[243 words]
You might hear the above phrase from time to time, and it is a fair phrase. But we must be cautious; sometimes, the Bible doesn’t mean exactly what it says. Sometimes, God says one thing, but means something else.
For example, Jesus said, “If thy hand offend thee [causes you to sin, ESV], cut it off…if thy foot offend thee, cut it off…if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out” (Mark 9:43,44,45). Does the Bible mean exactly what it says here? Of course not. Jesus used figurative language — language that doesn’t mean exactly what it says. It says to remove your hand, foot or eye. It means don’t let anything come between you and God.
Here is another example, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). He says we must carry a cross. He means we must be willing to bear the burden of discipleship.
How about a literal example? “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). A person must literally believe and literally be baptized (immersed in water) in order to actually be saved. There is no figurative language here.
Of course, God always means to say precisely what He means to say, and He says it precisely the way He means to say it. Sometimes it’s literal, sometimes it’s figurative, and taken together, it is truth (Psalm 119: 160).
Rick Kelley
church of Christ
Massillon, OH