The Bible - Fiction, or non-fiction?

[St. SteVen]

--- PARODY ---

Library patron: I'm looking for a book.
Librarian: Fiction, or non-fiction?
Library patron: I'm not sure.
Librarian: What is the title?
Library patron: The Bible.
Librarian: Who is the author?
Library patron: I'm not sure. God?

[

 

[David Lamb]

--- PARODY ---

Library patron: I'm looking for a book.
Librarian: Fiction, or non-fiction?
Library patron: I'm not sure.
Librarian: What is the title?
Library patron: The Bible.
Librarian: Who is the author?
Library patron: I'm not sure. God?

[

Sorry, what point are you making, or what are you asking? Surely you are not really asking whether the bible is a book of fact or of fiction?

 

[St. SteVen]

Sorry, what point are you making, or what are you asking? Surely you are not really asking whether the bible is a book of fact or of fiction?

There are a range of opinions on this.
Some claim the Bible is like any other religious mythology. (fiction)
Some claim it is completely literal and inerrant, cover to cover. (non-fiction)
Others view it as a mixture of literal and figurative. (fiction and non-fiction)

Is the Revelation of John literal? (non-fiction)
What about the creation accounts? (fiction, or non-fiction)
Noah's flood? (fiction, or non-fiction)
The gospel accounts? (fiction, or non-fiction) When did the fig tree wither?

[

 

[David Lamb]

There are a range of opinions on this.
Some claim the Bible is like any other religious mythology. (fiction)
Some claim it is completely literal and inerrant, cover to cover. (non-fiction)
Others view it as a mixture of literal and figurative. (fiction and non-fiction)

Is the Revelation of John literal? (non-fiction)
What about the creation accounts? (fiction, or non-fiction)
Noah's flood? (fiction, or non-fiction)
The gospel accounts? (fiction, or non-fiction) When did the fig tree wither?

[

Yes, of course there are all sorts of opinions about the bible. I believe that the bible does have some figurative passages. For example, when Jesus said, "I am the door," He wasn't saying that He consisted of a wooden or pvc oblong, with hinges and a handle. But I don't agree that figurative equals fiction.

So regarding your four questions, I would answer as follows:

Revelation is certainly not fiction, but some of it is figurative.

Creation account is not figurative or fiction.

The Flood of Noah's day similarly is nether fiction nor figurative.

The gospel accounts do include figurative passages, such as Jesus likening Himself to a vine, and His followers to the branches, but the gospel accounts are not fiction. Your subsidiary question, "When did the fig tree wither?" is answered in this verse:

“And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.” (Mt 21:19 NKJV)

 

[Jack]

Sorry, what point are you making, or what are you asking? Surely you are not really asking whether the bible is a book of fact or of fiction?

Just another subtle attack on the Bible by stevie.

 

[St. SteVen]

Your subsidiary question, "When did the fig tree wither?" is answered in this verse:

“And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.” (Mt 21:19 NKJV)

We need to take into account the scripture in Mark.
Did Peter not see the fig tree wither immediately?

Mark 11:20-21 NIV
In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

[

 

[St. SteVen]

The Flood of Noah's day similarly is nether fiction nor figurative.

What does Noah's flood teach us about the character of God?
Does the account present us with fact or fiction?
Was global genocide necessary to cover God's mistake?
How would we characterize a human who did such a thing?
Do we whitewash what God did simply because He is God?

[

 

[Behold]

There are a range of opinions on this.
Some claim the Bible is like any other religious mythology. (fiction)

The people who die and go to Hell today and tomorrow.......all now believe that Hell is real and that the Bible is true.

 

[St. SteVen]

The people who die and go to Hell today and tomorrow.......all now believe that Hell is real and that the Bible is true.

So you believe that people are sent to hell before the judgment?
Why would that make them believe the Bible?

[

 

[Behold]

So you believe that people are sent to hell before the judgment?

Lets define the terms...

Try to stay with it...

You said......>"People who are sent to Hell".

So, here is how this works.....

Before The Cross, you have OT Jews who were esteemed by God , who died and didn't go to Heaven or Hell.
They went to "Abraham's Bosom". .. This is also defined as "Paradise" by Peter in the NT
Peter's verse says......That Jesus "preached to the spirits in prison""......but that is not the same idea as : "behind bars"....
This Prision, (1 Peter 3) was where they were waiting to be FREED by Jesus.

Now when Jesus told the dying Theif........"Today you will be with me in PARADISE"....... Jesus is explaining that He's going to "Abraham's Bosom" to preach to those spirits....(not souls)......but spirits, so that they can be Freed and go to Heaven.
And He did., and they did.

Now, i taught you all this, so that you can know it........but also because you unknowingly said, "the people in Hell".

