Genesis 1 and 2 - Taken Literally or Figuratively?

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Tintin

Guest
#121
#121
But Hungry. The Gospel means nothing if early Genesis isn't literal history. Nothing. This isn't something that's a side issue, it's foundational to the Christian faith. Not required for salvation, no. But it can be a huge stumbling block to those who are new to the faith and can be even more to someone seeking God's truth.
 
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Hungry

Banned
#122
Nov 26, 2012
3,095
1,050
113
#122
I'm not saying that I don't believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is not historically related to Adam and Eve. Nor am I saying that Man did not disobey the Creator and cause a fallout. What I am saying is that there is quite a few unanswered questions on all sides and nobody can point to something emphatically and say this is exactly the way it happened. Doing so causes unnecessary division among believers. Christ said believe in Him, and the Holy Spirit will teach us. Even if penned words were spiritually inspired, that doesn't mean that they have been spiritually interpreted. If so why do we all disagree, even as believers? After all, it is to the glory of God to conceal a matter. Seek and you will find. There is more to the Creation account than a naked couple running around in Paradise, talking serpents and forbidden fruit. I think accepting everything unchallenged, is more of a stumbling block to full understanding of who we are, our purpose, what separates us from fullness in Christ, who our enemy is and essentially what life is. The story seems too simplistic to satisfy. All we have is assumption to back up any claims about events that have taken place, even two hundred years ago. Even our faith in Christ is still faith. I think I'm right and I'm betting my soul on it. No miraculous sign or Heavenly messenger has ever affirmed my beliefs. We all just have hope. I keep asking, seeking and knocking, however what has been given, found and opened might just be my own faulty understanding. It seems to all make sense to me, anyways. One day we will all know one way or the other, but until that happens, I was just saying be loving to one another........because you might be wrong.
 
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valiant

Senior Member
#123
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
124
63
#123
Hungry said:
I'm not saying that I don't believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is not historically related to Adam and Eve. Nor am I saying that Man did not disobey the Creator and cause a fallout. What I am saying is that there is quite a few unanswered questions on all sides and nobody can point to something emphatically and say this is exactly the way it happened. Doing so causes unnecessary division among believers. Christ said believe in Him, and the Holy Spirit will teach us. Even if penned words were spiritually inspired, that doesn't mean that they have been spiritually interpreted. If so why do we all disagree, even as believers? After all, it is to the glory of God to conceal a matter. Seek and you will find. There is more to the Creation account than a naked couple running around in Paradise, talking serpents and forbidden fruit. I think accepting everything unchallenged, is more of a stumbling block to full understanding of who we are, our purpose, what separates us from fullness in Christ, who our enemy is and essentially what life is. The story seems too simplistic to satisfy. All we have is assumption to back up any claims about events that have taken place, even two hundred years ago. Even our faith in Christ is still faith. I think I'm right and I'm betting my soul on it. No miraculous sign or Heavenly messenger has ever affirmed my beliefs. We all just have hope. I keep asking, seeking and knocking, however what has been given, found and opened might just be my own faulty understanding. It seems to all make sense to me, anyways. One day we will all know one way or the other, but until that happens, I was just saying be loving to one another........because you might be wrong.
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I can see why there is so much division among Christians in the States. They are all so convinced that they are right and everyone else is wrong.

you only have to look at the loaded question to see that only one view is acceptable.

Genesis 1 & 2 - figurative or literal....? what they mean is 'literally as we interpret it'. If you interpret it literally and don't agree with them you are wrong, even if millions of bible believing Christians interpret it literally and agree with you.

Thank God in the uk we have more sense.
 
B

blondieindahouse

Banned
#124
Jun 23, 2015
1,990
37
0
#124
valiant said:
I can see why there is so much division among Christians in the States. They are all so convinced that they are right and everyone else is wrong.

you only have to look at the loaded question to see that only one view is acceptable.

Genesis 1 & 2 - figurative or literal....? what they mean is 'literally as we interpret it'. If you interpret it literally and don't agree with them you are wrong, even if millions of bible believing Christians interpret it literally and agree with you.

