Why don't we see the scripture mentioned below actually happening?. (Jesus speak

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   Rich kelleyposted 10 years ago

   Why don't we see the scripture mentioned below actually happening?. (Jesus speaking)
   
   Mar 16:17-18  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will 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."

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   connorjposted 10 years ago

   
   
   Well by no means am I an expert; however, the Apostles John and Peter accomplished much of this scripture and I am almost positive the other apostles exhibited these also...

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      So is this meant only for Peter, John and the other Apostles, or is it for those who believe?

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      connorjposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I can only speculate; yet, I love a C.S. Lewis quote. I apologize I cannot remember it verbatim; " the quickest way forward is to go back..."

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It's longer but ends this way
      " We're on the wrong road. And if that is so we must go back. Going back is the quickest way on” C.S. Lewis

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   Rhonda Lytleposted 10 years ago

   I would have to state that some do.  Check out the Pentecostal faith.  Many of said faith do all of these things from serpent handling to poison drinking and speaking in tongues.  Of course, I say this from the perspective of back in the day meaning when I was a child I often attended a Pentecostal church but have not been to one in decades.  At the time, I enjoyed it greatly. 
   
   This entire train of thought is really making me consider finding a fundamentalist Pentecostal church and attending again.
   
   I propose the notion that the main stream media just does not give such acts any play other than to denigrate them and/or make the proponents thereof out to look crazy which is a form of discrimination in and of itself.

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Are "Pentecostals" the only ones that believe? What of the 84% of America that claim to be believers in Christ are they all Pentecostals?

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      Rhonda Lytleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      No, they are not. I just used that as an easily provable example not meaning to exclude any Christians. I recently read an article talking about Muslims converting due to "Jesus" dreams. I think that might qualify too. God bless.

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      SirDentposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Not all pentecostals are snake handlers and drink poison.  Just to clarify.

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      By their fruits you will know them.  There are some professing believers that don't believe either, you can say anything you want to but the proof is in the walk.

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   justthemessengerposted 10 years ago

   Rhonda Lytle, I belong to a church body under the Pentecostal umbrella. Its notjust "back in the day." I KNOW several people who have testified to miraculous healings. I have met many others.
   Rich, I always like to say God did not retire post biblical era. What He did during biblical times through the Apostles He can and still does now. Furthermore, its not a Pentacostal thing, its a power via the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit thing.

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      Rhonda Lytleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Justthemessenger - Thank you for telling me.  It's really good to hear!  God bless.

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Agree however the blood of Jesus is for the forgiveness of our sins not power.  Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin.

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   celafoeposted 10 years ago

   I have experienced all these many times except for the snakes and fully expect if i was in the type of situation as Paul was that I also would feel no effect from it.
   The reason we dont see and hear much about it i because so few actually BELIEVE that we have that kind of power.     I have experienced many things that most professing christians say is not possible. but scripture says we must BELIEVE  if we are  to see these things.
   In the last  few years there is more of this in other countries than here  because of the lack of belief, mostly because of all the hirelings in the churches.    The scriptures say these signs WILL FOLLOW  THOSE THAT BELIEVE  and that explains it all.    and you certainly will not see these things in the apostate church system run by, of and for men as God does not go there.
   These things are not toys to play with either as some think, they are life and death.     And you see them by being where God sends you and it is usually where most men will not go, places that are not safe without the word of the Lord confirm that He is sending you there AND THEREFORE IS ReSPONSIBLE TO PROTECT YOU.    He is ever faithful and all we have to do is believe and trust Him once we confirm He is in it.    TheN DO EXACTLY WHAT HE SAYS TO DO AND SAY WITHOUT FEAR AND NEVER FEAR MAN.

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Agree,how many times must the Word say "be not afraid" "don't be afraid" before people actually do what the word says?  Believers are doers of the word not head nodding amen speaking  do nothings.

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   SirDentposted 10 years ago

   The answer is actually within the verse you posted.  It is for "those who believe,"

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Are we to assume then they really don't believe?

