Why ALL Christians only take SOME parts of the bible literally, ignore other?

Question

why they pick and choose what they want to follow

Answer 1

Because they interpret the Bible to conform to their beliefs.

Answer 2

With a collection of 66 books that runs over 3.6 million words in length, you might convince me that most Christians are not familiar with ALL of it. And that they give preference to ceratin parts of it. Seems like the parts about how to raise a child or have a solid marriage get preached more often then the rule about having a railing around your flat roof if you use it for sleeping and eating. Probably because they apply to more people.

So you are probably right that there is some area in which each Christian is not that familiar, or found reason to become an expert in (like the differnce between the way a bull was offered as a sin offering and a sheep was offered). But that does not mean they do not believe in those things, nor that they reject or ignore them.

Answer 3

Its not that Christians ignore some parts of the Bible, but they feel that some parts no longer apply to this day and age. For example, Mosiac Law from the Old Testament was abolished when Jesus was crucified. It was replaced by the New Covenant laws that reflected ideas from the Old Testament but were less harsh. These can be found in Matthew in the passage about the sermon on the mount. This means all the dietary laws and sacrificial laws no longer applied, as salvation was no longer based on the law, but the grace of God. I personally think thats a rather good thing that Christians do not take those parts of the Bible into account anymore, other wise we would still be sacrificing goats and stoning our disobedient children to death.

Answer 4

Only false ones pick and choose. The real ones follow the bible exactly. Even though the prophecies are obviously not literal. A dragon is not going to fly down, and a angel blowing a trumpet while 7 stars are floating on Jesus right hand. Pretty obvious when you have to take parts of the bible as metaphorical.

Nanu: You started of pretty well, and then you just completely messed it all up and blew it. There are people who follow a straight walk of faith, it is just very difficult to find one.

Answer 5

I certainly hope you are wrong.
A person needs to "rightly divide" scripture;
some of it is literal, others metaphoric or symbolic - God uses lots of those as a method of teaching, not to try to confuse people.
Lets take Revelation; now, we know that normally there are no multi-headed beasts that tromp up out of the sea in New Jersey, right?
So gee, I wonder if maybe this is symbology used for teaching. Its a multi-headed political system. If you always strictly follow the subject and the object of what is being discussed, you will know whether it is to be taken literally or not. A dash of common sense can't ever hurt when it comes to scripture.

As far as picking and choosing what to follow:
The entirety of the Word is to be read and understood - none of it should be less important than another of it; what you don't understand is that there are laws, statutes, and ordinances;
The laws of God do not change, nor are they voided; however, after the crucifiction, the statutes and ordinances did change; ie; blood sacrifices, and also those that naturally change as society changes; ie; slaves, punishment, etc.

Answer 6

Boy! How true that is in many situations. That I feel is called being human. It is wrong, but human. Rather hypacritcal (spelling)... We all have free will, but you can't pick and choose when it comes to the word of God. You may think you can, but if God says NO to this and you say yes, I am sure there will be consequences. I was in a relationship one time with a person like this and ended the relationship. I really feel that was when my close relationship with my father in heaven began. I am only human and make mistakes, but I knew there was a big problem there and needed to walk away. I am under Gods construction and always will be until the end of my life here on earth. God Bless you.

Answer 7

Because some parts of the Bible were never meant to be taken literally, word for word.

The Bible is NOT a history book. It was meant as a guide by which we should lead our lives. People who read the Bible and focus on the words as facts that are 100% true sometimes miss the purpose of those words. They can't see the forest for the trees.

God gave me a brain that is capable of thought and reasoning. When He inspired those who wrote down His word in the Bible, I have to believe that God knew I could read those words, understand that not 100% of them were factual, and still understand the message they were meant to convey about how I should live my life.

What does the age of the Universe have to do with loving God or believing that Jesus Christ died for us on the Cross?

Answer 8

You point out the Eucharist and ask "Protestants" the questions, so i anticipate you're Catholic? those questions bypass the two techniques, my chum! Why do you pray to Mary while Jesus says, "i'm the actuality, the existence, and how"? while Jesus says, "no person is composed of the daddy different than with the help of me"? Why do you call the Pope "the holy father" while the Bible is sparkling that all and sundry have sinned and fallen wanting the admire of God, etc. Why does your faith instruct that clergymen won't be able to marry while the Bible is sparkling that preachers of the gospel can in actuality? Why did your faith undertake the apocrypha as "scripture" in simple terms after the reformation? the place is annulments interior the Bible? the place is purgatory? etc. Works as against justifcation with the help of religion on my own ... right this is an occasion: Baptism is a sacrament, in simple terms like the Lord's supper is. some have asked, "are you able to be saved, whether you at the instant are not Baptized?" So, turn it around: "Does Baptism save you?" Scripture is sparkling you ought to have frequently occurring Christ as your Lord and savior until now being Baptized! that's that relationship that Jesus Christ it fairly is saving, no longer the Baptism, real? So, take it extra ... what in case you have been saved (with the help of concept, with the help of religion, etc.) on Monday and planned to get Baptized in some weeks, yet died first? Are you any much less saved, having died saved yet no longer yet Baptized? Nooooooooooooooo ... the Baptism is an OUTWARD instruct of one's concept. it is not in simple terms slightly the equation to seal one's salvation. you could understand faith and works the comparable way. concept comes first. faith comes first. The saving relationship comes first. THEN the Bible asks a common question of you: "ok ... you're saying which you have faith. i choose you to do unto the least of thee. i choose you to SERVE! WHAT are you going to do for me now which you already know and delight in the sacrifice Christ made for you on the bypass?" See? What fruit does your faith undergo? WHAT end is there on your faith? Works won't be able to save you, yet works show your faith and your desire to delight the guy who has saved you. Lord bless!!!

Answer 9

Well, I don't think that you can say that all of any group does anything. There are bound to be a few that do something different. But here is what I think. Most christians are Sunday morning christians. They don't have a daily prayer life and they don't have a daily study of the Bible. The only instruction they get is the sermon on Sunday morning. And if they don't go to church, they don't even get that. Sadly, most people who identify themselves as christian have never read the whole Bible, they just repeat what they have heard. Finally, christians are still just people. Fallible, human, people who make mistakes just like everyone else. But at the end of the day, Christians are forgiven.

Answer 10

ALL Chrfistians?
Is this a result of a serious scientific investigation you have done?
Some parts of the Bible claim to be in symbolic language (like Revelation).
Some parts of the Bible are obviously poetic, like the book of psalms, which was actually a hymn book.
Some parts of the Bible, while meant to be understood literally, have directives that are intended toward a particular people ata particular time - how do we know that? Well, other parts of the Bible inform us of that.
Some parts of the Bible claim to be quoting the words of Satan or of foolish people, in order to show us what those people are saying.
So in order to take the whole literally, you have to apply the parts distinctly.
Like any other book or subject, you have to study it with the inductive method, which means studying each part of it according to its own terms and conditions.
(You don't study ornithography using the same methods as when you study geography, history. In the same way you don't read the book of Psalms or the book of Job in the same way you read the book of Matthew).

Answer 11

it is seen like that becos most persons are rather hypocites than true christians. A true Christians would respect the bible to the last letter.