Thank God in the uk we have more sense.
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Quite entertaining. Ty for the laugh!!
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
#125
#125
valiant said:
I can see why there is so much division among Christians in the States. They are all so convinced that they are right and everyone else is wrong.

you only have to look at the loaded question to see that only one view is acceptable.

Genesis 1 & 2 - figurative or literal....? what they mean is 'literally as we interpret it'. If you interpret it literally and don't agree with them you are wrong, even if millions of bible believing Christians interpret it literally and agree with you.

Thank God in the uk we have more sense.
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Says the one who is quite angry and judgmental against literalists..
 
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thebesttrees

Guest
#126
#126
Hungry said:
I'm not saying that I don't believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is not historically related to Adam and Eve. Nor am I saying that Man did not disobey the Creator and cause a fallout. What I am saying is that there is quite a few unanswered questions on all sides and nobody can point to something emphatically and say this is exactly the way it happened. Doing so causes unnecessary division among believers. Christ said believe in Him, and the Holy Spirit will teach us. Even if penned words were spiritually inspired, that doesn't mean that they have been spiritually interpreted. If so why do we all disagree, even as believers? After all, it is to the glory of God to conceal a matter. Seek and you will find. There is more to the Creation account than a naked couple running around in Paradise, talking serpents and forbidden fruit. I think accepting everything unchallenged, is more of a stumbling block to full understanding of who we are, our purpose, what separates us from fullness in Christ, who our enemy is and essentially what life is. The story seems too simplistic to satisfy. All we have is assumption to back up any claims about events that have taken place, even two hundred years ago. Even our faith in Christ is still faith. I think I'm right and I'm betting my soul on it. No miraculous sign or Heavenly messenger has ever affirmed my beliefs. We all just have hope. I keep asking, seeking and knocking, however what has been given, found and opened might just be my own faulty understanding. It seems to all make sense to me, anyways. One day we will all know one way or the other, but until that happens, I was just saying be loving to one another........because you might be wrong.
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God bless you as you are the embodiment of the Christian that Paul has in mind,

1 Corinthians 13

[SUP]8 [/SUP]Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. [SUP]9 [/SUP]For we know in part and we prophesy in part, [SUP]10 [/SUP]but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. [SUP]11 [/SUP]When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. [SUP]12 [/SUP]For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

[SUP]13 [/SUP]So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
 
V

valiant

Senior Member
#127
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
124
63
#127
eternally-gratefull said:

Says the one who is quite angry and judgmental against literalists..
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As usual your perverse nature comes out. In fact I don't get angry. Anger on here is a waste of time. Why get angry with nutters? But anyone who checks my posts will see that I take Genesis 1 literally in accordance with what it actually says, unlike you who read your OWN unbiblical ideas into it.

And don't make me laugh. LOL that made my day. Who is more judgmental on here than the seven 24 hour day creationists? :)
 
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GaryA

Guest
#128
#128
thebesttrees said:
The literal approach has caused a lot of headache, confusion and contention. And God is not the Author of confusion.
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GaryA said:
However, Satan IS...

:)
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What I meant by this was that Satan is the author of the "headache, confusion and contention", which he instigates against the "literal approach"...

In other words, the "literal approach" does not cause "headache, confusion and contention" - "by itself, in and of itself, because of itself" -- Satan does that as an attack against it.

:)
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
#129
#129
valiant said:
As usual your perverse nature comes out. In fact I don't get angry. Anger on here is a waste of time. Why get angry with nutters? But anyone who checks my posts will see that I take Genesis 1 literally in accordance with what it actually says, unlike you who read your OWN unbiblical ideas into it.

And don't make me laugh. LOL that made my day. Who is more judgmental on here than the seven 24 hour day creationists? :)
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I rest my case. (bolded in red)

Thanks for the good laugh!
 
