>> I don't doubt the Word has been altered thru the course of history, and a volatile and political history, at that. That's not surprising.
----------------------------------------------------------
Just how much do you think it has been altered?
Is god's will for mankind unknowable?
Are there contradictions in it or are they just uncomprehendible paradoxes?
Does truth condradict it's self?
I find that the mentioned "literalist veiw" taught in some churches is quite agreeable with me. And that the many differing interpretations arise from the devils work--lies and half truths (much like he use on Christ in his temptation in the wilderness. Matthew 4:6-7)
When people claim that certain parts of the bible are corrupted I feel like it's a repeat of "The serpent in the tree" (garden of Eden). ...He said to the woman, "Did God really say,'You must not eat....Genesis 3:1(niv) It seems to be an effective trick to cast doubt onto what God really says.
To me Truth speaks for itself. And this truth rings the loudest to me--Christ being raised from the dead shows that his perfect life and sacrifical death was acceptable to Almighty God. I have found much comfort in that and I sincerely believe that there isn't another religion out there that can match that--in a god who DEMANDS PERFECTION and who has such UNFATHOMABLE LOVE that He provides what us humans could not.
Abraham believed the same as I, that of the PROMISED MESSAIH. Paul explains ...What does scripture say? "Abraham belived God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" Romans 4:3(niv) That's how Abraham was saved just like NT believers are. He wasn't saved because he followed the Torahnic ceremonial, civil, or moral laws, but was saved because he believed it the Messiah. The same can be said of Moses and all other OT believers.
AI
