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A "serpent-handling" West Virginia pastor died after his rattlesnake bit him during a church ritual, just as the man had apparently watched a snake kill his father years before.
Pentecostal pastor Mark Wolford, 44, hosted an outdoor service at the Panther Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia Sunday, which he touted on his Facebook page prior to the event.
A "serpent-handling" West Virginia pastor died after his rattlesnake bit him during a church ritual, just as the man had apparently watched a snake kill his father years before.
Pentecostal pastor Mark Wolford, 44, hosted an outdoor service at the Panther Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia Sunday, which he touted on his Facebook page prior to the event.
Very sad story. Bible literalism will always kill you.
Really?
It is not a matter of the pastor taking the scriptures literally but rather misapplying what the scriptures state as literal.
Jesus said this to His disciples:
Mar 16:17-18 Now these signs shall fully follow in those who believe: In My
name they shall be casting out demons; they will be speaking in new
languages; (18) they will be picking up serpents; and if they should be
drinking anything deadly, it should under no circumstances be harming them;
they will be placing hands on those who are ailing, and ideally will they be
having it."
The apostle Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but it didn't kill him. They were not told to go out and pick up poisonous snakes to prove they were true believers.
During the time when the kingdom powers were in force the above applied to those who believed. After Israel was set aside so were the kingdom powers. Afterward Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for his often infirmities rather than being healed. Epaphroditus was left by Paul in a dying condition but God had mercy on him. Had the kingdom powers not been in abeyance Tim and Epaph would have been healed.
It is not a matter of the pastor taking the scriptures literally but rather misapplying what the scriptures state as literal.
Jesus said this to His disciples:
Mar 16:17-18 Now these signs shall fully follow in those who believe: In My
name they shall be casting out demons; they will be speaking in new
languages; (18) they will be picking up serpents; and if they should be
drinking anything deadly, it should under no circumstances be harming them;
they will be placing hands on those who are ailing, and ideally will they be
having it."
The apostle Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but it didn't kill him. They were not told to go out and pick up poisonous snakes to prove they were true believers.
During the time when the kingdom powers were in force the above applied to those who believed. After Israel was set aside so were the kingdom powers. Afterward Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for his often infirmities rather than being healed. Epaphroditus was left by Paul in a dying condition but God had mercy on him. Had the kingdom powers not been in abeyance Tim and Epaph would have been healed.
I don't know how you can say they were not taking what they read in the bible literally.
I don't know how you can say they were not taking what they read in the bible literally.
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.
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Revelation 9:10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
"Serpents" and "Scorpions" are clearly idiomatically referring to Demons. There's a difference between taking the text literally and taking in seriously.
The Lord connects the "power to tread on serpents and scorpions" to having power over the enemy. The Lord casted out demons. He said the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. Serpents and Scorpions is clearly talking about demons.
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.
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Revelation 9:10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
"Serpents" and "Scorpions" are clearly idiomatically referring to Demons. There's a difference between taking the text literally and taking in seriously.
The Lord connects the "power to tread on serpents and scorpions" to having power over the enemy. The Lord casted out demons. He said the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. Serpents and Scorpions is clearly talking about demons.
Not all have eyes to see and ears to hear.
I understand what Jesus is saying here and what He is not saying. What I am pointing out is the literal belief in the bible kills you.
By the way the only enemy we really have is our own carnal thinking.
I don't know how you can say they were not taking what they read in the bible literally.
Please re-read what I wrote.
Here is what I wrote:
Quote:
It is not a matter of the pastor taking the scriptures literally but rather misapplying what the scriptures state as literal.
I didn't say they weren't taking the Bible literally. They were misapplying what was written for a different group meant for a different time when the kingdom powers in force.
It was not meant for believers of the nations under today's administration.
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