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[hillsbororiver]

Hello ciy,

Of course it was OK to post what you did, thank you.

I do not think that this is an either/or proposition. If we truly have His Spirit within it will manifest itself by the works we do in the flesh. Was there a more spiritual Man that walked the earth than our Lord? Did He manifest His Love with physical works? After Pentecost the apostles became spiritual giants, did they not literally and physically go and preach the Good News as the Spirit led them?  


Jas 2:14  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Jas 2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Jas 2:24  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Jas 2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

[Bradigans]

i believe the spiritual is the literal, because that's where everything is all rooted and/or has it's basis. Hebrews 11:3 - Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

i'm not certain to whether or not this goes off of the subject a little bit. But, i hope it adds a little bit of clarity.

[Deborah-Leigh]

The spiritual is not in exact accordance with or limited to the primary or explicit meaning of a word or text.

When Jesus says the house built on sand will not stand he does not mean this literally he means this spiritually.

What is literal is literal not spiritual and what is spiritual is spiritual not literal. To say that the literal is spiritual is rather like saying that black is white or that day is night.

"Spiritual" does not relate to physical nature or matter. "Spiritual" relates to the spirit that points to deeper more significant meaning that does not rely on academic learning nor is concerned with insignificant details but is exclusively devoted to the nature, thoughts and ways of God.

To illistrate that there is a difference that separates literal and spiritual Paul observes that there are some people that are 2Tim 3 : 7 Ever learing, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Bitter is not sweet and sweet is not bitter.

Peace to you

Arcturus

[josh]

Friends,

The scriptures are not a Rubic's Cube.

I imagine I will get raked over the coals for this statement, but...

I believe, atleast in my limited understanding, that it is impossible to find a definitive answer to a question such as "When is scripture literal and when is it spiritual?"

Romans 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

1 Corinthians 2:11
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?
Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

But perhaps we can agree on this... that the Word of God is Spiritual in it's entirety.

John 6:63
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Yet it is comprised of many physical, and many times literal/historical accounts that are given to us to as examples so that we may learn spiritual truths, not by the wisdom of man, but taught and lead of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 10:11
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

1 Corinthians 2:13
which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

While many have stated, including Ray, that "There is nothing you can do physically that will make you spiritual," I believe we can all agree that when the Spirit began to lead us and teach us the truth and when we began to grow spiritually it also began to change the way we lived physically.

The spiritual is light shining into our physical darkness. The two can not coexist in their entirety. The spiritual light in the end will cast out the physical darkness, because the physcial (darkness) cannot comprehend the spiritual (light).

May God shine on each of us as He wills.

Grace and Peace
Josh

[hillsbororiver]

Yet it is comprised of many physical, and many times literal/historical accounts that are given to us to as examples so that we may learn spiritual truths, not by the wisdom of man, but taught and lead of the Spirit.

Josh,

I am seeing this much the same as you, there are many examples of literal sound advice as to living in the physical world, there are also deeper spiritual truths contained in the very same verses. I do not see this as an either/or black/white proposition. Of course the physical meanings/messages do nothing spiritually unless His Spirit reveals these things to us.

Being in the construction industry for the better part of 30 years I can attest to any and all that you do not want to build anything directly on a foundation of sand, building a literal house on a literal rock is a much better way.

Most of us understand the spiritual application to this but the literal is also true in this and other cases.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe 

P.S. For any of you that have built in Florida even though this is a giant sandbox the soil is compacted and then a 4" to 6" concrete slab is poured over the compacted sand/fill, the concrete becomes the (rock) foundation.   

[aqrinc]

Hi Joe,

This is some really great discussion, hope no one minds if i bring it back up for other members perusal.

george.

[EKnight]

George,

I am glad you resurrected this thread because this question came to my mind today after reading another more recent thread.

Eileen

[hillsbororiver]

Hi George & Eileen,

I dug up a few emails that pertain to this topic, my apologies in advance if they are repeated in former responses but I don't presently have the time to check it out, I have an appointment I need to get to shortly.

Peace,

Joe

Hi ray,

Thanks for the encouragement.. can you tell me what you mean when you say all of the scriptures are a parable?

Thanks,

Dave

 

Dear Dave:

More accurately, I have said: "The whole Bible is one giant parable."

By that I mean that virtually nothing is a literal teaching, but a spiritual teaching.  From the opening statements concerning "Let us make [be making, or making[ man in Our [spiritual] Image" to "And whosoever will [desires] let him take the water of [spiritual] life freely," the Church has not a clue as to what is being spoken of.  Hence, the doctrines of  Egypt have replaced the Truths of God's Word. The result is the teaching that God's first plan failed utterly, and plan B doesn't seem to be fairing much better. The whole world is going to hell in a handbasket for all eternity, and there is nothing that God can do to change it or correct it or save humanity. What a crock.  A Perfect God does not create eternal failings. All the evils of this modern world are exactly where God foreordained them to be.  All is heading for a perfect and flawless and marvelous eternal destiny. "The wise shall understand" (Dan. 12:10).

God be with you,

Ray

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1944.0.html

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,4974.0.html

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3532.0.html

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,7582.0.html

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6662.0.html

[daywalker]

The entire Word of God is Spiritual. Even the literal stories, like the many different events of the the Nation of Israel, from Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt, to David defeating Goliath, to Israel being taken captive by Babylon, to Daniel and the lion's den,... all these historical events also have a Spiritual teaching behind it.

That is... for those who have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.


Daywalker 

[kenny]

In the beginning there was God and the rest is commentary

Kenny

[aqrinc]

This thread was brought back to help answer some questions from others on the forum, please contribute if you can. All the information in the Bible and The Scriptures is not obvious or axiomatic to many people. Just a plea to have a little patience when someone ask, just like others had patience with us when we asked.

george.