Sorry to reply to my own post, but I should add, too, that Hebrews 11 goes on to show that it is through faith that the actions of the ancients are "well-attested." We accept the stories on faith, not on historicity, because they tell us something essential, and that something transcends actual history, the details of which would get in the way of the spiritual message, something several BoM authors also complained of. But we do have to accept that something happened -- it's that the how and when needn't concern us -- and this is why reading the scriptures by the spirit, rather than by modern interpretation as the Biblicists, our modern-day Pharisees, do, is not akin to the modern "new history" movement which denies historicity altogether, contrary to what John alleges.
"Marc A. Schindler" wrote: > Hebrews 11:1 -- that's where we get our faith from. > > Mark Gregson wrote: > > > > > > - Is it more important that the walls of Jericho fell as described, or > > > that the people of the covenant were successful as long as they followed > > > Him? > > > > If the walls of Jericho did not fall as described in the Bible, then in what way >were the covenant people successful? If the Red Sea did not part then in what way >can we say that God's power is great and that He led the Israelites? In what way can >it be said how willing and capable God is in helping you succeed in following His >commandments? > > > > The events prove the principle. If the events did not happen we are left without >any proof at all. How much faith would you have in a God who said "Trust me" but who >never did anything that showed He was trustworthy? > > > > So far as I can recall off the top of my head, very, very few of the events >described in the scriptures were just symbolic. They all happened. God really did >create the world, create the Garden of Eden, place a truly and actually naked Adam >and Eve there who did eat a fruit that physically changed them, etc. > > > > The rib and the serpent may be symbolic, but I cannot think of much else that was. > The flood, the tower of Babel with its confounding of languages, the Jaredite barges >- all real events. > > > > It's just as John said: real events can be symbols themselves. But they would >have no power as symbols if they were not real. > > > > ========= Mark Gregson [EMAIL PROTECTED] ========= > > > > > > -- > > _______________________________________________ > > Get your free email from http://mymail.operamail.com > > > > Powered by Outblaze > > > > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > > /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > > /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > > > > -- > Marc A. Schindler > Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland > > “The first duty of a university is to teach wisdom, not a trade; character, not >technicalities. We want a lot of engineers in the modern world, but we don’t want a >world of engineers.” – Sir Winston Churchill (1950) > > Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author >solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer, nor >those of any organization with which the author may be associated. > > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > > ${list_promo} -- Marc A. Schindler Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland “The first duty of a university is to teach wisdom, not a trade; character, not technicalities. We want a lot of engineers in the modern world, but we don’t want a world of engineers.” – Sir Winston Churchill (1950) Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer, nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ${list_promo}
