Protestants I am just curious and not meaning to offend ,?

Question

but how do you know when or when not to take the Bible literally? Seriously I know that some parts are meant as parables and some are meant as full truths but how do you decide?

What do you see as the meaning of this verse. This is one reason why we believe that tradition is important too.

Stand Fast & Hold the Traditions

2 Thessalonians 2:15

Actually you will notice that it was "personal interpretation" that caused all of the splits in the Church. If it was that simple there wouldn't be so many Protestants around and only one.

Where does it say the Bible is the only word from God?It was not all written at the same time or by the same man. It was the doctrines and letters of the early Catholic Church.

Answer 1

To me that is one of the great wonders of the Bible. It is collection of many different authors whose work is all bound together by a blood-red string. If we believe the Hebrew scriptures are allegory, it is still the most intricately woven masterpiece ever put together. Personally I believe it is both historically correct AND a portrait of man's walk through life.

The New Testament is clearly four different men, giving testimony about Jesus, then some history of the activities of the apostles, then Paul's letters to the various churches, then John's revelation. During the four gospels it is always very clear when Jesus is telling a parable, because He announces it.

Paul continues to be very direct about the applications of the Christian faith. The revelation? I haven't got a clue. Sometimes it almost reads as if it has already happened, but our human time line hasn't revealed it yet.

To me, the verse in Thessalonians means for us to continue to believe and to practice the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and never forget them.

Thank you for being so respectful with your question. I don't know if I've helped or hurt the explanation of Protestant point of view, but it took me a long time to write it, and now I'm hungry.
lol.

Answer 2

One way is to read before the passage that you are reading from as well as after as many times it will state whether it is a parable or not. Many of the stories that Jesus told were parables as they are stories that the common folk can understand and use. You also need to study what the common customs were of the day that the writer was writing in. Like in the time of Jesus, how did the people talk and think verses how we think and talk today. If we were to have someone from like even 1500 come to speak to us today in the english they know verses the english we know, we could not understand them even though it is all english. Knowing the customs of the time and area can help a lot in being able to tell what is parable and what is literal. Ask the question, what does the rest of the bible say on this subject? Sometimes we think a verse is saying one thing when it is really not saying that at all if we but look at other places that talk of the same thing and see what it is really saying overall. It can be confusing if you take just one or two verses and try to make a religious belief of it. If it coincides with what the rest of the bible says, it is pretty well evident that it is literal or a parable, whichever the case may be. Like the verse you are asking about with the traditions, you can put this to the test and ask what other passages would say about it and get a clearer understanding or just try to say that it is saying you should take tradition over anything else. Did you know the bible says that there is NO GOD? IF you take just that verse and do not take it in context, read the before and after, that could be taken wrong and that is how there are so many errors that are taught in so many churches. If you read the preceding sentence you find it says that the "fool has said in his heart, there is NO GOD. Ps. 14:1 Taking something out of context is how so much error gets into people. YOu have to take things in context of what is being talked about. With a little practice, it becomes much easier to tell if something is meant to be literal or as a parable as you are really getting the jist of things rather than taking just a few words out of context and making them say what you want. Does it coincide with other passages of the bible? If not, best do some more study to see what it is really saying and then decide.

Answer 3

Fundamentalists believe that you have to take everything in the Bible literally.

I don't believe that you have to take any of it literally. What's important is not whether the stories and events in the Bible actually happened. What's important is what you learn from them. The lessons that can be learned from the Bible vary from individual to individual and from generation to generation.

The Bible was written by people. It is not the word of God, it is the attempt by people to explain the word of God. Have been written by imperfect human beings, the Bible doesn't reveal the whole truth, and there is much truth to be found in other sources outside the Bible. Think of the Bible like a map of the world. If you found a map of the world that was 2,000 years old, it would be imcomplete, with many imperfections and innacuracies compared to today's maps. But the fact that the map isn't perfect doesn't mean that the world does not exist. Likewise, the Bible can be imperfect and yet still refer to underlying truths.

Keep an open mind, and don't give yourself a headache worrying about which parts of the Bible are literally true. It doesn't matter what others think it means. What matters is what it means to you.

Answer 4

Hello friend,
I am not a Protestant, but if you don't mind I'd like to answer your question.
The only way to understand the Bible is to read it with God, (who wrote it ), as your teacher. A great passage that shines light on this
is 1 Cor. 2:10-16.
Another important point to keep in mind is to keep the verses/passages in context. The Bible is it's own best interpreter.
When ever you find a subject or verse that seems confusing, look at all the Bible has to say about that topic. God's Book will never contradict itself.Check out Proverbs 3:5.
Blessings,
2 Tim 2:7

Answer 5

I would not give you a dime for all the traditions of Man!

