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| And these signs shall follow them that believe |
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10200712171382148
October
1, 2013 · ·
Mark
16:17 says, "these signs shall follow them that BELIEVE."
This
is a popular passage with the charismatics. They insist that "them that
believe" refer to those who will believe the preaching of the gospel
throughout the gospel age. They are so sure of their interpretation.
A
good question to ask is, "to whom does the pronoun 'them' refer?" Asking relevant questions is a
good step toward learning the truth. Good questions aid in rightly dividing
the word of truth.
Here
is Mark 16 from KJT.
14 ¶ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as
they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart,
because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
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.
There
are TWO distinct groups of people spoken of in the passage above:
-
the UNBELIEVING ELEVEN, v14.
-
EACH INDIVIDUAL who hears and believes the gospel (v15) preached by those of
the ELEVEN who believe and obey the command of Christ to them (v15)
-
Verses 14, 15, 17 and 18 speak of the ELEVEN apostles... The plural pronoun
'they' and 'them' are used in these verses.
-
Verse 14 states the unbelief and hardness of heart of the ELEVEN apostles.
-
Verse 15 speaks of Christ's command to the ELEVEN apostles... in their unbelief
and hardness of heart.
-
Verse 16 speaks of each creature who believes and is baptized (presupposing
that some of the ELEVEN apostles will cease in their unbelief and hardness of
heart, and obey the command of Christ to them.) The singular pronoun is used in
this verse.
-
Verses 17 and 18 state the great promises of Christ to those of the ELEVEN
apostles who will believe and obey the command of Christ to them.
All
I ask of the charismatic is simply this: show me one example in the whole of
the NT where ALL the signs promised in verses 17 and 18 are fulfilled in anyone
who believed and was baptized under the ministry of the Apostles.
However,
it is plain and obvious that the signs were abundantly fulfilled among the
apostles who did believe and obeyed and preached the gospel. Just read the Acts of
the Apostles!
It
is obvious that those promises were given to those ELEVEN who were in unbelief
and hardness of heart.
They
were APOSTOLIC SIGNS... reserved and restricted chiefly to the apostles.
Even
the apostles needed some great incentives! Their commission was accompanied
by some great promises. And they FINISHED the great commission committed to
them.
So,
the charismatics are clearly MISGUIDED about this passage. They are reading
their pet imagination into the text.
In
context, it was those of the ELEVEN who believe shall have the apostolic signs
following them. The SIGNS were not promised to the individual who will believe in the preaching of the apostles.
Those
signs went KAPUT with the passing of the apostles... with no relevance beyond
the apostolic age.
5
Comments
Sing
F Lau
http://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/.../the-signs-of-apostles_30.html
Things
New and Old: The signs of the apostles
Cantoro
Joe
I
won't agree that 'them' in v17 refers to the apostles. Not only the apostles
had the gift of tongues, casting out devils, healings etc.
As
long as there's any new addition to God's word above the recognised OT, signs
had to be shown. A miracle could be a sign or wonder.
The
words spoken by the apostles were clearly the word of God since they were able
to do signs. And those who believed the words of the apostles were able to do
sign gifts - though each believer had different gifts.
The
early NT believers could only have their belief effective if something was
promised to them - faith must have an object. In the case of the early NT
church, the apostles promised different believers would have different gifts.
These promises were especially addressed to those who heard the words of the NT
directly from the apostles themselves.
Why
then did the sign gifts here cease at the passing of the apostles? Because the
promises of the apostles to the early NT church had ceased when they died! Dead
people cannot speak any word of promise for others to believe. By the time the
apostles died, no more words could be added to the 66 books!
Today
we don't hear directly from the apostles. The words which they wrote addressed
some specific issue in a particular place at a particular time in history. We
could thus only apply the promises of the sign gifts given to early NT
believers.
I
give an e.g. to illustrate my point - Acts 19. When Paul spoke about the belief
in the Lord Jesus (who had promised to baptize the church with the Holy
Spirit), and Apollos' disciples believed, they were suddenly able to speak in
tongues.
Paul
did not tell us these words directly. We could thus only draw the applications.
Apollos' disciples were in need of the gift of tongues at that time. Today, no.
Thus,
a portion like Acts 19 shows that only those who believed the words spoken of
directly by the apostles could receive the sign gifts, and not anyone who reads
the same words spoken of the apostles in written form (through reading of the
Scripture).
The Scripture never said that: 1) someone read the Scripture --> 2) believed --> 3) demonstrated sign gifts.
Sing
F Lau
Cantoro,
as I asked of the charismatic, so I ask of you: show me one example in the
whole of the NT where THOSE signs promised in verse 17 and 18 are fulfilled in
anyone who believed and was baptized under the ministry of the apostles. Thank
you.
Brief and straight to the point will do. Thanks.
Cantoro
Joe
Acts
19:2-6 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?
And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy
Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said,
Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which
should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands
upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and
prophesied.
Acts
2:7-8 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold,
are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own
tongue, wherein we were born?
Acts
2:12-13 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another,
What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
We
note that the miracle was with those who believed, and not with those who did
not believe.
1
Corinthians 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe,
but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe
not, but for them which believe.
The
Corinthians were most noted for the gift of tongues.
Acts
10:44-46 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were
astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was
poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues,
and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Thus,
how one may receive the gift of tongues miraculously:
Apostle spoke --> Hearer believed --> gift of Holy Ghost poured out
Sing
F Lau
Cantoro,
READ READ READ Mark 16:17-18 carefully, please. Thanks.
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.
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.
And
just because you read "they shall speak with new tongues" and
elsewhere you read some believers speaking in tongues, you are so easily misled
to believe that these great promises were given to the believers of the
apostles' ministry!!!
What
about the rest? Did the Apostles or those who believe in the apostles' teaching
go around DOING THOSE THINGS in the name of Christ???
Do
you see why apostle Paul said,
2Ti
2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Don't rave like an idiot!
