The Bible is allegorical where it SAYS it’s allegorical, and literal where it SAYS it’s literal.
What this shows is how ill-suited this type of question is for a simple survey or poll. Its not a “yes” “no” question. The fact that this is reported as “utter chaos” shows how stupid the reporter is.
There is no “private” interpretation — but that doesn’t mean there is no valid “public” one (the Holy Spirit is public) that rides upon the literary forms of metaphor, etc.
Once you have the theme of Christ and His love down and you actually have His spirit working in your life, then you will be able to get the Lord’s intent better and better. Folks who go hammer and tongs at literal this, literal that often have the wrong attitude and create a lot of needless pain and dissension. That 58% isn’t necessarily doom and gloom... that beats out all hollow the atheist attitude that this is a bunch of manmade words with no divine meaning.
When Jesus says, “I am the Door”, we shouldn’t start looking for a doorknob and hinges.
But when the Bible says that adultery is wrong, we shouldn’t start looking for loopholes.
Everyone has an agenda. For some that agenda has more to do with falling short than actually having a different understanding. For others though, they are politicians who lie as a matter of their being; so they too impose a new Word befitting their lies. And then there is the question of the Old and New Testaments; and whether or not one can even believe in God without Jesus. Oh, yes there are some areas that have yet to be cleared up, but everyone one who is honest for even a moment can understand the meaning of what is written as the spoken word of God in the bible.
That is a pretty head scratching comment.
Of course "multiple interpretations are possible." At most, one will be correct, but multiple interpretations are certainly possible.
Now the essential points of doctrine are not open to interpretation ('we are all sinners in desperate need of a Saviour'. 'there is Salvation in no other Name under Heaven than the Lord Jesus Christ'. 'Without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, ...' etc), but people have always been haggling, and interpreting, over nonessentials. E.g., is tithing Biblical since the Levitical Priesthood has been put away? And if it is, do you tithe gross or net? Baptism: Believers only, or infant also? Dunking, sprinkling, or pouring? etc...
So I agree that the Bible is the literal and inspired Word of God, but I also know that there are various nonessential points that like Believers could 'interpret' differently.
Without God, man screws up everything. I believe the Bible is the His word written at his inspiration. The Bible as we have it has a few errors attributed to man. But the Word and its properly interpreted precepts are the ONLY infallible rule of faith and practice. Not all scripture can be taken literally because was not written to be taken literally. Properly done, a Holy Spirit led, honest searching and study of the scripture will eventually lead to the proper interpretation of the Scripture. Very often, that is not an instantaneous process. I am not a Bible scholar by any stretch, but few people this day and time embark on a committed study and search for God in His word. As a result, many fall prey to erroneous interpretation and culturally influenced interpretation designed to satisfy their “itching ears” that will not tolerate sound doctrine. Those with some knowledge of the Bible have seen where this is foretold.
All we can do is trust in God’s promises to us, tell others about the “good news”, and pray that the Holy Spirit will bring many into conviction regarding their spiritual needs. For those who “add to” or “take away” from God’s word, they are in the hands of their Creator. I often look around today and repeat the line, “deliver us from evil”. More and more I can see that I am not of this world.
Jesus some about this spiritual “lawlessness,” when everyone makes their own rules in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me,’Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord,Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them,’I never knew you. Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness!”
LOL! Gallup's version of the headline read Gallup: Three in Four in U.S. Still See the Bible as Word of God
....”The findings reveal the utter chaos in our culture regarding the nature and authority of Scripture”....
As if that’s something new...just an old story that continues to play out in every generation....the enemies tactics never change because they work on an uninformed and unbelieving society.
I think more so today it’s a flat out denial that there is truth, as well as an overall lack of interest in truth as each makes up their own and anything goes.
Further society is in a hyper-active mode.....to “Be still and know that I am God”...is not attractive to lights camera and action.
So is "The Bible is the literal word of God, because the Bible says so, and God won't let his word be distorted."
It's not about logic, it's about faith. Appealing to Biblical authority has no effect on someone who doesn't share your faith in the first place.
This is pretty much hooey. There is wide sectarian disagreement (in legitimate churches) over what and how much of the Bible is what.
So calling honest disagreement “chaos” is somewhat disingenuous, insisting that only your denomination has the accurate description.
USUALLY these kinds of polls are requested by some entity...and those entities USUALLY have an agenda.
It's BALONEY.
**”Allowing for interpretation” seems to be key for our postmodern, pluralistic society, as 58 percent - representing the majority of self-identifying Christians in America - accept that the Bible is the “actual Word of God” but insist, “multiple interpretations are possible.”**
Multiple interpretations may be possible, but they won’t be correct.
The interpretations of individuals will always lead to YOPIOS. Your Own Private Interpretation of Scripture.