One must read the bible with the wisdom from God. There is no contradiction that I have found in the bible.
Of course because of this I'm not much of any church, But I was raised Protestant
What ever that means

Answer 6

I hope you will take my answer to heart.
Traditions are important but not all traditions are necessarily correct.
What many Christians disconnect from is the source of all truth, this is because most Christian churches teach that the heavens are sealed and that God has done his work and no longer needs to speak to his children throught the gifts of the Holy Ghost and through His servants the prophets(preachers, ministers, priests are not prophets). This is one of those really unfair and false traditions.
The Bible has instructions on how to access this wonderful source of truth.
Look up the following:
John 14:26;16:13 (what the Holy Ghost does)
Galatians 5:22-23 (What to expect when we feel the Holy Ghost/Spirit of truth confirming to us truths)
Why ask God? Will he give me an answer? James 1:5-6

"...by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things."
(if youwant to know were this quote came from ask me)

Parables are stories of generally portrayed real life situations that illustrate a moral, a truth or some event that has or will happen. They are fundamentally different from fables, proverbs, myths and fairy tales.
And parables are truths to be understood by the Spirit of God.

The Bible, as anything else that people claim to be the "truth" or "the word of God", is only to be understood by the Spirit of God otherwise it is nothing more than words on paper.
Anything that claims to be the truth, whether it is the Bible, the Koran, the Teachings of Buddism, Hinduism, Taoism, Jainism, Ba'ha'i(?) or any other '-ism' must be tested by our own conscience which is the Light of Christ which lighteth every man(and woman) that cometh into the world. We must constantly be asking God for further light and knowledge for He is ready and able to give it to those who are willing and are faithful to His commandments and ordinances(with so many different religions in the world today which one has the authority to practice these so called ordinances, let alone to preach?).
You decide when you ask God in the name of His son, Jesus Christ, with the intent of being obedient to the answer you get(this is called real intent)if what you are reading, seeing or hearing is true or not.
The real decision comes when you have commited to following through with whatever answer you get from God otherwise you will not know if soemthing is true or not because God doesn't give answers to curiosity seekers.
I hope you are somebody who is really looking to find truth with the intent to follow it. I promise you will get an answer if you have that "real intent". Otherwise you will be wasting your time.
Also, don't take my word or the quotes I have given you to be the truth just because I told you. Ask God and you shall receive.

Answer 7

Read The Jesus Mysteries, by Timothy Freke and Thomas Gandy. It's about Gnostic Christianity and the main theory of the book is that Jesus was a Jewish version of a common Pagan dying-then-resurrecting god-man. The gist of Gnosticism is that there are three levels of understanding when it comes to religion--one, you literally believe the stories, two, you see the stories as deeper spiritual myths, and three, you connect with the Christ-like part of yourself--in a sense, you kill off your old self as a sacrifice and are reborn as a more spiritual person. Check out Gnostic thought for more info. Not that I'm a good little Protestant, but it's interesting to check out the roots of Christianity--this literal/figurative debate has been going on for most of Christianity's history.

Answer 8

Sola Scriptura - one cannot interpret one verse of the Bible WITHOUT reading and understanding the entire chapter.

Satan is working hard to destroy the church. Believing in the traditions prevents Satan from crashing against the gates of the church.

Read the entire chapter and perhaps ask your question from a different context.

Answer 9

2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Paul is referring to the revealed truth of God that contains NO error when he talks about traditions.

The born again Christian doesn't do the deciding on what a verse means...the Holy Spirit does that. He teaches us all things.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Psalm 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Parables are examples...and those who have the Holy Spirit understand exactly what they are saying...

Matthew 13:9-13 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

All of the Bible is the full truth...but only a born again believer is able to discern that the Bible is literal...every one of the prophecies in the Old Testament have been fulfilled literally...God does not change...so the New Testament prophecies will be fulfilled literally also.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Remember...we as humans in the flesh have a finite mind...God has an infinite mind...we will never be able to comprehend the way God does as long as we are in this corrupt fleshly body.

Answer 10

Take it literally, unless it is impossible to. the Bible usually tells you if it is parables or symbolic.
Also, the traditions which they (Thess) had been taught were the Words of God, not they're own. Look up the word Tradition(s) in the Bible, only two are not negative. They are referring to following what they Apostles and Jesus taught them fromt the Word.