Ask Your Preacher
Salvation
Valued By God
Monday, November 04, 2019I believe, or should say I want to believe, I am love and called for something more, but have yet to feel the full presence of God. But tonight, in a very real time of doubt, I was called to a non-existent verse, yet it led me straight to a passage that read, "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;” (Mk 16:17)
Please tell me this is not false faith? Am I not just as important as Moses, Noah, Job, or other "men" of faith? Sincerely,
Hoping For Spirituality
Dear Hoping For Spirituality,
We are all equally important in God's eyes, but that doesn't mean that we all are called for the same purpose or that we all should receive miraculous abilities to prophecy, speak in tongues, or cast out demons. Miraculous gifts are no longer present in the church. They are no longer needed because we have the complete and perfect Word of God (1 Cor 13:8-10).
Mark 16:17 is not referring to all Christians, but instead it is referring to the “signs that would accompany” Christianity. As the gospel first spread, God used miracles to attest to the authenticity of the apostles’ claims that Jesus was the Son of God (Mk 16:20). These signs and wonders were God’s way of supernaturally bearing witness to the preaching (Heb 2:2-4). Miracles do not make you a Christian; obedience to the will of God does (Rom 12:2). Read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” to understand, verse-by-verse, what it takes to become a Christian. Do not accept anything but the Scriptures. Only God’s Word holds the answers to our salvation (Rom 1:16). SB