Why I Take the Bible Seriously but Not Literally: One may study the Bible seriously, respectfully, and reverently without believing it literally. - Softcover

Rollins, Dr. Eugene C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1467043028 ISBN 13: 9781467043021

Verlag: AuthorHouse, 2013

Inhaltsangabe

As a pastor I have a dual role: that of a prophet and a priest. The prophet confronts the people, and the priest comforts the people. I am to comfort the troubled and trouble the comfortable. In relationship to the Bible, the dual struggle is clear. As the priest, I take the Bible seriously because it changes lives (first sermon). I have never heard anyone give testimony that reading Plato?s The Republic, Virgil?s Aeneid, Homer?s Odyssey, Cicero?s Moral Ethics, or John Stewart Mill?s Liberty changed their lives. But thousands of people have given testimony of how reading the Bible has changed their lives forever. As the prophet, I propose to you that no book has been more abused than the Bible or more misunderstood. The Bible has been a playground for lunatics, profit for the charlatans, a profession for the clergy, a problem for theologians, a puzzle for the general public, and placid for the masses. I believe if a person will read the Bible interpretatively and intelligently it will be read seriously, respectfully and reverently thereby becoming the living word of God. Gene Rollins, Author

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

The Rev. Dr. Eugene C. Rollins began on May 15, 1984 as the pastor of Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church and retired on December 25, 2011 after twenty-seven years. This was his fifth church in forty-seven years of pastoring. The five churches experienced an average of 180 percent growth under his leadership. The primary reason has been through creating an attitude of pastoral care of the church and community. For thirty-eight of the forty-seven years he has been bi-vocational or tri-vocational. He is a state licensed professional counselor and also a licensed supervisor of professional counselors. He is the founder and director of Midlands Area Pastoral Counseling Services, Inc., established 1984. He is a certified supervisor with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. and a diplomat with the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy, Inc. He holds two South Carolina licenses and nine national certifications. Why I Take the Bible Seriously but Not Literally is Dr. Rollins fourth book to be published. His first, Grace Is Not a Blue-Eyed Blonde, was published in 2008. His second book, The Masks We Wear, was published in 2010, and his third book, The Power of the Spoken Word, was published in 2011. He also has a workbook, Taming My Tongue, that is a study guide to recognizing The Power of the Spoken Word. Check his website for other publications and articles - www.generollins.com

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WHY I TAKE THE BIBLE SERIOUSLY BUT NOT LITERALLY

One may study the Bible seriously, respectfully, and reverently without believing it literally.By Eugene C. Rollins

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Eugene C. Rollins
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4670-4302-1

Contents

Introduction: Origin of the Material...............................................................................ixChapter 1. I Take the Bible Seriously Because It Changes Lives.....................................................1Chapter 2. I Do Not Take the Bible Literally When It Has God Causing Catastrophes..................................10Chapter 3. I Take Seriously the Inspiration of the Bible...........................................................19Chapter 4. I Do Not Take Literally the Bible as Inerrant or Infallible.............................................28Chapter 5. I Take Seriously the Bible's Account of God's Creation of Everything....................................38Chapter 6. I Do Not Take Literally Genesis's Account of Creation...................................................47Chapter 7. I Take the Bible Seriously When It Claims that God Owns Everything......................................57Chapter 8. I Do Not Take the Bible's Worldview Literally...........................................................66Chapter 9. I Take Seriously the Bible's Admonition to Be Love Slaves...............................................74Chapter 10. I Do Not Take Literally the Bible's Admonition to Slaves...............................................83Chapter 11. I Take Seriously the Bible's Equality of All People....................................................93Chapter 12. I Do Not Take Literally the Bible's Inequality of Women................................................102Chapter 13. I Take Seriously the Bible's Identity of Jesus.........................................................111Chapter 14. I Do Not Take Literally the Bible's Virgin Birth of Jesus..............................................120Chapter 15. I Take Seriously the Bible's Affirmation of God's Judgment.............................................132Chapter 16. I Do Not Take Literally the Bible's Burning Hell.......................................................142Chapter 17. I Seriously Worship the God of the Bible, but I Do Not Literally Worship the Bible.....................151Conclusion.........................................................................................................161Selected Bibliography..............................................................................................163About the Author...................................................................................................165

Chapter One

I Take the Bible Seriously Because It Changes Lives

Sermon Syllabus

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:20-24

Central Idea of the Text (CIT): Paul taught that the Holy Spirit using the Word of God could change a person into a different person.

