Mark 16:16 He that believeth and IS BAPTIZED shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
In other words if you believe you will be baptized for the remission of your sins. For some unknown reason people overlook this fact.
Believer's baptism is symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection, but only faith is needed for salvation.
There is much controversy as to whether that passage of Mark is actually part of the original text. It actually appears that it's not, however there are still some questions that arise from that.
Mark 16:14-18 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
A few observations about that passage. First off, in verse 16 in particular, it says whoever believes and is baptized is saved but whoever does not believe is condemned. It doesn't say whoever isn't baptized is condemned, only those who don't believe. That implies that it is the believing that is the critical action, not the baptism.
The other is that on both the Catholic and non-Catholic sides of the debate, both sides tend to ignore the rest of the verse in that same passage.
For Pentecostals in particular, they like to quote verse 17-18 and kind of ignore verse 16 about being baptized. They believe in salvation by faith alone, so they ignore the first part. But they sure focus on the gifts and healing and showy parts.
Catholics on the other hand, who teach that baptism is required for salvation but gives no assurance of said salvation, love to quote verse 16 and ignore the two following it, to the point of mocking and deriding those who DO take it as true.
Now, for both sides, it is hypocritical to cherry pick Scripture. Either all three verses are true, must be true, or they're not. It is the height of inconsistency in Scripture interpretation to change the method of interpretation in the middle of a discourse.
My main problems with the passage, is that for one, Jesus doesn't deal with His disciples in that manner ANYWHERE else in Scripture.
Upbraiding or rebuking them for hardness of heart and unbelief? After gently restoring Peter who denied Him three times? And appearing to Thomas who was doubting and offering to let him put his hands into Jesus' wounds to prove to Thomas that He was real and it was Him? This passage just doesn't fit.
And since it's contested as to its validity, do you really want to try to build a doctrine on something of that questionable authenticity? That seems kind of unwise to me.
Baptism is not the effectual act that removes sin. Baptism is as a result of being saved.
Jesus said you must be “born again”. This is the spiritual regeneration that happens when you accept Christ’s free gift of salvation. Of course a true believer will want to do what his Lord desires after acknowledging His Lordship.
For example, why would a person who does not believe be baptized? Maybe social pressure, family expecting it, etc. In that case, they view it as a nothing. For those who believe that the Baptism is the regenerative aspect (or remission of sin) then would the unbeliever who undergoes baptism be forgiven?
You handle is TrustAndObey. Trust comes first. Obey is second. Obeying is getting baptized. Trust is accepting Jesus.
If a man is wanted for murder did he already commit the murder or is he wanted so he will commit the murder?
**Mark 16:16 He that believeth and IS BAPTIZED shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.**
There you go...........telling people the truth!
(check out post 35)
“Mark 16:16 He that believeth and IS BAPTIZED shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
In other words if you believe you will be baptized for the remission of your sins. For some unknown reason people overlook this fact.”
Remember what Jesus said after He healed.. “Go and son no more!” Baptism is fine to cleanse the soul, but we are constant sinners. I used to ask myself why I observed the “born agains” making the same mistakes again. Baptism with water is only the first step. Remember what John said..” “There is one greater than me that will Baptize with the Spirit.”
That is why, when Jesus healed the ten lepers, He stated that “only the one who praised God was made whole.” Experiencing God is what Brother Lawrence referred to as “Practicing the Presence of God” in all that we do, at all times. A one time Baptism is merely opening the door. It is our commitment to our Master Jesus that we accept him and follow His teachings. Remember what 1John 4 says: If you say that you love God, but do not love your neighbor, then you are a liar.” I go further and say, if you do not Love thy neighbor, then you are living in sin and have not been fully Baptized by the Holy Spirit.
That being said, I am on the same path as everyone else in being a repeating sinner and constantly working to cleanse my soul in order to be constantly Baptized by the Spirit. As without His Spirit within me, I am nothing.
If we believe, we must follow his commands. If we say we believe and we do not follow His commands, then we are liars. Yes, I too am often a liar.
If God is Love, then life is about finding and removing the obstacles to Love that exist within us.