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      SirDentposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Not at all.  None of the disciples started casting devils, and healing the sick right off the bat.  They had to be "empowered" to do so first.

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      Rich kelleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      agree

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   PlanksandNailsposted 10 years ago

   These verses are not a requirement for all believers, but were meant for the Apostles in that time when they needed faith to do the signs to confirm their message. God gave them sign gifts of miraculous powers to reveal His will.
   
   The reason we don't see these things happening today is that the purpose of sign gifts that pertained to the work of revealing and confirming God's will for man during the transition from the Law to the age of grace has been fulfilled by the original Apostles.
   
   If you look at the New Testament, you will find that Paul's longest letters come first to the shortest leading to Philemon. This miss-arrangement changed the proper chronology. In the second century there was no precedent for chronology because the Greco-Roman world compiled their literature to decreasing in length (stichometry).
   
   Proper chronology of Paul's letters are:
   
   Galatians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy. Galatians to Romans is during the period of Acts. Having a proper chronology would give a better historical and contextual view of the text among other things.
   
   To understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Paul’s letters in the order that he wrote them. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, it all becomes clearer.
   
   In the first six letters that Paul wrote, the sign gifts were operating among the Ekklesia.
   
   The Lord revealed to Paul as written in 1 Corinthians 13: 9-13 that the sign gifts would cease. The evidence of this is in the later letters of Paul (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians) where there is no longer any mention of tongues and Paul no longer had the gift of healing. We do not see the sign gifts in 1 or 2 Timothy, or Titus. The desirability of the sign gifts is not mentioned as they were no longer in operation.
   
   Timothy, Paul and Trophimus suffered from infirmities that were not healed and could not be healed by them. The sign gift miracles that were performed eight years earlier in the book Acts had now ceased. What Paul could do in Acts 28, he could no longer do in Philippians, and in 1 and 2 Timothy.
   
   God’s message of grace is now fully revealed. When Paul wrote, “now I know in part,” he used the Greek word gnosis, the partial knowledge of God’s grace. After the period of Acts, he used the Greek word epignosis once he had received the full perfect knowledge (Colossians 1:9-12, 2:1-2).

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      justthemessengerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Paul had the proverbial "thorn in the flesh" up unto death. To say that  he was not healed means the Lord was done with such gifts denies the reality of believers' experience. Perhaps, the Lord did not intend Paul's healing for His own reasons.

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      PlanksandNailsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The certain miracle sign gifts were given to confirm the word of the apostles and the prophets.  They were not for believers, but unbelievers to confirm to them that the message preached by the apostles and prophets was, in fact, from God.

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   Rich kelleyposted 10 years ago

   Isaiah 29:14  Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."
   
   1Corinthians 1:19  For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
   
   Bringing up the mentioned scripture has shown me many things and I thank those that have commented. 
   
   Research has shown that “perhaps” this has been added to Mark’s book later.  As many have already mentioned I agree that the answer is in the scripture quote, “BELIEVE”. Regardless of the “belief” when discussing Christ, faith WILL BE involved. New Testament writings clearly show that faith and belief have everything to do with how Christ will be manifest in our lives, not the order that we read something. 
   
   Because a topic is no longer discussed proves nothing what so ever.  Those that want to make sin not a sin will say “Christ never said anything about” and then you fill in whatever they want to do. Well Christ did say that your faith has made you whole more than once.
   
   Belief.
   
   I have heard that you don’t spank your kid because It doesn’t work.  I’ve heard there is no healing because it doesn’t work.  I’ve heard so much of the Word of God doesn’t work that I now believe there are “believers” that don’t know whom it is they Serve. 
   
   Anytime there is a failure of something to be manifest in the life of God’s creation, there will be rationalization to show that God is wrong and they are correct.  If Christ says your faith has made you whole, don’t doubt it because you are not whole, or someone you know is not whole. Work on belief and faith instead of rationalizing unbelief.

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