Preachers, Pastors and Priests will quote Mark16:16 without hesitation, but it is always followed by long winded rhetoric and "and now if you'll turn with me to...."
In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus states, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
I have yet to meet any Christians willing to test any of this out, aside from Appalachian snake handlers. Especially the part about being impervious to poisons.
Don't bother answering "You shall not test the Lord thy God." This is God testing you. Your God himself laid out the parameters to determine who is actually a Christian and who is not.
Personally I think all of you are fake Christians.
Anyone care to prove me wrong?
2007-02-21 06:51:09 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The original ancient scriptures ended at Mark 16:8. At the end of that verse was the word GAR which means it is done, the end. The oldest copies of the book of Mark which are:
Sinaitic
Vatican
Codex Bobiensis (Latin)
all end at 16:8, the words you are quoting were added about 360 AD. by scholars. Like much of the rest of the Bible things have been added, changed, and taken away. Due to the fact that this is not original it has no credibility at all and should be cut out and thrown away. For those that do dance with snakes, many are bitten and some have dies. The poison they drink (stricktnine) is so diluted down it wouldn't kill your cat.
2007-02-21 06:57:25 · answer #1 · answered by pontiuspilatewsm 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
faith isn't a suppstitude for wisdom. these things are only possible with a pure life, and God's will. Do you really think God wants us to risk our lives without a God ordained reason?
there are those (besides Catholic exorsists) who cast out demons.
many Christians speak in tongues.
natural bounderies still exist. if you get bitten by a snake (by your own will), you will be poisoned, and you might die. simple, natural fact. If God has a plan that you must fulfill, and you intend to follow God (and if the snake-bite wasn't a lack of wisdom on your part) then logically, God will stop the poison from killing you. Either that or resurrect you.
people have laid hands, and people have been healed.
stop being so quick to judge. let God say if we are real or not. your job as a Christian (in this field) is only to tell people they need Jesus, the criteria for salvation, and how to be saved.
2007-02-21 07:03:14 · answer #2 · answered by Hey, Ray 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can not prove anything to you but I can give you my experiences in my Christian walk.
1. I have cast the devil out of my life only through the power of God.
Many Christians have shared the gospel with non-believers and they have found God. Which would mean to cast out the devil from running their lives. When you aren't working for God or are working against God you are working for devil whether you know it, like it, or choose to believe it.
2. Speaking tongues is absolutely present today in many religions- it is a blessing from God to be able to speak in tongues. Those who do speak in tongues are speaking to God without the devil being able to understand them. You can find this information in the Bible.
3. the serpent refers to the devil (see revelations or genesis) and as described in answer 1- we have the ability to cast him out of our life. We have control over him. We absolutely can told hold of the serpent and squeeze the life out of him with the power of God in our lives.
4. drink a deadly thing- I must admit that stumped me for a minute but let me put it to you in a Christian context. Death is a worldly thing. A Christian does not feel the "Sting of death" we do not die- we go to heaven and live eternally and I believe that is what is being said here. I do feel like that God need us to keep living after we ingested some evil poisonous concoction we would. He has that power.
5. Lay hands on the sick-prayer over a sick person can surely cause miraculous healing. Anointing there head with oil is another way. This does not always work- and it isn't the actually laying of hands or anointing of oil it is using these methods by faith in God and God in his power- if it is his will- God will heal anyone he so chooses.
I did want to say that my answers are from a Biblical perspective. As I have interpreted what I have learned and read in the Bible.
2007-02-21 07:19:24 · answer #3 · answered by momof2 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I can. Are you still so juvenile that you believe in a literal view of the Christian scriptures? Do you think that Jesus of Nazareth, IF he spoke these words exactly, (this one he probably did) meant this as a LITERAL foretelling of the future for believers? Dude, take a class. You have no idea how people communicated back then and how they understood things they heard. Idiot Christians, and rejectors, who take this stuff literally are the most pathetic of all. I have spent over half of my life as a Biblical Scholar and I still get shocked when I see how many seemingly intelligent people try to form intellectual arguments based on literal readings! When will you people wake up?
2007-02-21 07:03:18 · answer #4 · answered by Not Your Muse 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eartha Q, I like how you explained that. We who believe do have the power of God to make the enemy flee ( and can symbolize serpents) Some do speak in tongues, it is a gift while others prophesy and others have spiritual discernment. We pray and our prayer is powerful to heal--God hears the prayers of the righteous and delivers them from evil. He is faithful.
FAITH, yes we must have complete faith while doing all of these things, whatever we do without faith is sin--just as the Bible says in Romans 14:23.
p.s if you have faith as "small as a mustard" seed you can do anything...as Jesus says. I believe that. However it has to be according to the Lord's will. That is where many people abuse that and that is why they lose faith.
2007-02-21 07:05:52 · answer #5 · answered by Mandolyn Monkey Munch 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A snake bit the apostle Paul while he was on the island of Malta, and no harm came to him (Acts 28:1-6). However, he did not go looking for the snake in an effort to prove his faith. The snake bit him unexpectedly, in front of others, and God protected him as promised.
2007-02-21 07:05:59 · answer #6 · answered by Blondie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You misunderstand that scripture. The bible says, Gods word is hidden from the proud, but given to the humble. Firstly ye do cast out evil, we do speak with new tongues,we do pray for the sick and they do recover...serpents= demons and deadly thing=poisonous words& evil intentions. That scripture is fulfilled, in your ears.
2007-02-21 07:00:30 · answer #7 · answered by Eartha Q 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its a sad thing but there are a lot of false Christians out there to many sunday super stars that hate steal and lie the rest of the week but you only have to answer for one so judging others will only hurt you follow Christ and worry about yourself GOD will judge the rest but please don't add to the list of self righteous people already out there we are all born in sin and in need of a savior me you and them
2013-11-25 11:08:14 · answer #8 · answered by Jo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mark 16 17-18 Explained
2017-02-22 04:55:08 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is impossible to prove something to someone who will not listen to the truth.
2007-02-21 06:59:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