SNAKE HANDLING

NBC Dateline recently (1/31/95) aired what TV Guide stated was "A report on snake handling among fundamental Christians." The segment accurately represented the practices of one particular sect, if not snake handling in general. As the project progressed it was obvious that the reporter was getting caught up in the practice.

It was the music which struck him first. The eerie, meaningless chanting accompanied by the heavy beat of tambourines, other instruments and dancing produced a hypnotic effect. When the reporter finally participated in the snake handling, he described it as nothing short of a trance.

A skeptic questioned the snake handler: "Do you believe every word of the bible?" Answer: "Every word of it." Implication: there are parts of the bible that reasonable people just can not believe.

But are there? The supporting verse is supposedly from Mark 16:17-20: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 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 ... And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."

The key is a proper understanding of the term "follow them that believe." Does this term require that every single believer have these "signs"? A review of 1 Cor. 12 clearly shows that this was not the case. 1 Cor 13:8-11 shows that these miracles were temporary, as does Mark 16:20, since the purpose of the signs was limited to "confirming the word."

Since God's word has been fully confirmed, the signs have ceased -- it is obvious that they have ceased. Equally obvious is that the New Testament is perfect and completed -- nothing has been added to it since the first century. What do we need that is not in God's word (2 Tim. 3:16-17)?

The only bible example of a fulfillment of Mk. 16:18 is in Acts 28:3-6. Read it over and notice that no one was worked up into a frenzy or went into a trance. Indeed, it happened by accident! There is no authority for integrating snake handling, poison drinking or any of the other signs into our worship. We would do well to distinguish between gifts and commands. The full truth compels us to reject such fanaticism as snake handling and poison drinking.