Thesis: The Spirit-infused Word of God has the power to change lives today.

Introduction

Outline:

I. The Words of Jesus Changed Saul into Paul—Acts 9:1-22

II. The Words of Jesus Changed Zacchaeus the Thieving Tax Collector into a Benevolent Follower—Luke 19:1-10

III. The Words of Jesus Changed the Unsavory Woman of Samaria into a Witness For Jesus—John 4:1-42

IV. The Words of Jesus Changed My Life in 1961

V. The Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life Today!

Conclusion

The Word of the Lord

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Ephesians 4:22-24

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Introduction

I relate to the scriptures reverently, with respect and awe. Contrary to what some people say and believe, the scriptures may be taken seriously and not literally. In fact, I believe one cannot take them both seriously and literally. But this morning, I hope to nail down for you why I take seriously these scriptures.

Around AD 354-430, one of our church fathers, Saint Augustine of Hippo, was in his own words a very sinful person. He wrote in his masterful classic confession about his reprobate life. He was born to a Christian mother and family. He was devoted in early life but greatly strayed in his young adult life. In his search through heathenism, this phrase came to his mind: pick up and read. These words continued to rumble around in the hallways of his mind: pick up and read. Augustine knew what that meant. He had to read the Word before but as a philosopher and not as a seeker of God. This was the first time he picked up and read the Living Word of God, and it changed his life. Pick up and read. And in that reading, Augustine laid off the old self and put on the new self and became one of the most prolific writers of all of our Christian forefathers. I don't agree with all that he said, but he was a masterful writer and in his day a defender of the scripture.

I. The Words of Jesus Changed Saul into Paul—Acts 9:1-22

Paul writes and says that these words have the ability to create a new creation. These words, infused by the Holy Spirit, made alive by the Spirit of God, have the power to lay off an old self and put on a new self.

There are marvelous works of literature in this world, but how many of you have heard someone say, "I read Shakespeare's Hamlet or Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, and my life was changed! I read about Romeo and Juliet from Shakespeare's work, and my life has just been radically altered, and I am filled with the love Shakespeare speaks about"? Have you ever heard a testimony like that? I have not. The world is filled with great literature, but have you heard anyone say, "You know, I was reading Moby Dick, that marvelous tale of a fish, and that fish walked out of that story into my life, and it has never been the same"? Have you?

The man who wrote those words was a Pharisee, a Jew, a member of the Sanhedrin, and one of the most devout men of his day, and when this little group of people called "The Way"—and that is what Christians were first called, people of "The Way"—Paul felt Judaism was under attack, and he personally committed himself to stomp out the little religious sect called the people of "The Way." Outside the walls of Jerusalem, Paul encouraged the stoning of Steven and even held the cloaks of those who threw the stones that killed this brilliant young man. Paul went throughout Jerusalem incarcerating, confiscating the property of, and locking up men and women because they were people of "The Way." He did so well that he received from the Sanhedrin and the high priest papers to move out of Jerusalem and go into Damascus to do the same.

And while he was on the road to Damascus, a brilliant light knocked him to the ground, and he heard this voice: "Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And Paul said, "Who are you? I am persecuting these people called the people of `The Way.' Who are you?" And Jesus said, "I am Jesus." And I know Paul had this thought race down his mind: But he is dead. We killed him and entombed him, and they created this miracle story about him coming out and hid his body somewhere. And...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: AuthorHouse
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2013
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1467043028
• ISBN 13: 9781467043021
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 178
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: GPSR Kontakt; gpsr@libri.de; ; Europaallee 1; Bad Hersfeld; 36244; Deutschland