Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalton
1 corinthians 10:9
Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.
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With all due respect, to take this Scripture and apply it to Snake Handling per se is really proof texting the letter from Paul to the Corinthians. When Paul was writing to the church in Corinth, the 10th Chapter was dealing with wavoring believers. In the 9th verse, the word "tempt" or "test" that translations use is coming from the Greek Word ekpeirazō, which means to prove God thoroughly. Though that verse by itself, could support the theory being used here that it applies to those that might handle serpents in Worship, we then have the responsibility to fit the text within the rest of the chapter.
The overall chapter is likening our current strivings and wanderings with the children of Israel. And in light of that, Paul warns us against tempting Christ (as some of them tempted, and were destroyed of serpents, v. 9), or provoking him to jealousy, v. 22. He was with the children of Israel in the wilderness; he was the angel of the covenant, who went before them.
But he was greatly grieved and provoked by them in many ways: They spoke against him and Moses, Wherefore have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for which reason God sent fiery serpents among them (
Num. 21:5, 6), by which many of them were stung mortally. And it is but just to fear that such as tempt Christ under the present dispensation will be left by him in the power of the old serpent.
I think to apply this one verse to modern day Serpent Handlers as a whole is a broad brush that the text won't support, but could individually if their motive is to truly test, or doubt God's promises.
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