2 Timothy 3:16-17–
A 2022 Gallup Poll assessed Americans’ views of the Bible that reported:
• 20% believe the Bible is the “actual word of God, to be taken literally.”
• 49% believe the Bible is “inspired by God, not all to be taken literally.”
• 29% believe the Bible contains “fables, history, and moral precepts recorded by man.”
At first glance, one might lament that only 20% believe the Bible is the “actual word of God, to be taken literally.” Reports that 80% of Americans – to varying degrees – think the Bible should not be read literally might motivate us to embrace the sometimes-repeated slogan for a literalist reading of the Bible – “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” However, consider Jesus’ declaration to his apostles that he is “the true vine”[1] (John 15:1). We do not believe Jesus claimed to be a literal vine. We recognize his use of metaphor, but what does that recognition signal about our beliefs regarding the Bible’s literalness? How should we respond to someone who challenges our convictions about the Bible’s literalness (truthfulness)? This lesson considers another tough question leveled against Christianity, “How can you take the Bible literally?”