Respectful question for Christians - How do you interpret the first 11 chapters of Genesis?

Question

For those who don't read all the question - scale of 1 to 5, how much do you literally believe Genesis Ch 1 - 11?

Had dinner with a minister friend who has just left his liberal demoniation to join a more fundementalist one. That got us talking about fundamentalists and I asked him how he defines that belief system. His answer: See how they feel about the first 11 chapters of Genesis. Do they believe it verbatim (that would be 5 on my scale) including belief in the flood, creation, Babel, etc. The other extreme would be to believe it to be allegory. Where do you stand on this scale? I'm looking for a quick survey but explanations are okay.

Final question. Was my friend's theory right. Does that also refelect your beliefs on New Testament stuff like mircales, the rapture, birth and death and ressurection narritives.

Answer 1

5. Yep, I think that's a fair litmus test for theological conservatism.

Answer 2

5 for me...I believe every word of it is literally true.

I also believe it is a simplistic description of what happened and that the why is limited to what the people who described it could understand. To illustrate, if a young child asks where he came from, a parent could say something like...

"mommy and daddy loved each other so much that their love turned into a baby inside mommy...when the baby was ready mommy went to the hospital and brought him home."

This is literally true...but it isn't the whole story...a child of two couldn't understand a detailed discussion of intercourse, sperm and egg, fetal development and the process of childbirth! By the same token, the entire book of Genesis is limited to the level of human understanding at the time it was written.

Remember that Genesis was written (as a book) by Moses thousands of years after the events happened. He probably had access to historical writings...the first 11 chapters in Genesis represents his summary of at least a few thousand (if not a lot more) years and what could have been thousands of sources. Led by the Holy Spirit, he condensed all this history into a literal, historically accurate description of what happened here on earth.

Think about it...in the first 11 chapters, he described a few thousand years (at least)...then he devoted the next 38 chapters to describing a period of a few hundred years. That more than anything suggests that the first 11 chapters are written as what I'd call an executive summary...an accurate but condensed version of a whole lot of history before introducing the events that led up to his story in Exodus (and beyond).

Your last question is interesting but it would take to long to describe what I believe about all the things you mentioned. I'd summarize by saying that I literally believe in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus...I believe he healed the blind and the lame and calmed the sea and walked on water and all of that. The rapture debate on the other hand is largely based on speculation about a book that warns at the very end not to add OR take away any part of the prophesy in that book (the Book of Revelation)...thanks, I'll heed that warning!

Answer 3

I'd say a 4. One needs a basic understanding of ancient Hebrew to fully grasp the passages. Ex nilo creation, for example, is a key concept to understand. (If you're going to say 5, I hope you've read more than just the King James translation)

As to the New Testament, I believe that all the miracles described actually happened. If you can believe that God created something out of NOTHING, then it's easy to believe He fed 5,000 people, walked on water, resurrected Himself from the dead, etc.

What bothers me is when people read MORE into the Genesis story than is actually presented. Assuming that Adam and Eve were the only people on Earth (no children yet) at the time of the explusion from the Garden, for example.

Answer 4

I would be a 5. I believe that the accounts in Genesis are literal.

I also believe that the accounts of miracles and the like in the New Testament are actual events.

Answer 5

I believe the whole Bible to be the Word of God. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ created all things. Ephesians 3: 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ left heaven's glory and came to earth as a man so He could die for the sins of the world if only they would put the faith and truth in Him. When He was buried He took my sins away and He rose again the third day for my justification. 1 Corinthians 15: 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 1 Corinthians 15: 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: Romans 4: 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Answer 6

i disagree with below.. if gods word is solid then why is the bible full of stories that arent word for word? do you think when he says "i am the true vine" he actually means hes a vine? i believe when its says the earth was created in 7 days it took MUCH longer...as later in the bible it says a day to god is as a thousand years for man. and i believe that the story of adam and eve is a metaphor...it doesnt really mean a rib was taken from adam or there was a talking snake. Science and religion fit perfectly with eachother. so i dont know where that puts me on the number line....

Answer 7

The Holy Bile is inerrant in the original author, Anything that is beyond our comprehension is still within God's power. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, The New Testament is the Old Testament reveled. Every word is God breathed.

Answer 8

It is Written. There is no scale to rate by.

It is a study, not a read like a novel.

God's Word is SEED.

When planted it has to germinate and be watered.

I learn something new every time.

You listen to a man that talks about a belief system.

Answer 9

Christianity is depending extra on the Gospel of Jesus Christ than on Genesis. also it says Noah and human beings lived for 900+ years. parts of it can were lost in translation. As for any doubt contained in the Bible or God is purely devil tempting you to no longer trust and that you are able to gas non-believes. trust.

Answer 10

Definitely a "5".

I believe the Bible is the word of God. Ultimately, I believe by a leap of faith, but my leap of faith was prefaced by investigating the evidence regarding the authenticity and authority of the Bible.

Once I came to grips with the overwhelming evidence for the authenticity of the New Testament gospels I then investigated the claims of Jesus Christ that He made about Himself.

I never could buy into the idea that Jesus was just a good, moral teacher because Jesus also said He was God. Such a radical statement by Jesus forced me to choose one of three positions regarding Jesus' claim. He was either a liar, a lunatic, or He is Lord.

Since I am convinced of the authenticity of the New Testament gospel, and I am convinced that Jesus Christ is God incarnate. I have chosen to believe that the Bible is God's written revelation of Himself to mankind.

I choose to believe that God inspired obedient men to write exactly what He wanted mankind to know about origins, about the nature and character of God, about sin, and about God's plan to restore fellowship with His most precious creation, human kind.

I believe God wrote exactly and literally what He wants us to know so we could come to know Him, love Him, reverence Him, obey Him, and trust Him.

Therefore, I am a believer in the literal interpretation of the Bible. I believe it to be the inerrant, infallible, authoritative word of God.

Answer 11

I believe and I think your theory is correct. How can you discount the OT and believe the NT. You might as well say Jesus resurection was spiritual or the like.