by Larry Ray Hafley<\/p>\n
Here is the text of Mark 16:15-20:<\/p>\n
<\/blockquote>\nNo, I do not possess the power to perform any of the above signs and neither does anyone else.\u00a0 Observe why this is true.<\/p>\n
First<\/em>, if these signs are to be possessed by all believers, all who do not possess them are unbelievers.<\/p>\n
Second<\/em>, if these signs were to be possessed by all believers, but not all believers were able to do them, the promise of Jesus failed.<\/p>\n
Third<\/em>, did Jesus promise that all who believed would be able to cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, drink deadly liquids without harm, and heal the sick?\u00a0 If he did so promise, either one of two things is true:<\/p>\n
\n
- one possesses these powers or else he is an unbeliever, or<\/li>\n
- Jesus’ word was false since all believers do not possess them as he allegedly promised.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These conclusions apply with equal force to the saints of the first century.\u00a0 In the New Testament, not all believers were able to perform these signs.\u00a0 Many thousands were converted, yet, for a time, only the apostles performed miracles.\u00a0 “And many wonders and signs were done\u00a0by the apostles<\/strong><\/em>” (Acts 2:43).\u00a0 “And with great power\u00a0gave the apostles<\/strong>\u00a0witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus<\/em>” (Acts 4:33).\u00a0 “And\u00a0by the hands of the apostles<\/strong>\u00a0were many signs and wonders wrought among the people<\/em>” (Acts 5:12).\u00a0 Not until the apostles laid their hands on the seven ministers do we find anyone, except the apostles, performing miracles (Acts 6:6, 8; Cf. Acts 8:18).\u00a0 In Acts 8:12, a large segment of the population of Samaria believed on the Lord, but they were not immediately enabled to perform the signs of Mark 16:17-18.\u00a0 It was not until the apostles laid their hands on them that they “received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:18).<\/p>\n
Mark 16:15-20 and the Corinthians<\/h2>\n
Perhaps the most convincing proof that not all believers were able to work the signs of Mark 16 is the Corinthians.<\/p>\n
\n
- All the Corinthians were washed, sanctified, and justified “in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:11).<\/li>\n
- All the Corinthians had been “baptized into one body” and all had been made to drink into one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13).\u00a0 “Every one” of them had been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 18:8; I Corinthians 1:12-13).<\/li>\n
- All the Corinthians had received the grace of God (I Corinthians 1:4; II Corinthians 6:1).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Now, if the promise in Mark 16 is to all believers, we shall expect to find all the Corinthians performing these signs, for they came behind in no gift (I Corinthians 1:7).\u00a0 But is this the case?\u00a0 No, they were not all able to heal; they were not all able to speak in tongues (I Corinthians 12:29-30); therefore, the promise of Jesus did not mean that every believer would be able to work the five signs.\u00a0 This is evidence that the apostles did not interpret Jesus’ words to mean that all believers were to perform the five signs, so why should we do so?\u00a0 I challenge any Pentecostal preacher to answer that argument.<\/p>\n
If One, Why Not All?<\/h2>\n
Those who use Mark 16:17-18, as proof that miracles are for believers today generally avoid taking up serpents and drinking poison.\u00a0 If one of the signs of Mark 16 is for all believers today, all of them must be.\u00a0 Who is it that claims the gift of tongues who will drink “any deadly thing?”\u00a0 Is there a group that claims the gift of healing who will handle a cuddly Cobra?\u00a0 If they did, it should not hurt them, but even if it did hurt them, they could have hands laid on them, and they would recover.\u00a0 Anyone care to demonstrate their signs?<\/p>\n
“I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars<\/em>” (Revelation 2:2).<\/p>\n
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world<\/em>” (I John 4:1).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Those who claim the signs will not agree to a test lest they be found liars.<\/p>\n
“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.\u00a0 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God<\/em>” (John 3:20, 21).<\/p>\n
“Prove all things<\/em>” (I Thessalonians 5:21).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Limited<\/h2>\n
The signs of Mark 16 were to follow believers for a specified and limited period. Jesus told the apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.\u00a0 While they were fulfilling that charge, the signs were to follow them that believed.\u00a0 This work of preaching to every creature was accomplished in the lifetime of the apostles – “But I say, Have they not heard?\u00a0 Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world<\/em>” (Romans 10:18).\u00a0 The gospel “was preached to every creature which is under heaven<\/em>” (Colossians 1:6, 23; Titus 2:11).\u00a0 The signs were to follow during the time necessary to proclaim the gospel to all the world.\u00a0 Mark says this is what occurred.\u00a0 “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.\u00a0 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following<\/em>” (Mark 16:19-20).\u00a0 They were to preach everywhere.\u00a0 The signs were to follow.\u00a0 They preached everywhere, and the signs did follow them (Cf. Acts 14:3; Hebrews 2:4).<\/p>\n
