RE: No such thing as a "true" Christian
April 21, 2011 at 2:16 pm
(This post was last modified: April 21, 2011 at 2:31 pm by fr0d0.)
Yep, no problem with any of that.
Mark 16:15-20 (New International Version, ©2011)
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Still we have to work out what is actually being said in the context of the time it's said. For that we need to get into the mindset of someone from the ancient middle east. Otherwise you're not being true to the text. Jesus never spoke literally as you're stating, but always figuratively. All of the things listed are to be likened to the experiences of a believer. They are never admonishments to do those things literally, as that would be to contradict other teachings of Jesus... (don't tempt God/ drink poison?) where a literal translation would fail and a faithful translation would find consistent.
Mark 16:15-20 (New International Version, ©2011)
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Still we have to work out what is actually being said in the context of the time it's said. For that we need to get into the mindset of someone from the ancient middle east. Otherwise you're not being true to the text. Jesus never spoke literally as you're stating, but always figuratively. All of the things listed are to be likened to the experiences of a believer. They are never admonishments to do those things literally, as that would be to contradict other teachings of Jesus... (don't tempt God/ drink poison?) where a literal translation would fail and a faithful translation would find consistent.
