Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 5/13/2009

Question
Hi I'm doing a project for a comparative religions class and am currently doing a power point on baptist.

I was wondering if you could clarify for me what is the general view of the bible to most Baptist as in literal vs. figurative. Does this view differ when compared to souther baptist? Also do you use any other books to help preach?

thank you so much for the information!

Answer
Kat, it is literal unless obviously using metaphors, similes, allegories and other such literary styles.  There are very Liberal Baptists that would say the Bible contains the Word of God or it becomes the Word of God to you if God speaks to you in any particular passage.  That is balderdash and the language of unbelief often used to explain away things theologians or the cultures do not like or to prove things cult leaders wish to press on their followers.

I, and many Baptists, believe in the verbal-plenary inspiration of the Word of God.  That means that every word right down to jots and tittles were divinely inspired by God and written down by the men God chose.  Many have tried to explain exactly how that happened but I do not think we can know completely until we get to Heaven.  In a way, known only to God, He was able to empower them to think His thoughts and yet express them in their personality and in a way that makes it all relevant regardless of time or culture by direct and indirect ways either in explicit commands or principles that can be applied universally.

The proper hermeneutic is to use historical-grammatical interpretation to come to an accurate understanding of the Word.  You check the original languages to understand what the word meant at the time it was written.  Once you understand that, you can then make a literal translation and apply the command or principle to your time and place. Beware of dynamic equivalence as it leads to subjective translation or rather a paraphrase rather than a true literal translation.

You must also use the proper manuscripts and the foundation of the KJV is the Textus Receptus.  Nearly all of the modern versions use obviously corrupt manuscripts because they are supposedly older though that is not technicaly true as there are many lectionairies, early church father writings and translations that show that Textus Receptus manuscripts are reliable copies of the ones used by the church through the centuries.  It is pseudo-scholasticism that pawns the bogus texts off as quality because of age when they do not agree with each other except maybe 1% of the time.  The below link also speaks to the version and manuscript issue.

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=55560&Sermon%20Why%20The%20Good...

For the most part, I only use the Bible and my language study tools.  I have found that is all I really need.  One fellow said that he went to the commentaries to shed light on the Scripture but foud that the Scripture shed great light on the commentaries.  Even though I have written two books I always refer my audience to the Scriptures.  I want them to be Bereans.  

I wish you well on your project and hope you get an A or a cookie or whatever you are to get at the end for a job well done.  ;-)  Blessings to you as you seek Him though His verbal-plenary inspired and infalliable Word.