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Snake handling, as practiced by some misguided churches, is not a biblical endeavor. Mark 16:17-18 is used by some as a basis for handling snakes: "These signs will accompany those who believe: In ...
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My brethren, the scriptures must be spiritually discerned. Thank you brother Mark for your incitefull answer. Churches who physically pick up snakes are testing The Lord. We must not do that. Snakes speak of the spirit of deception. In the world and even in the church that wicked serpent is taking people captive. The scripture in Mark 16 means, these deceptive spirits will find their way in our congregations, but we who have the truth of Christ will pick up these erroneous doctrines, and explain the truth, teach and feed the lord's people the truth and we will not be hurt. We will see the deception from afar and we will help our brethren to recognize it as well. Drink - speaks of the water of life which is the word of God. Remember the woman by the well. If we drink of the waters of life we shall never thirst again. Drinking any deadly thing means, we can sit in a congregation and the word that comes, if it does not produce life, we could drink but will not be hurt. The pure water of life in us will purge out any impure or murky waters that we drink in our christian work. Drinking the right wine, or water is important in our Christian growth. Brethren we must develop an intimacy with the Father, he himself will open up the scriptures to us, so that what we drink is as pure as crystal, but peradeventure we drink poisonous waters- words that do not breathe the life of God in us, they will not hurt us. These scriptures must be spiritually discerned. My people perish for lack of knowledge. May The Lord open our eyes to his word because the letter kills but the spirit gives life.
It is written: (Though shall not temp or test the Lord thy God) Deuteronomy 6:16 Mathew 4:7 Luke 4:12 Snake handling as a spiritual practice is practicing heathenism. Haveing a hobby, studying, practicing, conservationism, or even a businesss related to the handling of snakes is or could be necessary but their is no scriptural basis or instruction related to that in the word of God of a spiritual purpose in doing so. Their are a few quotes in scripture in the reference to serpents which are used as a reference to men being evil as serpents or vipers and or of the over powering of or a resistance of an evil that is referenced as a description of evil practice. All of which has its beginning relationship with the serpent that beguiled Eve and through Eve Adam. Jesus called and referred to the Pharisees and the Saducees which were the two most powerful sects of Judaism in his time on earth as vipers. Mathew 23:33 Mathew 3:7 Luke 3:7 Why? Because they began to follow the rules of men rather than the teachings of God. A newest example of this is churches that require their leaders to tithe before they can hold any leadership position in a church or in some cases even be a member. Jesus said these two groups made up so many rules or regulations that they were impossible for men and women to follow and that they were unnecessary to follow for righteous living. Lets remember Jesus our God clothed in flesh that dwelt among men for a very short time before mankind put him to death gave us two commandments to follow. 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and body. 2. Love your neighbors as yourself which means treat others as you yourself desire to be treated or do no harm to your fellow man. That does not mean that you can not defend yourself or protect other by whatever force is necessary. Even faith has a common sense side to it or has to be weigh and balanced properly. Although their are many times and cases where faith supersedes all common sense. That's why God gave us scriptures to guide us like: With man somethings are impossible but with God all things are possible. Mathew 19:26 Jesus said so so I believe it.
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