- These Are The Signs
- Ephesians 3:10
- Order of Chaos
- Not Thy Word
Mark 16:17-19 is a verse that may not always be fully considered in its depth. Without the guidance of God’s Wisdom, one can easily be led to believe in something that may not align with the truth. These signs mentioned in the verse accompany or follow those who believe, serving the purpose of demonstrating to others that the God of the entire world has affirmed them as His own. These miracles act as proof of His approval and His presence with these believers.
To gain a deeper understanding of this verse, it’s essential to read it with a critical perspective. Let’s begin with the first statement: “These signs will accompany those who believe.” Often, people attend church services and observe someone in the role of a preacher or leader claiming to be a believer. However, it is crucial to not only look to the preacher but also to self-reflect. Many times, people expect the preacher or leader to demonstrate signs and wonders, but the verse indicates that these signs should also be evident in the believers themselves. The phrase “will accompany those who believe” implies that believers should exhibit these signs in their lives.
God, in His Wisdom, foresaw the presence of insincere individuals in leadership positions. As a safeguard, this verse encourages you to assess the authenticity of a believer by examining the signs in both the leader and you. If you are not displaying signs of a believer, it prompts self-inquiry about the teachings you have received. Are there distortions in what you have learned? If only the leader can speak in new tongues (often misunderstood and misused today), what is the purpose of these tongues? What good do they serve if they do not contribute to the edification of others?
The true purpose of tongues is not a babbling claiming it’s the Holy Spirit, but in a church setting but should involve understanding God’s Wisdom. The Holy Spirit speaks in Words and those words reflect the Wisdom of God so that you can know Him and gain Eternal Life. John 17:3 3
2 Samuel 23:2
“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.
Isaiah 59:21
“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from now and forever.”
There is profound power in having a deep understanding and knowledge of the One True God. This power is significant because it is bestowed upon believers and is beyond human capability. Without God’s power, accomplishing anything of substance is impossible. Therefore, when God imparts power to an individual, it is accompanied by a profound understanding of His nature and presence within them. This comprehension profoundly influences the person’s faith, anchoring them in the certainty of who God is and what He can and will do.
This divine understanding is granted to those with pure hearts who can perceive and recognize God without any doubt. They fully acknowledge their own limitations and realize that God works through them as instruments to manifest His presence so that others can witness the invisible God. The wisdom of God requires interpretation, and it encompasses various terminologies that need to be comprehended. However, those who hold onto false beliefs about God may struggle to grasp this wisdom.
True tongues, in this context, refer to speaking in an unknown language, as the term “tongues” is plural verses “tongue” as singular. When a believer speaks in a new tongue, it signifies a transformation in their speech. They communicate in a new language—the language of God’s Wisdom, as opposed to the language of the wisdom of Satan or the lies about God. They become able to discern and articulate the difference, making it understandable to others from various nations. The Holy Spirit serves as evidence that they are genuine believers and that what they speak is the truth. It is the final truth or the end of the matter and is the main reason that we are to desire to prophesy. To prophesy is means to preach the Word or the Wisdom that comes from God so that others can see so that they can be assured of God’s promises. It’s God’s final word on the matter or the conclusion of the matter. It is LIFE presenting itself against death, where all have the opportunity to choose whom they wish to follow.
In many churches worldwide, a single individual, often the leader, is seen performing all these acts of power by using the false interpretation of tongues, while the congregation seems powerless. If you find yourself in such a congregation, it’s essential to reflect on Jesus’ teachings. He addressed leaders like the Pharisees, pointing out a lack of true spiritual understanding and by their lack of the knowledge of God’s wisdom, they effectually exclude others from the kingdom of God. Matthew 23:13
True tongues lead to a deeper understanding or comprehension of the knowledge of God, thereby strengthening faith in God. He knew Adam and Eve had this comprehension, for that was where the power of God was. Unfortunately, in many cases, tongues have been misinterpreted, leading to confusion about God, rather than genuine understanding. Just as Satan used his own wisdom to trick Eve, so do false leaders and teachers use Satan’s definition of tongues to do the same. When tongues are accurately taught, they should enable individuals to interpret complex concepts for the congregation’s benefit, making God’s Wisdom more accessible to all. God’s wisdom leads you to “know HIM” and that “knowing Him” is what is called Eternal Life. It is for this reason, that Satan is stated as being a liar from the beginning and is a murderer and is a murderer from the beginning. God calls Satan a murderer because he brings death to those who believe in him rather than in God. To do this, all the believers in the wisdom of Satan or the distorted truth, bring death and not Eternal Life. Additionally, speaking in tongues as it is today leads you to no more knowledge about God Himself, than when they began speaking. Tongue speaking or when the complex concepts have the ability to convert someone from believing lies about God, those things convict the individual and they run to God because they realize what they had been believing was a lie. This is what it means to be converted.1
Verse 18 speaks about picking up snakes with their hands. The place where we see a man picking up a snake with his hands, was Moses.
“Some individuals have lost their lives due to a lack of understanding regarding the wisdom of God and His knowledge. They failed to recognize that the poison in question symbolizes false teachings about God, which can be harmful to the Body of Christ. Consequently, when we interpret the second half of the verse that mentions drinking poison without harm through the lens of God’s wisdom, it conveys the idea that even when exposed to false teachings about God in a congregation where a prophet or teacher spreads such falsehoods, their faith in the True God of heaven and earth remains unshaken. These false teachings do not weaken their beliefs or lead them astray, as to truly harm them, it would require turning them away from God and towards beliefs that are diametrically opposed to Him.”Verse 19 highlights the statement that “they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.” It’s important to note that this verse does not specify an immediate healing but rather implies that healing will eventually occur. This implies that individuals with true, purified knowledge of God become believers, and God confirms their faith by eventually healing the sick through them. These signs of healing are not limited to leaders; they are meant to accompany all believers. In fact, without God’s power, these signs will not affirm the teachings of a leader.
Healing, in this context, is not a passive observation but serves as confirmation to the believer that they are placing their faith in the One True God who supersedes the falsehoods propagated by others. Believers not only perform signs as tangible evidence of God’s presence with them, allowing others to witness the invisible God through these miraculous acts, but they also stand as signs themselves that the leaders guiding them have been sent by God. This underscores the significance of these signs as a testament to the authenticity of the leaders and the believers’ unwavering faith in the One True God. The miracles are not the sign, rather the believers are a sign that God’s Wisdom and Kingdom are present and what He does through them as conduits conveys the presence of Himself giving you living proof that He lives.
Are you a true believer, or do you consider someone as your superior? If you acknowledge a higher authority, it’s essential to critically examine teachings about God that may be misinterpreted or false. Distinguishing between truth and falsehood requires wisdom and the ability to test claims against reality. Without the guidance of divine wisdom, discerning the truth from deception becomes a challenging task and leaves you in the state of the loss of Eternal Life. 3
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