NOW... the "People in hell" are their Spirits in Hell, as their body is in the Grave, or it was cremated, But their Spirit that is the REAL YOU and ME.......as we exist inside the body.........= their spirit went to HELL.

Why?
Becaue their SPIRIT was not born again Spiritually before they died.
They died never born again.
They died out of Christ, not "In Christ" and that sends you to Hell

Why would that make them believe the Bible?

The reason that most people dont believe Hell, is because they are trying to find a way out of it.
Its a mental thing.
Its sort of a......."let me find a faux gospel or a teaching that gets rid of it, and then i dont have to worry about going to Hell".
The issue is......you can't get rid of Hell, as its as real as God.

Now the reason that people who denied Hell, and went there, now believe in it, is because they are in it, and they know it.
See, you really wont be able to deny Hell exists, when you are in it.
So, most of these people had no real use for the bible other then to deny it or criticize it, because they didnt believe it.
But now they do, because now they realize that "OMG< it was ALL TRUE".

 

[marks]

Just another subtle attack on the Bible by stevie.

Not so subtle. Just another attack against God and His Word.

Just like love is action, hate is also action.

Much love!

 

[St. SteVen]

Lets define the terms...

Try to stay with it...

LOL
That's where I stopped reading.

[

 

[David Lamb]

We need to take into account the scripture in Mark.
Did Peter not see the fig tree wither immediately?

Mark 11:20-21 NIV
In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

[

Mark seems to tell us when the disciples noticed that the fig tree had withered. Matthew tells us when it happened, and then says, "When his disciples saw it......" without saying when that was. Matthew doesn't mention Peter specifically there.

 

[David Lamb]

What does Noah's flood teach us about the character of God?

That God is holy, ands demands obedience, and punishes sin. It also shows His great power.

Does the account present us with fact or fiction?

Fact.

Was global genocide necessary to cover God's mistake?

What mistake of God's? God does not make mistakes. As Abraham says in his rhetorical question: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

How would we characterize a human who did such a thing?
Do we whitewash what God did simply because He is God?

[

What an unbiblical idea! No human could do such a thing, and no human would have the right to do such a thing anyway, because all humans are sinners, and in no position to pass judgment on other sinners. If, as you seem to be implying, God was wrong to flood the world, do you think God is wrong to punish sin? Yet the bible says He does, but praise God, for the Christian, their Saviour has taken the punishment on their behalf!

 

[Jack]

That God is holy, ands demands obedience, and punishes sin. It also shows His great power.

Fact.

What mistake of God's? God does not make mistakes. As Abraham says in his rhetorical question: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

What an unbiblical idea! No human could do such a thing, and no human would have the right to do such a thing anyway, because all humans are sinners, and in no position to pass judgment on other sinners. If, as you seem to be implying, God was wrong to flood the world, do you think God is wrong to punish sin? Yet the bible says He does, but praise God, for the Christian, their Saviour has taken the punishment on their behalf!

Excellent response! Stevie seems to think he can tell God what He can or can't do. And yet stevie said "I love the Bible"!

 

[Muna]

What does Noah's flood teach us about the character of God?

That He would have likely spared the world if there were just ten righteous in it (Gen 18:32)
but there wasn't, there was just under that, "the eight souls" 1 Peter 3:20

And that His longsuffering is pretty amazing as He waited during those days while the ark was preparing to save the fewest of them that would actually be saved.

 

[St. SteVen]

Mark seems to tell us when the disciples noticed that the fig tree had withered. Matthew tells us when it happened, and then says, "When his disciples saw it......" without saying when that was. Matthew doesn't mention Peter specifically there.

How did Peter know which tree it was?

[

 

[David Lamb]

How did Peter know which tree it was?

[

It was withered, and it was in the same place as that the tree Jesus had said should wither the previous day.

 

[Jack]

The Bible - Fiction, or non-fiction?​

And of course stevie is implying FICTION!

 

[St. SteVen]

What mistake of God's? God does not make mistakes. As Abraham says in his rhetorical question: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

The Biblical record says that God had regret for His actions. And the solution was global genocide.
Might there have been a better solution? Or should we take the account as myth?

Genesis 6:6 NIV
The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

What an unbiblical idea! No human could do such a thing, and no human would have the right to do such a thing anyway, because all humans are sinners, and in no position to pass judgment on other sinners. If, as you seem to be implying, God was wrong to flood the world, do you think God is wrong to punish sin? Yet the bible says He does, but praise God, for the Christian, their Saviour has taken the punishment on their behalf!

Of what value is punishing sin? Isn't God in the business of redemption?
Jesus didn't pay the death penalty only for Christians.

1 John 2:2 NIV
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

[