Mr. Ex writes:
1) If you believe that the authors of the Scriptures were moved by the Spirit of God, then what does the passage found in II Peter below mean to you?
2) In other words, what were the dynamics involved-- whether culturally, spiritually, or historically for example?
II Peter writes:
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but
men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
From my own perspective, as is
prerequisite for response in this thread, I'll say that I do believe that the Scriptures
are in
some way authored by God. Refining this more clearly in my own Christian perspective, I believe the authors of the Scriptures wrote as they were directed by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.
I think there are different levels of revelation. And although all levels, each with their own corresponding level of responsibility, are inspired by the Holy Spirit, I still nonetheless believe that the Holy Spirit can communicate to us by various mediums and peoples, including other monotheists, polytheists, and atheists.Although I don't believe the world has been around for merely 6,000 years, in the scope of recent human history since the last ice age, this quote noted above
does somewhat capture what I believe as far as the earliest peoples of the world rising out of am initial period of darkness. I believe God inspired Moses to whittle away the multiple layers of alternative thinking to recapture -- whether by poetic utterances, prophetic statements, or moral instruction -- the primal historical revelation of man's common origins once again. And this is the dialectic that I believe the Holy Scriptures have undergone over the course of human history.
In other words, although I don't believe the Scriptures are a gradual
invention of humanity's collective "unconscious" religious thinking over time, they still nonetheless appear to be a progressive "dialectic" revelation of God's
original will by the Holy Spirit-- the same Spirit which has been calling all of humanity from the
very beginning.
So lets refocus, Mr. Ex! Debate the position and don't get involved with quibbles among the post respondants. Everyone is entitled to an opinion!
™ Version 4.2
