The verses in Mark 16:17-18 are what I’ve been focusing on lately. Still waiting for someone to drink that cup of bleach. What’s funny is that I’d been through I Cor. 12-14 with him not too long ago. Some things he heard and some didn’t get through. Problem is, this young man bought the Jimmy Swaggart ‘power’ bible with all kinds of foot notes and misinterpretation.
It’s funny how many people cherry pick verses out or Mark 16 to support their theology and ignore the rest.
Catholics do it as a proof text that water baptism is necessary for salvation but ignore the rest of the passage.
Pentecostals use it as a proof text for speaking in tongues, casting out demons, and laying hands on others for healing, but don’t practice the snake handling or drinking poison or use it so support water baptism.
People need to show some integrity when using Scripture. Either the whole passage applies or it doesn’t. You can’t pick and choose what you like about what Jesus says and discard the rest.
Paul experienced this supernatural protection from a viper when he was shipwrecked on the island of Melita (Acts 28:3-5). However, this is the only recorded example of this in the New Testament. There is no record of the disciples picking up snakes just to prove they were believers. That would be tempting God (Luke 4:9-12).
This, as well as drinking any deadly thing, is a promise that if we pick up snakes accidentally or are forced into that position because of our stand for Christ, we can believe for supernatural protection.
Like taking up serpents, this does not mean that we can tempt God by drinking poison just to see if this promise works.