Evolution religion is true then I think you were better off as an ape ![/b]
Check into your local asylum.
Originally posted by jaywillJesus isn't speaking. Your reading it in ***the bible***. And Jesus, in the bible, says the bible is true. Which must make what Jesus is saying true, which means the bible is true, which means that what Jesus is saying is true, which means the bible if true, which means that what Jesus is saying is true, which means the bible if true,which means that what Jesus is saying is true, which means the bible if true,which means that what Jesus is saying is true, which means the bible if true,which means that what Jesus is saying is true, which means the bible if true,which means that what Jesus is saying is true, which means the bible if true,which means that what Jesus is saying is true, which means the bible if true.
No , the evidence is not just it is true because it says it is , but look Who is doing the talking.
Jesus Christ. He has built up a lot of credibility. And He says it is true.
Jesus inspires trust in many of us. So for that reason we're inclined to believe the Bible is true.
Figured the problem out yet?