Bible - improbabilities

[B-A-C]

On occasion I talk to non-Christians, non-believers about the Bible.
One thing that comes up from time to time is the credibility of the Bible. Not so much who wrote it, or when it was written,
or even is it accurate. But rather some of the content in the Bible. Some of it does seem rather incredulous.

Was there "really" a talking snake in the garden of Eden?
Did Eve eating the fruit "really" cause all people to sin?
Were there "really" giants 9 to 12 feet tall?
Did God "really" part the Red Sea, and let people walk across through it?
Was Samson "really" strong enough to kill a lion with his bare hands?
Did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego "really" live through being thrown into a furnace?
Was there "really" a flood that covered most of the Earth in water?
Did God "really" make woman from one of Adam's ribs?

Do you really believe this stuff? This is all fairy tales and nonsense. How could anyone think any of this really happened?
These are just a few examples. But I find even amongst believers, many don't believe all of these things literally happened.
They think much of this is just abstract of figurative language.

Which leads into some of the things in the New Testament and Jesus.
Was Jesus "really" born from a virgin? Do you really believe that?
Did Jesus "really" get resurrected from the dead?
Do you believe Jesus "really" healed people, made the lame walk, the blind see, and raise the dead?
Is there "really" a heaven and/or a hell?
Do you really believe any of that silly stuff? How can anyone believe this?

Of course the Bible talks about coming to God as child, and having "child-like" faith.
Little children believe in Santa Claus, the tooth-fairy, the Easter-bunny and pretty much anything people tell them.
Of course they are naive, innocent, and full of imagination. They seem to want to believe in something supernatural.

It seems we have to come to God believing. Believing in His Word (the Bible). Believing in His Son (Jesus),
and believing in God.

The Bible also talks about the wisdom of this world versus the wisdom of God.

Mark 10:15; "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

Do you have that child like faith? If you don't Jesus says you can't enter the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:17; "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

Do you really believe the Bible, and everything it says?

1 Cor 1:20; Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
1 Cor 1:21; For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
1 Cor 3:19; For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS";

The Bible and believing in God seems like foolishness the the world.
I consider myself something of a fundamentalist. I believe all these things just as the Bible said they happened.
...and I have to say, after several decades of believing this way, there is a wisdom that comes from God.

1 Cor 1:18; For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor 1:21; For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
1 Cor 1:23; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
1 Cor 1:25; Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Cor 2:14; But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Some people want to "understand" or intellectually "reason out" the Bible. But if you use worldly wisdom, it's just nonsense and a fairly-tale.
But do you have that faith, that true faith that God is who He says He is, did the things He said He did, and will do the things He said He would?

 

[Sue D.]

Seems that Society would rather it / Gods' Word / Not be true because then 'we' are not responsible for believing in it or following 'it'.

And some believe that "It" does contain good, moral teachings. But they don't stop to think Where those teachings came From.

And what human being is going to be sharing that every one is a sinner and needs salvation. That would required someone who is Not another person to have that knowledge and to be able To provide salvation.

And lots of happenings in God's Word do seem to be incredulous -- because they Are. But common sense tells us that this world and everything in it came from Somewhere. Someone Did it. Scientists and general people are trying to come up with some plausible explanation of creation, man, etc. All they need to do is Read about it -- Genesis -- the book Of beginnings.

What's kind of ironic is that people would rather use their Own brains / that God gave them / to try figuring out all these questions themselves.

And, yes, the serpent Did successfully beguile Adam and Eve and look how That's turned out. They weren't willing to obey even one basic rule from God. They listened to satan instead. People are willing to believe the greatest liar of all times instead of following God. But God is Still forgiving -- provides a way for us In Spite of -- all we need to do is acknowledge Our need and accept Him. But Do we?! It's all up to us individually. 'we' still tend to listen to the greatest liar of all time.

Faith comes through God's Word.

 

[B-A-C]

I think some people don't realize, that Jesus Himself believed the events of the old testament as historical fact.

Luke 17:26; "And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
Luke 17:27; they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Jesus believed the flood really happened.

Matt 12:40; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus believed Jonah really was in a giant fish for three days.

Luke 17:29; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

Jesus believed Sodom was really destroyed by fire from heaven.

There are several more examples like this, but the point here is, these weren't just figurative stories and illustrations.
These were events that actually happened.

 

[Sue D.]

Thing is that people want to 'play God' in determining what was probable and what Wasn't.

As far as Jesus believing all these things happened. He wasn't born until the New Testament. It's not a matter of what Jesus believed. He's deity. He was part of the Godhead that provided our salvation for us.

The thing is that these events did take place and they were recorded in Scripture that was inspired by God through the Holy Spirit to be put in the Bible.

It's a matter of what 'we' are willing to accept as God's Word and that His Word is true / factual.

Do WE believe the world-wide flood really happened. Do WE believe that Jonah was really in a great fish for three days.

Do WE believe the Sodom was really destroyed by fire from heaven. And do WE really believe that Sodom was destroyed because of the people's open homosexuality activities. Well -- Gohmorrah , too.

 

[Dave M]

I have a catholic freind who calls the bible a book of fairy tales, exact word she use to is "ferry tales" last time she told me that (she knows it bothers me when she says it) she ended up in the hospital shortly after

 

[Curtis]

The Bible is a story of events that have been continuing on the same from the very beginning. Solomon was correct when he said, ".....there is nothing new under the sun........"

Ecc 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

What has happened in the past, will be the same thing that will happen in the future which means there is nothing new happening on planet earth that has not happened before in the past.

The sin of Lucifer and the fall of mankind into sin is the main motivation that is driving everything to a climactic end that will bring the destruction of the universe along with the earth.
Although the events have changed in method, and their location, the reason, and MO have always been the same that began with sin.

As Jesus once said....

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

 

[Sue D.]

I have a catholic friend who calls the Bible a book of fairy tales, exact word she use to is "ferry tales" last time she told me that (she knows it bothers me when she says it) she ended up in the hospital shortly after

At least We know that it Isn't.

Maybe just a coincidence -- maybe God trying to get her attention. What I'm wondering is why an RCC person would consider the bible to be ferry tales. Is that the lady you went to visit with? She'd fallen out of her wheel chair?!
When you go see her, maybe read some soothing Psalms to her our of her book of 'ferry tales'.

 

[Dave M]

At least We know that it Isn't.

Maybe just a coincidence -- maybe God trying to get her attention. What I'm wondering is why an RCC person would consider the bible to be ferry tales. Is that the lady you went to visit with? She'd fallen out of her wheel chair?!
When you go see her, maybe read some soothing Psalms to her our of her book of 'ferry tales'.

yes thats the lady, great idea thanks for the suggestion

 

[Curtis]

I have a catholic freind who calls the bible a book of fairy tales,

When you are a "living epistle known and read of all men" (2 Cor 3:2-3) it is kinda hard to count that as a fairy tale.

2Co 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2Co 3:3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh.

 

[keffr]

Just think of the world as a computer simulation or video game and God is the creator, he can edit the code as he chooses. So Samson could have easily been given strength.

In programming terms God just had to edit Samon's strength stat to be 20 whereas most people get 6

This is how he is outside of the effects of time, because time is just part of the simulation.

 

[Sue D.]

@keffr -- hmmm -- an interesting concept. Most people , these days, can relate to both of those.