[_ Old Earth _] Theistic Evolutionists only please! Questions...

[rmills]

Sorry, been out for a while but I did not forget you guys! :D

In my effort to establish some pattern regarding my quest to see how a literal or non-literal translation of Genesis effects ones theology in general, I have a few questions.

1) Are you a Calvinist?

2) Are you a Universalist?

3) What is the difference between "The Text" and "The Word of God" in the Bible? Or is there no difference?

4) Does the Bible make any scientific claims that you feel are significant?

5) Does God?

I have a zillion more but I think that these will help me start to understand.

 

[serapha]

Sorry, been out for a while but I did not forget you guys! :D

In my effort to establish some pattern regarding my quest to see how a literal or non-literal translation of Genesis effects ones theology in general, I have a few questions.

1) Are you a Calvinist?

2) Are you a Universalist?

3) What is the difference between "The Text" and "The Word of God" in the Bible? Or is there no difference?

4) Does the Bible make any scientific claims that you feel are significant?

5) Does God?

I have a zillion more but I think that these will help me start to understand.

Hi there!

:angel:

1) Are you a Calvinist?

yes...

2) Are you a Universalist?

no...

3) What is the difference between "The Text" and "The Word of God" in the Bible? Or is there no difference?

I feel the entirity of the Bible in infallible, therefore, the text of the Bible is the Word of God.

4) Does the Bible make any scientific claims that you feel are significant?

The Bible wasn't written to be a science textbook.

5) Does God?

Does God what?



~serapha~

 

[rmills]

Hey serapha,

Thanks for answering and sorry about the delay.

The Bible wasn't written to be a science textbook.

Of course not. But It does however make some scientific claims.

Does God what?

Does God make any scientific claims that you feel are significant?

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Job 9:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 9:2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
Job 9:3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
Job 9:4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
Job 9:5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
Job 9:6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Job 9:7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Job 9:8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Job 9:9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Job 9:10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
Job 9:11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
Job 9:12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

Job 38:2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Job 38:3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Gen 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

I could go on posting quotes from the Bible but you can see what I mean. God states scientific implication throughout scripture.

I feel the entirity of the Bible in infallible, therefore, the text of the Bible is the Word of God.

We agree on this.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, (to determine) whether those things were so.

 

[rmills]

My answer would probably differ from anyone else's. First of all, I accept the Bible as truth because of the fulfilled prophecy within its words. I can't determine that "this part is true" and "this part might not be true"... therefore, I accept it all as truth, all in a literal sense unless there is some reason that I cannot accept it as literal truth.

Above was quoted from another thread that serapha spoke in.

This is the kind of answer that I was looking for. I am glad I found it. :D

We know from scripture...

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

...that God is eternal.

Eternity =

H5703

From H5710; properly a (peremptory) terminus, that is, (by implication) duration, in the sense of perpetuity (substantially as a noun, either with or without a preposition): - eternity, ever (-lasting, -more), old, perpetually, + world without end.

This is another claim of God's that can be looked upon as a scientific claim that I consider to be significant. We cannot fully understand eternity or perpetuity as we quite simply do not have a frame of reference with which to compare the claim. We believe in faith that God is eternal. The statement…

…all in a literal sense unless there is some reason that I cannot accept it as literal truth.

…is one that I am attempting to understand with painful effort. How can we define what God is capable of in the Creation account based on our understanding of science? This is where the theological debate starts.

Jesus spoke in parables, and the parables had both literal and allegorical implications. Thus, we can assume that Genesis is an allegorical or figurative account? Genesis is quite literal after the creation account, so how does one decide that the first two or three chapters are not literal representations or accounts of the facts surrounding how we came to be? Further, how do we assume that this mentality is justified by other scriptural evidence that shows both figurative and literal statements? In all cases of Jesus and his parables, we see that he presents both practical truths and spiritual truths. These truths are undisputed as far as we Christians are concerned. But the assumption still remains that Genesis’ creation account shows a spiritual truth but not a literal truth?

Help me understand please!

 

[Barbarian]

We know that Genesis cannot be wholly literal, since the text itself tells us that such an interpretation leads to logical contradictions.

 

[rmills]

We know that Genesis cannot be wholly literal, since the text itself tells us that such an interpretation leads to logical contradictions.

No. The "text" tells us nothing of the kind. The "evolutionary sciences" dictate to us that the "text" leads to logical contradictions. There is a distinct difference between the two. One must be correct. The answer is quite simply one or the other, God did what he said he did, or science proves that God had nothing to do with the Genesis account, thus Genesis is wrong.