Early in the Bible, God shows how that Satan attacks what He says. God wants men to anticipate this attack. Satan doesn’t want the audience of God’s Word to receive what God said. He tries to get the hearer to read something of his own opinion into it.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God, but faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). James admonishes against being swift to speak or argue against what God said (James 1:19). 2 Timothy 2:23 warns against foolish speculation regarding scripture, because that’s what Satan wants men to do, even as seen in his own example in the Garden of Eden and the Wilderness of Temptation.
Jesus and the Apostles took scripture literally. Taken literally, the Bible does not contradict itself. Everything in it fits together in a coherent whole. I say this having preached or taught in great detail through every verse of the Bible in my lifetime and several books multiple times.
The literal approach to interpreting the Bible asserts that the text should be understood according to its plain meaning, taking into account the grammatical structure and historical context in which it was written. God used human authors to convey specific messages that can be understood without allegorizing or spiritualizing them. A literal reading respects the integrity of the text of God’s Word and also agrees with historical theology. It’s not new to do this, that is, take the Bible literally.
A literal interpretation of the Bible gives clarity and certainty to biblical doctrine. Focusing on what scripture explicitly states avoids the confusion that proceeds from a subjective interpretation. Subjective interpretation means changing the meaning of the Bible often to something palatable to the audience. This isn’t hearing it. Instead, a literal interpretation allows an actual hearer to derive with confidence the unambiguous moral and ethical guidelines directly from scripture.
When readers apply the uniform method of literal interpretation—taking words at face value—they will not encounter contradictions between different parts of scripture. This consistency strengthens their faith by presenting a cohesive narrative that aligns with a correct understanding of God’s character and intentions.
No doubt scripture employs figurative language and literary devices. Still, a literal approach does not negate but enhances plain meaning of the Bible. Scripture itself clarifies the meaning of figures of speech and individual words with a multiplicity of usages and definitions. God does not allow history and culture to prevent men from an accurate understanding of what He said.
The world presents shifting views of the world with modern science and moral relativism. Taken literally, the Bible tells the truth about the world and addresses the vacillation of human philosophy. A literal interpretation provides a basis for readers of scripture to maintain their convictions even when faced with contemporary challenges. It brings clarity and consistency in doctrine and resilience against modern criticism of scriptural authority.