However, man-made doctrines would to me fit more with those who read a passage, and assign a symbolic or allegorical meaning
Now I feel bad to even respond to your post after what Bygrace posted. She is right that both have significance yeah? Don’t expect you to agree with anything I post...don’t blame you if you don’t. Was just telling my husband the other night I admire those that know the historical history behind God’s word. I’m not that person.
I'm saying that what I've seen is that those who read Scripture more literally tend to be more in agreement with each other, as they are all looking at the same source, the words in print according to their historical meaning.
Just an opinion...not forcing you to agree. “Looking at the same source”
2 Corinthians 4:18
[18] While we look
not at the things which are seen,
but at
the things which are not seen: for the things which
are seen are temporal; but the things which are
not seen are eternal.
Pretty straightforward but what does it mean to you?
Hebrews 11:3
[3] Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,
so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
The Sky is Blue.
As a simple, declarative statement, it has a single meaning, the color of the sky.
But what if I say, There is a deeper spiritual meaning, what is it?
One might answer, the sky is what is over us, and God is over us, God is blue, we've made God sad.
No, says another. Blue is the color for heaven, and the sky is over all, so heaven is everywhere!
“...for the things which are seen are temporal.” Yes the sky is blue obviously. God isn’t blue. But I ask you to consider standing and looking up and pointing up in the sky to say heaven is there above ‘me’...someone on the other side of the earth pointing at the same sky ...is it up or down. Heaven ‘above’
could be positional as in God highest over all. As in “on high” ; supreme authority over all in this world and the world to come. Is that bad to consider it as positional rather than to think when God rent the heavens in Isaiah 64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
It was only literal: “and the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to the bottom.”
And not also Spiritual?
No, I think I'm better off learning the words of Scripture
The words of scripture. The word? Is He (the word) Spirit or flesh? Seems to be the argument. Some say flesh. Some say Spirit. (Imo which doesn’t mean it is right) the word was made flesh, seen of men, was lifted up...suffered death and persecution of wicked men (all included here) ...purified seven times and resurrected. Spoken Life (Spirit) lead those captive in the shadow of death into the light and in to newness of life which is Spirit. Moses spoke with Him who is invisible as if He were visible.
The word of God made flesh: Psalm 12:6
[6] The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver
tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
To corrupt it is to add back in what was removed no?
Why add in the words? God's word shall not return to Him void - that is, empty, without fulfillment. It shall accomplish His Work.
In the believer, I believe the work of God is conforming us to Christ. So, yes, we should be like the masses . . . of Christians.
I don't think we should make void a single word of Scripture.
No not every ‘void’ means the same thing but many times it does. 1 Corinthians 9:15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
Come on...we are told to walk in the spirit. To praise and worship God in Spirit. We are told to not glory in the flesh. As you said ‘void’ ... “
empty”. Same thing. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Void. Same as vain. “Empty” which the creation was subjected to by reason of Him who subjected the same in hope. The hope is Christ. Freedom from vanity. Freedom from that which is void and empty...LIFE. Walk in the Spirit and you will have life. Isaiah 45:18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he
created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord ; and there is none else.
Isaiah 45:19
[19] I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob,
Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Matthew 6:33
[33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Spirit. Not empty. Not in vain. Not void. Not unprofitable. “On earth as it is in Heaven.” ...Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:10
[10] But is now
made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath
brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
1 Timothy 1:17
[17] Now unto the King eternal,
immortal,
invisible,
the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.