Led By The Comforter
I'm a college man, this is my journal. I recently started getting into theology seriously. As I grow spiritually and mentally I will continue to post my thoughts and findings interspersed with miscellaneous pictures and information.
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Can Genesis be understood metaphorically, and if, how?
Asked by illsendyouanemil

Sorry for the late answer, here is a viewpoint I’ve seen expressed about Genesis 1 as a metaphor (I’m assuming you mean Genesis 1, the creation story).

One of my good friends and Christian mentors recently shared his thoughts about Genesis with me. He believes that Genesis 1 is poetry (and it’s not the first time this has been brought up). Now, considering I haven’t delved into his whole theology on the book, this is what I have gathered.

He believes, as well as many others, that the emphasis of Genesis 1 is on the Sabbath and the importance of resting in God. Now, this makes sense from a very broad viewpoint over all of Genesis 1, however the details that are given suggest otherwise. The fact that the creations are split up into ‘days’ could be a legitimate argument that this is, in fact, lyre because of the the number of days (7) which is a recurring number throughout the Old and New Testaments and that each day may represent a separate ‘moral of the story’ if you will.

I, however, believe that this is indeed the story of Creation in the sense that function was given to Earth. The thing that needs to be understood and carefully examined is WHY the story of Creation is in the Bible. Clearly, taking each day’s creation at face value and trying to apply it to the findings of today is very difficult, almost too difficult. So, in there lies the room for imagination. Genesis IS an account of Creation in my opinion. It was presented in terms that the Hebrews would understand. It is also important to remember that the Old Testament was all written TO the Hebrews, in such a way that they could understand.

So, all in all, I think that Genesis was a creation story. It gives legitimate answers as to why the Earth was created, how it is all inter-twined functionally and  put together, and that it gives a fair timeline for how long humans have been on this Earth. However, outside of that, the fact that it is split up into seven days, and that God rested on the seventh day could suggest that it is poetry (again, I have not studied this much). There is no reason why it could not be both. Let the Word speak to you, and see what it has to say.

By the way, awesome question. I dig it.

hands down, best church sign ever

hands down, best church sign ever

If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn’t stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can’t know. Indeed, you can’t have it both ways.
Tim Keller - The Reason for God

Back To School

As I, and many others, head back to school we need to remember to be the light in dark places. Remember, God’s plan is for you to reach out and touch non-believers. Let them see the light of God through you. Seek friendships, ask questions, and get to know others!

I made you carry the casket of an innocent man, when it should have been me.
Jake Luhrs (August Burns Red)
My next read: The Reason for God - Belief In An Age of Skepticism. I will be posting on this one from time to time.

My next read: The Reason for God - Belief In An Age of Skepticism. I will be posting on this one from time to time.

"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." literally or metaphorically? He looks like us, or does this refer to Him making us "perfect" like Him?.
Asked by illsendyouanemil

Well there has actually been a lot of speculation on this subject. The verse you’re referring to is Genesis 1:27. There are certain characteristic that was as humans share with God. For instance: the ability to think and reason. We were created to have dominion over this Earth; in 1 Corinthians 11:7, it says we were “made a little lower than angels, and [God] has crowned him with glory and honor”. So, in essence, what it means is that we were created for the glory of God, but we have characteristics that he created us for that are similar to His own. It has also been noted in the Bible that God has some features like us: he can hear and talk, he can smell, rest and sit etc. 

However, I do not think that God actually looks like a man; because he is 100% spirit (unlike us who are half spirit, half human). I think the reasons that the Old Testament refers to Him as having a back, a mouth, etc. is to help us visualize Him better. Whether it helps for you to visualize Him as a big dude up in the clouds with an awesome white beard, or simply a spirit that dwells over the Earth is moot. Enjoy what he has blessed you with, and look forward to the day we are in His courts and we can worship Him in his full glory!

I hope this helps! 

God is not a name; it’s the master passion of your life.

Learn As I Learn (Genesis One - Days One to Three)

As I continue on in my book I am continuously astonished. The way that Walton looks at Creation is truly eye-opening. This is a little snip-it on my interpretation of what days one, two, and three are (of course based partially on the evidence from Walton):

We have already established that the story of Genesis 1 is a Creation in the sense that God was bringing function to the Earth. Taking the story of Creation at face value is a dangerous thing to do, as we can plainly see it does not fit into what science has proven today.

Day One: “And God separated the light from darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” (ESV). It is important to note that the Creation of LIGHT as a material thing is not important. Actually, the text seems to draw the attention toward the use of the light as a ‘period of light’ when he separates the light into day. As Walton puts it, “When God called forth a period of light and distinguished it from this period of darkness, the “time” system that was set up required transitions between the two established periods” (56). So it can be deduced that Day One is establishing a time system, one necessary function of our universe.

Day Two: “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate waters from waters” (ESV). Now, going back to what I was saying earlier that Genesis 1 becomes problematic when it is interpreted literally in its entirety; this is one situation where a problem might arise. As the centuries progressed, it became harder to fit the literal form of the text into what science was revealing; that the sky was a solid entity capable of holding up water? It was clear that this could not be the case, and this put the Church in a terrible place. Instead of interpreting the sky as a solid entity, the verse should be interpreted as the introduction of a weather system. Walton says, “Its first role was to create the space in which people could live. The second and more significant function was to serve as a mechanism by which precipitation was controlled-the means by which weather operated. Order in the cosmos (for people especially) depended on the right amount of precipitation. Too little and we starve; too much and we are overwhelmed. The cosmic waters posed a continual threat, and the ‘firmament’ had been created as a means of establishing cosmic order” (57). So essentially on the second day, God established the functions of a weather system.

Day Three: “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear… And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on earth” (ESV). Day three shows the wonder of vegetation and the cycle of seeds being dropped and creating more of its own kind. It is important to note that nothing was created in day three, which can stumble those interpreting, why would this be included in the account of creation. Simple, yet again we see that this day also represents function, the function of the vegetation of the earth. Walton, “So on day one God created the basis for time; day two the basis for weather; and day three the basis for food. These three great functions-time, weather and food- are the foundation of life. If we desire to see the greatest work of the Creator, it is not to be found in the materials that he brought together-it is that he brought them together in such a way that they work” (59).

So there you have it! Genesis is indeed an account of Creation, however we see that the true story lies in the bringing forth of function to the universe.

Do not forget that this world was made for us; we as humans have domain over the Earth, and we are to bring glory to the Lord through it! For why else were we created but to bring more glory to our Creator! Amen.