Mark 16:17-18: "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they shall cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Jesus said these signs would follow as the word is preached in the world. Why don't we see them more?
2007-07-23 06:47:51 · 11 answers · asked by beano™ 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, or that I haven't seen it. I just wonder why it isn't happening MORE. Shouldn't it be?
2007-07-23 06:58:27 · update #1
I think that the answer is in the scripture, with the emphasis on the word believe.
it is easy to say "I believe" but what do you believe, and I am not pointing this at you but at most Christians.
from what I can see most Christian have trouble believing in their own salvation.
many of them, when ask, "when you die, are you going to heaven" to which they reply,"I sure hope so"
hoping is not believing, and believing is faith, for faith is the substance of thing hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
in Isaiah 53:5 it says he was wounded for our transgression, this is for our sins, and we accept this for our salvation,
but in the same scripture it says by his stripes we are healed, and if we were to place the same confidence in His healing and we do in His salvation we would see more healings.
the only difference is that when we pray foor the sick, and we do not see the evidence of healing right then, we get discouraged, and if we don't say it we at least think in our hearts that it must not work, and god knows what is in our hearts.
in 1979 I had my eyes prayed for, at that time I threw away my glasses, it was 4 months of me standing on His word for me to receive complete healing in my eyes, but today I still have perfect eye sight. i had worn glasses since 1961.
2007-07-23 13:03:22 · answer #1 · answered by Hannah's Grandpa 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mark 16:17, 18, KJ: “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.”
Although these verses appear in certain Bible manuscripts and versions of the fifth and sixth centuries C.E., they do not appear in the older Greek manuscripts, the Sinaiticus and Vatican MS. 1209 of the fourth century. Dr. B. F. Westcott, an authority on Bible manuscripts, said that “the verses . . . are no part of the original narrative but an appendage.” (An Introduction to the Study of the Gospels, London, 1881, p. 338) Bible translator Jerome, in the fifth century, said that “almost all the Greek codices [are] without this passage.” (The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel According to S. Mark, London, 1871, J. W. Burgon, p. 53) The New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967) says: “Its vocabulary and style differ so radically from the rest of the Gospel that it hardly seems possible Mark himself composed it [that is, verses 9-20].” (Vol. IX, p. 240) There is no record that early Christians either drank poison or handled serpents to prove they were believers.
2007-07-23 14:42:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
I think that I know what you are talking about. If people who are Christian could just walk down the streets of cities and lay hands on sick people, confused people, and people who were poor in spirit and heal them, then there would be television cameras following them wherever they went. We don't see that happening, so then your question.
The fact is elusive, I only have a theory; That God had people kickstarting the Church, and many people won't believe unless they see miracles. Jesus lamented that fact in John:
John 4:48
Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”
Jesus wanted people to believe what he was saying without the use of miracles, and would not do any miracles unless there was faith present.
My theory is that God launched the Church with many signs and wonders, but did not want to work the same way later, having built the church up and to a point that it will never go away.
2007-07-23 14:15:22 · answer #3 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As you have stated,it is happening and on the global scale and we will see an increase as the end of the age approaches..We are in the latter day rain and the miraculous will be seen more and more,I believe. As the darkness approaches,our light will shine brighter and the latter day rain will outshine even that of the early church...We saw a great deal of an outpouring in the '80s in the U.S. and no doubt we will see even greater things to come.
2007-07-23 15:25:55 · answer #4 · answered by bonsai bobby 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If you were involved with a spirit filled full gospel church you would see the signs of wonder happen often. You'd see many delivered from addictions, disease, hurt, demonic oppression, and alot more. Keep praying if the Lord has more for you HE will reveal it and HIMSELF to you and hold on for the biggest adventure you never could imagine..
2007-07-23 13:52:56 · answer #5 · answered by Southern Comfort 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Could it be because of how we live? Could it be that we have modern medicine? Could it be because faith is not as plentiful as before? Could it be because of sin abounding more and more? These things still go on. You probably are not were they happen.
By the way drinking poison and Snake handling is not scriptural. Tongues, every saved person, do NOT have.
When interpreted correctly you find that this verse happens daily; not always where we are, but it does happen daily.
2007-07-23 14:25:07 · answer #6 · answered by 1saintofGod 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It is happening in great numbers in "Third World" Countries. They haven't had their Faith soiled by the unbelief of the prevailing culture as we have in the US. Having said that........ Here in the US, you can find Pentecostal Churches where the Power of God is still manifest.
2007-07-23 16:10:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe it DOES, but we do not hear of it. Look at the news daily: the bad stuff makes headlines.
You don't hear of the teacher who spends lots of her personal money onher students or who buys clothes for them, but you DO hear of the ones who do inappropriate things with students.
You don't hear of the good priests who are moral and just and who have wonderful morals. You DO hear of the "sick" ones.
Get my point?
2007-07-24 09:55:30 · answer #8 · answered by batgirl2good 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe and you shall see....
2007-07-23 13:59:37 · answer #9 · answered by MARY B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How do you know they're not happening?
2007-07-23 13:50:45 · answer #10 · answered by Machaira 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