Genesis: is it to be taken literally?

If you truely believe that the Apostle Peter was a false teacher, then we have no common ground from which to debate.Here are a few notable names that take Genesis literally:
Peter believed the flood to be a factual account II Pet 2:5 and I Pet 3:20.The Hebrew writer believed the flood account factual Heb 11:7God in Isaiah 54:9 reafirms the flood account.Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day... The six literal days of creation.Jesus in Mat 19:4 and Mar 10:6 afirms the creation of man in the beginning.

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Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.

I don't believe a single word that any New Testament author wrote. Is this the same Peter that denied Jesus three times? But, the unknown authors of these two books do not state that it was a worldwide flood. Another unkown writer, how do you know he took all of Genesis literally? The statement was that most Christians took Genesis literally! So, God is a Christian is He? The Book of Exodus wasn't written by a Christian! Jesus was not a Christian.Not doing very well are you.Are there any of the church fathers who take Genesis literally?Brian.

Actually, Jesus taught using parables. Is there any indication that Jesus thought the Flood anymore real than he thought the tale of the two houses or the good servant real?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Hi Terry,
I have not had time to go through all the detail, but I have heard it said; to quote "The six days of creation represent a great systematic presentation of God's work which becomes the foundational pattern for human work and activity. In turn, the human understanding of the 'week'has become the framework for telling the creation story and its climax;the Sabbath.. The cosmic story moves towards a twin crested peak; humanity and Sabbath. People are the crown of creation, but the Sabbath with its rest and communion with God crowns its purpose'
In other words, its literacy for the truth that God created the world, but not neccessarily literal.

Sorry to hear that you don't believe at all and since you don't there is no real reason you would believe a church father either. After all this Peter is reguarded as the first pope by many. Certainly one of Jesus' inner circle of the 12 Apostles.

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Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.

The parables of Jesus are just stories to relate a spiritual truth, but there is no indication that that is what the creation or the flood is. Jesus took those literally.

I'm not sure who you are quoting in Message 259, but that certainly is partially true. God's creation week is where we get the work week with a sabbath day to rest in Jewish times. I still believe the details of the creation to be literally true.

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Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.

How can you say that when there are so many conflicting accounts in the flood stories? What makes you think Jesus took them as more than parables? How are the conflicting flood tales different than the two mutually exclusive creation tales in Genesis?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I guess I don't see the conflicts you are talking about. Could you be more specific?

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Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.

Sure. There are differing accounts of what was taken on board, two differing accounts of what was done towards the end of the voyage and what critters were sent out. It's pretty obvious that at least two different traditions and myths were combined into one anthology.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Terry, let me ask you a question. Since we are both Christians and speaking from a basis of long term Christian educations, what do you consider more reliable, records directly from GOD or those written by man?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Those from God of course...All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. II Tim 3:16,17The entire Bible is given by God. What man writes is only comentary on the Bible and should be taken with a grain of salt.

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Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.

Did GOD create the world and universe around us?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Yes, God did create the universe and everything in it and you can come to a knowledge that there is a God by observing the world around us (general revelation). However, you need the Bible (specific revelation) to really know God and what he expects of you.I assume that by your previous message that you think the Bible to be written by men all on there own, but that is not the case. The Bible is inspired (God dictated). It is not simply men compiling verbal myths.

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Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.

How can a book substantiate its own divinity?I'd like to hear it from God, please. Anyone can write a book and say "God wrote this." Oh, wait, many already have.