Following Christ - what is the difference

StraightAndNarrow · Feb 24, 2006

Originally posted by C4K:
But he did tell another man to sell all he had to give to the poor and follow Christ. Why is it obvious that one was a strict command and the other was a question of willingness?

Why not just admit that both dealt with the person's heart and were not commandments. That is the obvious Bible answer.

We have no right to say, "well, 'let the dead bury the dead' was an instruction but 'sell all you have to give to the poor' is a principle. When we do that we destroy the authority of God's word and our own reasoning becomes the authority. We must be consistant in our interpretation of scripture or scripture is meaningless.

Both situations were dealing with that individuals hearts and are princples for us today. Neither is an overall command for all Chrsitians of all ages.
Click to expand...

I bet to differ with you on this point. The whole Bible cannot (and should not) be interpreted literally. There are different types of passages that must be interpreted differently.

Scripture like John 3:16 definitely must be taken as a literal commandment. The parables must be interpreted. The two examples must be interpreted in a different way. Revelation must be examined differently than the gospels.

NaasPreacher (C4K) · Feb 26, 2006

No problem with that. The question here is two specifices where Jesus says "follow me."

In one place He says to let the dead bury the dead.
In another He says to seel all you have to give to the poor.

You can't pick and choose which of these to take literally and which to take figuratively.

Another figurative instruction - "If your eye offends you pluck it out." Anyone think that is a literal instruction?

Following Christ - what is the difference

StraightAndNarrow Active Member

NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

Useful Searches

Following Christ - what is the difference

StraightAndNarrow Active Member

NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member