I am new to this forum, so forgive me if this topic has been covered already. I watched Dr. Spong's video on this topic, and I think I agree with his conclusion that we were never born into sin, and therefore we do not need a saviour. I am also presently reading his book "Re-claiming the Bible for a Non-religious World".
Are all references to Jesus "dying for our sins", to be taken as for instance:
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
and in Galatians:
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
and in I Cor 15:
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
These were all written by Paul, decades before the synoptic gospels, from which many of the orthodox Christian doctrines have been developed. Was Paul incorrect in his interpretation of the "scriptures"? Did he write his epistles in the same way that the 4 gospels were written- not to be taken literally?
Thank you