Again,
Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved
(general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized) but he who
does not believe will be condemned. The omission of baptized with "does not believe" shows that Jesus does not make baptism absolutely required for salvation. Condemnation rests on unbelief and not on a lack of baptism. *NOWHERE does the Bible say, "baptized or condemned."
If water baptism is absolutely required for salvation, then we would expect Jesus to mention it in the following verses. (3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26) Yet what is the ONE requirement that Jesus mentions NINE different times in each of these complete statements *
BELIEVES. *What happened to baptism? *Hermeneutics.
John 3:18 - He who
believes in Him is not condemned; but he who (is not water baptized? - NO)
does not believe is condemned already, because he has not (been water baptized? - NO)
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
If you don't believe in the existence of Jesus Christ (atheist) then you won't be water baptized yet there have been numerous people over the years (especially those in various false religions and cults) who have been water baptized but did not truly believe in Jesus unto salvation and reject faith without even realizing it. Now such people may have believed "mental assent" in the existence of Jesus Christ and in certain historical facts about Jesus Christ, but they did not believe in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of their salvation but instead were trusting in the work of water baptism for salvation.
Now such people go on to be water baptized anyway because they are trusting in water baptism for salvation. I know first-hand because I used to be one of them. Upon coming to believe the gospel later on, many people have been re-baptized (including myself) and this time it was "believers" baptism. If you can believe that EVERYONE who has ever been water baptized and "claims" to be a Christian truly was a born again Christian when they received water baptism, then you can believe anything and are extremely naive.
It don't say whoever is not baptized will not be saved. If he who believes will be saved (John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26) then he who believes and is baptized will be saved as well. However, it's the lack of belief which causes condemnation and not the lack of baptism.
I'm not deleting anything. I am properly harmonizing scripture with scripture before reaching my conclusion on doctrine in order to avoid contradictions. You seem to be okay with contradictions as long as your pet doctrine is upheld.
While Mark 16:16 tells us something about believers who have been baptized (they will be saved), it does not say anything about believers who have not been baptized. In order for this verse to teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, a third statement would be necessary, “He who believes and is not baptized will be condemned” or “He who is not baptized will be condemned.”
But, of course, neither of these statements is found in the verse.
By one Spirit and not by H20.
Romans 5:1 - Therefore, having been
justified by faith, (apart from additions or modifications, hence, faith alone) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been
saved through faith, (apart from additions or modifications, hence, faith alone) and that
not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God, 9
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
*The opposite of faith alone would be justified and saved by/through faith
and works, but that is NOT what Paul said. Simple!