Objection<\/h2>\n
“But,” someone asks, “if signs were to be limited to the time when the gospel was being preached, why would not belief and baptism also be limited to the same period?”\u00a0 The question fails to distinguish between the gospel and the signs that confirmed the gospel.\u00a0 Belief and baptism are conditions of the gospel that must last as long as the gospel or as long as men sin and need to be saved.\u00a0 The Lord confirmed “the word with signs following.”\u00a0 The word is one thing; the signs which confirmed it are another.\u00a0 The word with its conditions continues, but the signs, having confirmed the word, and thereby having accomplished their purpose, have been done away (Hebrews 2:4).<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n
We have shown that:<\/p>\n
\n
- the promise of Jesus in Mark 16:17-18, did not extend to all believers, even in the first century;<\/li>\n
- the promise of Jesus includes more than tongues and healing;<\/li>\n
- the word was preached, and the signs confirming that word followed;<\/li>\n
- the word, the gospel, is to be separated or distinguished from the signs;<\/li>\n
- the signs have ceased, consequently, no man today possesses any of them.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Larry Ray Hafley Here is the text of Mark 16:15-20: No, I do not possess the power to perform any of the above signs and neither does anyone else.\u00a0 Observe why this is true. First, if these signs are to be possessed by all believers, all who do not possess them are unbelievers. Second,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[428,363],"class_list":["post-33619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit","tag-miracles"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":29961,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-any-believer-cast-out-demons\/","url_meta":{"origin":33619,"position":0},"title":"Could any believer cast out demons?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Could believers who had been baptized cast out demons as well or just the apostles? Answer: \"These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31504,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-jesus-promise-in-john-1412-that-miracles-would-continue\/","url_meta":{"origin":33619,"position":1},"title":"Does Jesus promise in John 14:12 that miracles would continue?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Does Jesus promise in John 14:12 that miracles would continue? Answer: \"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father\" (John 14:12). In this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25657,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-paul-asked-the-ephesians-if-they-had-received-the-holy-spirit-what-was-he-referring-to\/","url_meta":{"origin":33619,"position":2},"title":"When Paul asked the Ephesians if they had received the Holy Spirit, what was he referring to?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 18, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When Paul asked the Ephesians, \"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?\" in Acts 19:2, was he referring to the gift of Acts 2:38? And is that the same as the\u00a0Spirit given in Acts 5:32. Thanks. Answer: \"And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3892,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/demoniacs\/","url_meta":{"origin":33619,"position":3},"title":"Demoniacs","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 7, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bobby K. Thompson via The Jackson Drive News and Notes, No. 2, Jan. 9, 2005. A demoniac is defined: \"a person supposedly possessed by a demon.\" The word is frequently used in the New Testament, and applied to persons suffering under the possession of a demon or evil spirit.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39624,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-had-seen-the-great-works-of-god-in-judges-27\/","url_meta":{"origin":33619,"position":4},"title":"Who had seen the great works of God in Judges 2:7?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 7, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I would like to ask a question about the who's who of a biblical passage. Regarding the \"who\" in Judges 2:7, who are they in this passage? Are they the same people who served the Lord in the days of Joshua and in the days of the elders who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16179,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-is-the-command-to-baptize-applied-to-us-but-not-those-concerning-miraculous-gifts\/","url_meta":{"origin":33619,"position":5},"title":"Why is the command to baptize applied to us, but not those concerning miraculous gifts?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 27, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am confused about the role of preaching and evangelism. I am curious to know whether passages such as Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16 apply to all Christians (past, present, and future) or if they only applied to the apostles and early Christians? 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