Taking the Bible Literally
I had a good conversation with a friend this morning about several things pertaining to God and church. As she talked, she brought up the fact that not everyone believes the Bible is to be taken literally. This causes all kinds of problems, doesn't it? If a believer does not take the Bible literally, then, he or she can end up believing anything. I am reminded about what Adrian Rogers said years ago, "If the Bible is not absolute, it is obsolete."
Jesus left us no room to take the Bible any way except literally. He told us in the Sermon on the Mount, "one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled."(Matt.5:18b) A jot is the smallest letter in Greek, and the tittle is the smallest mark added to a letter in Hebrew. There is no question that He was saying that it is all true, just as it was written. Then, II Timothy 3:16 puts it all into perspective, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God..." Scripture is "all that was written" which is the Bible. If the Perfect God inspired it, which He did, He would not inspire error. It is all true.
Finally, some people say that God only inspired the ideas and not the words. That is impossible. How can you inspire an idea? You have to use words to express ideas. God inspired the words, and they are all from Him, so the Bible is always correct when understood correctly. The Holy Spirit is given to us to illuminate the Scripture and to lead us into all truth. Therefore, a believer who understands the Bible correctly and allows the Holy Spirit to guide him will always find the meaning God intended in the Bible as He inspired it.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 6-9.
Jesus left us no room to take the Bible any way except literally. He told us in the Sermon on the Mount, "one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled."(Matt.5:18b) A jot is the smallest letter in Greek, and the tittle is the smallest mark added to a letter in Hebrew. There is no question that He was saying that it is all true, just as it was written. Then, II Timothy 3:16 puts it all into perspective, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God..." Scripture is "all that was written" which is the Bible. If the Perfect God inspired it, which He did, He would not inspire error. It is all true.
Finally, some people say that God only inspired the ideas and not the words. That is impossible. How can you inspire an idea? You have to use words to express ideas. God inspired the words, and they are all from Him, so the Bible is always correct when understood correctly. The Holy Spirit is given to us to illuminate the Scripture and to lead us into all truth. Therefore, a believer who understands the Bible correctly and allows the Holy Spirit to guide him will always find the meaning God intended in the Bible as He inspired it.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 6-9.