Skip to main content

The Gospel Plan of Salvation: Be Baptized



He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

 but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 Mark 16:16

Mark 16:16 is one of many passages that confirm that baptism is one of the five steps in the Gospel Plan of Salvation that is applicable to all men. Some observations in the verse include the fact that both belief and baptism are coequals to be saved. The diagram below shows their correlation as well as the order of both belief and immersion for the purpose of salvation. Belief is an absolute prerequisite of baptism, and this is very well explained in the second section of verse, for it is by disbelief that one is condemned. As it has been noted before, it certainly takes more to be saved than to be condemned.

He____________________________________________________/shall be saved

            That______________________/believeth

                                                                   /and

/is baptized

He____________________________________________________/shall be damned

            That_____________________/believeth not

 

The essentiality of baptism is not limited to just to Mark 16:16. In Acts 2:38, Peter commanded that those who were lost and guilty of the blood of Jesus were to repent and be baptized for the remission of sin. Verse 41 tells us that all of those who received His word were baptized and they were added to the church. This is expressed later in Acts 8:35-36 in which Phillip preached unto the Ethiopian eunuch Jesus and the eunuch said, “What doth hinder me to be baptized?” Acts 22:16. Ananias declared to Paul ,  “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.” Paul later explains that we are to die to our sins and are buried in baptism and resurrected to walk in the newness of life. It is in baptism where we are united with Christ in the likeness of His death, as well as His likeness. Paul also said, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. (cf. Gal 3:27).”  Peter also reminds us that baptism is salvific (cf.1 Peter 3:21.Lastly, 1 Cor 12:13 concludes that we were all baptized into one body (the church). Mark 16:16 is one of many supporting texts that confirm the essentiality of baptism for remission of sin.

With the evidence above can one deny the essentiality of baptism? I suppose without Biblical evidence on could. However, without Biblical evidence one cannot have Biblical salvation.

    Grace and Peace,

    Ryan


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Don't Raise an Ahaz

           Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Jehovah cast out from before the children of Israel.   And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree . 2 Kings 16:2-4                   When was the first time you drove a car? What about the first time you jumped off a diving board or gave a speech? After that first time, it certainly became easier. What about the first lie you told? Did it become easier? King Ahaz of Judah was evil and far from the example of David. Ahaz was the first to offer child sacrifices to t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Abijah and Totality

  Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam (also Abijah) over Judah.Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 1 Kings 15:1-3        Do you ever wonder how someone who gets things mostly right can still be so wrong? It is mind-boggling if we do not consider that God judges man in totality. From our text above, it is hard to see anything good that can be said about Abijam (Abijah) son of Rehoboam. After all, it is evident that he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.      So where do we learn the details? 2 Chronicles 13:1-22 gives us further evidence of Abijah’s issues. We know he i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jehoram and Accent

          Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.       2 Ch 21:5-6       Regional accents are quite interesting when you consider all their quirks and differences from each other. However, as one who has lived in varying locations and cultures in the United States, my accent is sort of all over the place. When I was visiting some family in Eastern Arkansas, my cousin correctly introduced me as my cousin Ryan from Texas. However, the young lady to whom he introduced me said, "You're from Texas?" I affirmed yes. To which she replied, “You don't sound like you're from Texas.” Maybe it was the fact that I grew up right on the Rio Grande or maybe this girl just e...
Post a Comment
Read more