And a great many others disagree with you. So how does this personal interpretation of yours demonstrate the existence of a uniform, discernible (and presumptively correct) "literal" interpretation?
As for your simple statement that the word "die" was intended to mean a "spiritual" death, how does that comport with your interpretation of the word "day" as "time" (by which I suppose you mean an indefinite duration longer than a 12 or 24 hour period)? Was God threatening in Gen. 2:17 that Adam would "surely" experience a "spiritual death" at some vague, indefinite point in the future if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
And please note that you are in complete disagreement with the "literalists" who argue the Bible's incompatibility with the theory of evolution. One of their favorite canards is that evolution and the Bible cannot be compatible precisely because, according to Gen. 2:17, physical death did not exist prior to Adam's sin.
So where is this uniform, discernible "literal" interpretation?
"So how does this personal interpretation of yours demonstrate the existence of a uniform, discernible (and presumptively correct) "literal" interpretation?"
I think this is where you and I are missing each other. I meant to assert that the Bible is to be interpreted literally- not that all who interpret literally will reach the same conclusions. And for those who interpret Genesis literally - Creation of Man as a seperate act of God.
"I suppose you mean an indefinite duration longer than a 12 or 24 hour period"
Genesis 2:4 refers to the entire creation period as a "day." I believe that day can mean "period of time" either shorter (as in Genesis 2:17) or longer (as in Genesis 2:4).
Now here's one for you. I consider myself to be one who takes the Bible literally. Yet, I do not believe that God is covered with feathers (as in the Poetry books) and I do not believe that Satan will be bound from a chain like the ones atHome Depot (as in Revelation).
My literal view of Genesis is..
1) Genesis 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth
(Insert the dinosaurs and the ancient world)
2) Genesis 1:2 The earth degenerated into an uninhabitable state. The text "the earth was" can also be translated "the earth became" without form and void, or "chaotic and useless." Other texts (Jer.4:23, Is. 45:18) indicate that this was not how God originally made it, it degenerated into this state.
3) The re-creation process, involving man.
4) God did not need to create all forms of animals as we know them, micro-evolution within the various species has taken place. (a horse and a zebra make a "zorse".
http://www.spotsnstripes.com/ZorseInfo.htm
5) Adam sinned, and brought spiritual death (immediately) and physical death (eventually) to the human race.
6) Noah would not have had to take all forms on the ark, only the genetic prototypes.
This is my interpretation- I take the Bibel literally that man is a unique creation of God made in His image, yet micro-evolution does occur.
As far as Adam's death brining death to the "world" through sin (Romans 5:12) th eword world means "world of men" as in John 3:16, "for God so loved the world that He sent His Son." Obviously this did not mean dinosaurs and mosquitos.
While I have your attention- let me say that I never meant to infer that you are not a Christian if you do not take the Bible literally.
The Church's Founding Fathers spiritualized most of the Old Testament-yet were deeply committed Christians.