Snakes on a Pew

[Salty]

Watching a TV judge show:

Justice With Judge Mablean​

Church member Vs Marcus Justice Of Heavens Hart Church, Lobo, (or Jolo) WV (did not mention Mark 16)
The lady stated that she had seen snakes in a glass box previously.
Pastor stated you must handle a snake to become a member and only
after God tells pastor the individual is ready to have the faith to handle the snake.
The lady was looking for a new church and felt led to attend and then join this church

Judge rules that both (the lady & the church) took a risk - and each must pay one half of the $12,000 hospital bill

​

 

[Ben1445]

Watching a TV judge show:

Justice With Judge Mablean​

Church member Vs Marcus Justice Of Heavens Hart Church, Lobo, (or Jolo) WV (did not mention Mark 16)
The lady stated that she had seen snakes in a glass box previously.
Pastor stated you must handle a snake to become a member and only
after God tells pastor the individual is ready to have the faith to handle the snake.
The lady was looking for a new church and felt led to attend and then join this church

Judge rules that both (the lady & the church) took a risk - and each must pay one half of the $12,000 hospital bill

​

Sorry, I missed this one.
No we would not tolerate this kind of foolishness. There’s a really good chance that any snake in our building gets removed from its place in the food chain.
And if your pastor decides whether or not you have faith enough to pick up snakes, you are right in with the cults.

 

[Ben1445]

But that is not a reason to take Mark 16:18 out of the Bible.

 

[Salty]

But that is not a reason to take Mark 16:18 out of the Bible.

But were those actually part of the original Gospel that Mark wrote?

 

[Ben1445]

That is a whole different topic than snakes.

 

[Charlie24]

But were those actually part of the original Gospel that Mark wrote?

There are different approaches to the theory of Hermeneutics.

The Dispensational approach is to take the Scripture literally until it becomes obvious it's not literal.

I believe Mark 16:18 is part of the Scripture but should not be taken literally as many other things are not to be taken literally.

An example would be Luke 10:19,

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

This is Christ giving spiritual authority to believers over the realm of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places.

The same applies, or at least I believe it applies to Mark 16:18 to be taken spiritually in God-given spiritual authority in the name of Christ.

 

[Charlie24]

There are different approaches to the theory of Hermeneutics.

The Dispensational approach is to take the Scripture literally until it becomes obvious it's not literal.

I believe Mark 16:18 is part of the Scripture but should not be taken literally as many other things are not to be taken literally.

An example would be Luke 10:19,

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

This is Christ giving spiritual authority to believers over the realm of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places.

The same applies, or at least I believe it applies to Mark 16:18 to be taken spiritually in God-given spiritual authority in the name of Christ.

One of the first rules of Dispensationalism that was beaten into my head as a young man was to take no single verse into interpretation without exhausting all other relating verses.

For example, Mark 16:18 is for the most part revealed in comparing it to Luke 10:19.

Failing to follow this procedure is the reason we find the absurdity of "snakes on a pew."

 

[Ben1445]

One of the first rules of Dispensationalism that was beaten into my head as a young man was to take no single verse into interpretation without exhausting all other relating verses.

For example, Mark 16:18 is for the most part revealed in comparing it to Luke 10:19.

Failing to follow this procedure is the reason we find the absurdity of "snakes on a pew."

But still this statement from Mark 16 bears out in the history of the church. Paul was unaffected by the viper. Unless you want to say that metaphorically Paul was bitten by the snake, it is a reality that followed those who were sent out to spread the gospel. To say snakes are poisonous and people die from them is not a reason to edit the Bible.
You may as well say “people don’t rise from the dead. We should take out references to that.”
But if Jesus was not going to tempt God with harming himself by throwing himself down, why would we think it alright to tempt God with our physical health.
Common sense required.

 

[Charlie24]

But still this statement from Mark 16 bears out in the history of the church. Paul was unaffected by the viper. Unless you want to say that metaphorically Paul was bitten by the snake, it is a reality that followed those who were sent out to spread the gospel. To say snakes are poisonous and people die from them is not a reason to edit the Bible.
You may as well say “people don’t rise from the dead. We should take out references to that.”
But if Jesus was not going to tempt God with harming himself by throwing himself down, why would we think it alright to tempt God with our physical health.
Common sense required.

Yes, don't test God with stupidity. You may find yourself on the losing end!

Paul was a great enemy of Satan, one of his greatest enemies.

He tried to kill Paul through the Jews, and then through a hurricane in the ocean, and then by a deadly viper.

But Satan can't kill anyone until they finish what God has appointed them to do, and He allows it.

Paul exercised his spiritual authority over Satan to God's determination according to Mark 16:18.

 

[Salty]

Yes, don't test God with stupidity. You may find yourself on the losing end!

yet many churches do believe in handling snakes show your faith!

 

[Charlie24]

yet many churches do believe in handling snakes show your faith!

Yep, reminds me of those 7 men that seen Paul tread on the evil of demons without harm and thought they could do the same.

Didn't work to well for them as they barely escaped with their lives.

 

[Reynolds]

yet many churches do believe in handling snakes show your faith!

Not common, but definitely happens throughout Appalachia. Doesn’t bother me. I don’t care what they do. They are good people. Very sincere, but in my opinion sincerely wrong.

 

[Charlie24]

Not common, but definitely happens throughout Appalachia. Doesn’t bother me. I don’t care what they do. They are good people. Very sincere, but in my opinion sincerely wrong.

I wouldn't want my comments to discourage anyone wanting to prove their faith with literal poisonous snakes.

I would suggest they confirm their insurance premiums are up to date before doing so.

 

[Ben1445]

I wouldn't want my comments to discourage anyone wanting to prove their faith with literal poisonous snakes.

I would suggest they confirm their insurance premiums are up to date before doing so.

I’m pretty sure that this kind of behavior doesn’t qualify for accidental death. I could be wrong.

 

[Charlie24]

I’m pretty sure that this kind of behavior doesn’t qualify for accidental death. I could be wrong.

I was speaking more along the line of Health Care premiums.

At 14 y.o. I was bitten by a moccasin on the right hand. They are not as poisonous as a rattler but still very poisonous.

I was with Dad in the woods training his young Beagle rabbit dogs.

After we kicked a few rabbits out of the brush piles and the pups seen them and begin chasing, Dad called them in and one was yelping in the distance so I went to see what was going on, he was closest to me.

The pup was laying down by an old creek that ran through there so I went and picked him up and didn't see the moccasin until he nailed me.

Dad came when I yelled and killed the moccasin and took it with us. He dropped me off at the emergency room with the snake and took the pup to to the vet.

The dog almost died but recovered having bitten 3 times. They kept me in the hospital for 24 hrs checking my blood pressure every hour on the hour.

The Doc said I was lucky that the pup took the majority of the venom. I had some swelling but never felt any effects of the venom, if any of it ever entered in me.

As I remember Dad jokingly saying "don't get snake bit again that put a dent in my pocket."