Overview
Facing an onslaught of theological liberalism, many Christians–including Christianity Today columnist Carolyn Arends–have taken their stand on a literal reading of the Bible, saying that God's Word means exactly what it says. Yet this well-intended attempt to be faithful has left us vulnerable intellectually and spiritually. "But for me, and, I suspect, others like me," Arends confesses, "our 'literalist' convictions left us confused in significant ways–not only about song lyrics, but, much more tragically, about Scripture itself."
Table of Contents
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 1; Proverbs 3:1–12; Matthew 13:1–23; Acts 2; Revelation 4
LEADER'S GUIDE
• Identify the Current Issue
• Discover the Eternal Principles
–Teaching point one: Wisdom literature provides a memorable and easy-to-grasp approach to understanding God's requirements for daily life.
–Teaching point two: Apocalyptic literature in Scripture can give us a fresh vantage point to see our Lord in awe.
–Teaching point three: Poetical literature can be found throughout the Bible, even in the narrative parts.
–Teaching point four: Historical accounts can be refreshingly straightforward and fairly easy to understand, but they also can include other perspectives.
–Teaching point five: Parables in Scripture call on us to inspect the state of our hearts.
• Apply Your Findings
• Additional Resources
ARTICLE FROM CHRISTIANITY TODAY
• "Defending Scripture, Literally" by Carolyn Arends, April 2012
Total number of pages – 11
