... and follow
JESUS ,
our EXAMPLE+
in all things...
our EXAMPLE+
in all things...
 |
| Photo courtesy of the-big-picture.org. uk The Brazen Serpent Monument over-looking Mt. Nebo, Jordan |
... and rightly discern
the Word of the LORD.
A tragedy occurred amongst a group of Christians in Kentucky (USA), on February 15 of this year. A pastor was bitten by a rattlesnake and died. He was not bitten while hunting or cleaning brush from a field or stacking fire wood.
NO.
This pastor and father was bitten by a rattlesnake that he was "handling" as part of the church service! He refused medication for the snake bite and soon died.
Furthermore,
this pastor was a 3rd generation "snake-handler" in his church group... and his grown son is continuing the tradition now that his father has died.
The basis of this tradition of handling venomous snakes is supposedly found in Mark 16:18, Words of our Risen LORD JESUS CHRIST, as recorded by Mark.
Starting with verse 17:
" And these signs shall follow them that believe: In MY+ Name shall they cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues:
18) 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."
So, if snake-handling is in Scripture, spoken indeed by our HIGHEST AUTHORITY, The Risen LORD JESUS CHRIST... what went wrong ?
THIS IS "WHAT WENT WRONG" :
They did NOT follow our HIGHEST EXAMPLE+, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, when dealing with serpents.
They did NOT follow our next examples, The Apostles, when dealing with serpents.
They did NOT follow the teachings or practices of the Prophets, when dealing with serpents.
They did NOT follow the teachings or practices of the Patriarchs and Righteous men of old, when dealing with serpents.
Thus.... they did NOT follow the HOLY SPIRIT nor even the Word of GOD in Mark 16:18... when dealing with serpents.
For, the HOLY SPIRIT does NOT contradict Our EXAMPLE+, The LORD JESUS CHRIST. The HOLY SPIRIT does not contradict our other examples, the Apostles, of so long ago. The HOLY SPIRIT never contradicts His+ Word, either.
Furthermore...
The Snake-Handlers did NOT closely examine the Word of GOD in a diligent manner. That VERY WORD of GOD which they claim to follow to the Nth degree... they let lie fallow on the page.
So let us do
what the Snake-Handlers neglected to do:
examine Mark 16:18
in the original language.
( And yes, there are enough resources available to allow ANYONE to fruitfully use the Greek New Testament, even if the reader does not know Greek, starting with Strong's familiar Concordance, number 3789.)
( more to come... )