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valiant

Senior Member
#130
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
124
63
#130
I'
Tintin said:
But Hungry. The Gospel means nothing if early Genesis isn't literal history. Nothing. This isn't something that's a side issue, it's foundational to the Christian faith. Not required for salvation, no. But it can be a huge stumbling block to those who are new to the faith and can be even more to someone seeking God's truth.
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I'm sorry but that is a nonsensical, if not blasphemous, statement. The Gospel means EVERYTHING regardless of the early chapters of Genesis. Salvation in Christ is all important. Views of Genesis are not.

Your particular view of Genesis is NOT foundational to the Christian faith, nor is mine. Most who become Christians never consider the matter for a long time. And it does them no harm. What does more harm is the dogmatism of those who think they are right and upset other Christians on that basis.

The message of Genesis 1 is that God created and made the world suitable for mankind to live in. That is the only message that matters..

As far as I am aware its only in the States that the matter is seen as important and causes division. Maybe you should get yourselves sorted out so that you don't make such nonsensical statements.
 
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valiant

Senior Member
#131
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
124
63
#131
Originally Posted by valiant

As usual your perverse nature comes out. In fact I don't get angry. Anger on here is a waste of time. Why get angry with nutters? But anyone who checks my posts will see that I take Genesis 1 literally in accordance with what it actually says, unlike you who read your OWN unbiblical ideas into it.

And don't make me laugh. LOL that made my day. Who is more judgmental on here than the seven 24 hour day creationists? :)
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eternally-gratefull said:
I rest my case. (bolded in red)

Thanks for the good laugh!
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Thats Ok certain types of people are noted for laughing hysterically about their own stupid ideas :)
 
V

valiant

Senior Member
#132
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
124
63
#132
GaryA said:
What I meant by this was that Satan is the author of the "headache, confusion and contention", which he instigates against the "literal approach"...

In other words, the "literal approach" does not cause "headache, confusion and contention" - "by itself, in and of itself, because of itself" -- Satan does that as an attack against it.

:)
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But others who hold different views (equally 'literal') have no headache, confusion or contention. Seems Satan isn't doing his job LOL
 
G

GrahamDennis

Banned
#133
Aug 29, 2015
184
0
0
#133
valiant said:
That is not the question. The question was how long was each DAY in forty days and forty nights? Jesus gives us the answer.

TWELVE ROMAN HOURSs.
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Yep,that's jesus hours,Jesus is also God so that's settled!!!!!
 
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GrahamDennis

Banned
#134
Aug 29, 2015
184
0
0
#134
Tintin said:
But Hungry. The Gospel means nothing if early Genesis isn't literal history. Nothing. This isn't something that's a side issue, it's foundational to the Christian faith. Not required for salvation, no. But it can be a huge stumbling block to those who are new to the faith and can be even more to someone seeking God's truth.
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You are correct friend,when I read the first page of genisis I immediately think this cannot be actually what happend,it must be metaphorical,then I read statements by believers who say this us true but the days are God days so could be any length of time( although it don't say this in the scripture) or they say a day is a period of time when it's light,or that say a day then is the same as a day now or the last day never ends because it dosent say " that was the end of the 7th day" it's totally misleading and confusing and very important,if people of even the same faith can't even agree on somthing so simple as the length if a day,how can they agree on anything? Is jesus from the line of David? No,he isn't because Joseph wasn't his father,oh we'll use his mothers linage then,even though no other important person in the bible has there linage explained through a woman it's all " this man begat another man begat another man etc etc what sort if religion confuses people on purpose???
 
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GaryA

Guest
#136
#136
MarcR said:
In the Hebrew Language the letter ו usually signifies the word 'and '. When several sentences in a row begin with a vahv and the first sentence in the row has no initial vahv; the group of sentences form a grammatical construction called the vahv consecutive, which indicates subsequence in time of unstated duration.
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With regard to the above bolded statement -- are you saying that 'first sentence' refers to verse 1 or verse 2?

:)
 
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GaryA

Guest
#137
#137
eternally-gratefull said:
..., Only to find it is ONLY in the KJV..
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"Another correct interpretation in the KJV..." :D :cool:

( Of course, the Hebrew word translated 'heaven' in Genesis 1:1 is actually plural :eek: ; so --- "heavens"... ;) )

:)
 
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