(February 19, 2014 at 12:00 am)orangebox21 Wrote: I do "take this verse literally" when God says in Mark 16:
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
The verb "believe" here in Greek is in the aorist tense pisteusasi, which refers to those who did believe, not those who would believe at that time or in the future.
Given that I don't fit the criteria of the "them that believe" there is no conflict between "man's word" and "God's word" in this situation. I would not take the pill as it would kill me. God's words are trustworthy.
This is a great post! Well done.