(Barbarian notes that Augustine's argument for figurative days was accepted by most Christians)
High regard does not indicate truth.
True. It just shows that six literal days is not the Christian position.
I can't paste from that source but if you look at page 106, paragraph 6, he plainly says that "God therefore, accomplished the works of His creation in six days, a perfect number of days."
And he also says that they are not literal days, but figurative.
These seven days of our time, although like the seven
days of creation in name and in numbering, follow
one another in succession and mark off the division
of time, but those first six days occurred in a form
unfamiliar to us as intrinsic principles within things
created. Hence evening and morning … did not
produce the changes that they do for us with the
motion of the sun. This we are certainly forced to
admit with regard to the first three days, which are
recorded and numbered before the creation of the
heavenly bodies.
Saint Augustine,
Literal Meaning
I submit that God uses all of the Bible to describe Himself.
Barbarian observes:
God is not nature. Pantheism is not a Christian belief. When He describes the earth bringing forth animals, it is not Him, but rather nature as His tool.
Non-sequiter. We are not discussing pantheism.
You are, if you assert that God uses all of the Bible to describe Himself. He often describes things that are not Himself.
Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Why did He not say "Let nature bring..."?
Probably because there was no word like "nature" for Hebrews at the time. But they understood.
It sure would have cleared up some of the confusion.
For most Christians, we see no confusion.
You are saying (and it is plain to us who are reading what you write) that God didn't do what He said He did, the way He said He did it.
Barbarian observes:
I showed you that He said it very plainly in Genesis.
It's very plain. He says that the earth and waters brought forth living things. No point in denying it.
Barbarian observes:
You brought up the issue of what was necessary to be saved.
Let's take a look...
Believing that He exists is not enough.
I asked if you can know God and deny the words He uses to describe Himself. You have refused to answer (repeatedly).
I showed you in Scripture and in the Apostle's Creed Who God is, and how you can know Him. If you won't believe Scripture, what more can I do. I think it's time you told us; do you accept the Creed, or do you not? And if not, Who do you think God is?
Barbarian observes:
After Jesus came, the Apostles made a creed by which Christians would know who was a Christian, and what the beliefs of Christians were:
The "Apostles Creed" was written long after the apostles died. They had nothing to do with it. You are correct in that it was used as an ID card of sorts to identify believers.
And it is still used by us to know who we are. Again, do you accept it as true, or do you not? And if not, Who do you think He is?
