Question:
Will signs follow those who believe?
Answer:
Individuals converted in apostolic churches are often expected or demanded to perform a sign, such as speaking in tongues, to prove they are believers. For this practice, many apostolic churches use Mark 16:17-18 as justification. This passage says, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
This passage, read out of context, seems to teach that every believer will be able to practice these miracles and signs. Several problems with this teaching should be noted.
First, when only verses 17 and 18 are read the passage is grossly taken out of context. Misunderstanding often occurs because we fail to read the context of a passage. So, study the passage in its proper context.
Immediately after the resurrection of Jesus, many of His disciples were unbelieving. They were skeptical to believe that the Jesus they saw die on a cross a few days ago could be alive and well due to His resurrection. So, Jesus appears to them, as He already had to others, to solidify their belief.
Mark 16:14 says, “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.” Verses 15 and 16 go on to show how Jesus demanded they go preach the gospel to the world.
Now, think about verse 17. Jesus, in verse 14, has just rebuked the eleven apostles for their unbelief. In verse 17, He says, “...these signs will follow those who believe…” The last applicable antecedent that the pronoun “those” could refer to in this passage is “the eleven” from verse 14. Thus, the “those” who are promised “accompanying signs” is limited to the group Jesus was speaking to in this passage—the eleven apostles. This was not a promise for everyone.
Even in the early church, when miracles were being performed, not all Christians could perform all kinds of miracles (1 Corinthians 12:28-30). Even if all could perform miracles, Paul taught that such miraculous gifts would “cease” when God’s revelation was complete (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). It is complete and such signs are no longer performed (Jude 3; James 1:25).
September 2007