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NASB | Colossians 2:8 ¶ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Colossians 2:8 ¶ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth--the teachings of] Christ. |
Bible Question: Well this has to do with the Question that I had asked about whether Adam and Eve were real people or not. Well my professor says that the reason he believes is due to the genre that the story of Genesis was written. He says not to take the book of Genesis as a history book but rather take it as just a story to show to the people of the time the true nature of God. How should I address this to my proffesor? Also he says that the garden of Eden was only a symbol for the whole world. That is his basic belief, that Genesis is full of symbolism. Also that Adam just represents mankind. |
Bible Answer: Dear James - Doc gave you sound advice. Unless you are well grounded in Scripture -- and I stress WELL GROUNDED! -- and sufficiently equipped with the skills and knowledge required to defend your faith in the hostile environment of intellectually sharp and highly skilled (albeit deceived) minds that you are likely to encounter in secular academe, it is prudent that you merely state that you believe the Bible and fully accept it as God's inerrant word and your sole guide for faith and practice. No matter how fervently a Christian believes the Bible, unless he is highly skilled in apologetics, the professsors will chew him up and spit him out. Until such time as you may be enabled, with God's grace, to hone your skills and mature more fully in your walk with Christ, the two most effective things you can do here and now are to lean heavily on witnessing by the power of example and to rely heavily on the power of prayer. It's easy to dismiss the latter, but as Tennyson has observed, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." Scripture says, "The effectual, fervent prayer of a rightous man availeth much" (James 5:16). May God strenghten your Christian witness and empower you to grow mightily in His grace and knowledge. --Hank |