I do realize how important it is to you to make those Scriptures say what you want them to say.
I have but shown what they do say...
What you have done is classic my friend.
May it be so! NO INNOVATIONS I say!!
You are working hard to say that water baptism is necessary for our salvation.
I have never used YOUR added term: "Water Baptism"... So with that habit of mind in your reading skills, I do not know how to craft words that can penetrate your fog here...
The answer is, however, no, it does not.
So does this mean that you DENY that we are Baptized INTO Christ???
In order to make those Scriptures teach that baptism is required for salvation, you must go beyond what the verse actually says.
What those verses do teach is that belief is necessary for salvation, which is consistent with the countless verses where only belief is mentioned (e.g.,
John 3:18; John 5:24; John 12:44; John 20:31; 1 John 5:13).
Mark 16:16...........
“He who believes
AND is baptized will be saved;
but he who does not believe will be condemned”.
Mar 16:16
ο πιστευσας και βαπτισθεις σωθησεται
He (who is) believing
and (has been) baptized will be saved
ο δε απιστησας κατακριθησεται
but he (who is) unbelieving will be condemned.
This verse is composed of two basic statements.
1—He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
2—He who does not believe will be condemned.
You do the same with Scripture as you do with me...
You are ignoring the word
AND
Plus the past tense of the passive participle:
having been BAPTIZED
The verse states THIS:
1 - The one
believing AND having been baptized will be saved
2 - The one
NOT believing will be condemned...
This means a couple of things:
One needs to be believing AND baptised...
Without believing the Gospel, one will not be baptized...
After baptism, one must continue believing...
Baptism is necessary for Salvation...
Believing is needed for Salvation...
Not believing brings condemnation...
Both before and after Baptism...
So which part of "
...AND having been BAPTIZED..." is giving you trouble here?
I do not know how God could have said that to make it more understandable.
I could not agree more!
While this verse tells us something about believers who have been baptized (they are saved), it does not say anything about believers who have not been baptized.
This proves that Baptism is necessary for Salvation in your own words...
In order for this verse to teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, a third statement would be necessary, viz...........
“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.
Fallacy of the false alternative...
The verse states that Baptism is necessary, and that believing is also necessary... Baptism alone without ongoing believing will not save those who stop believing AFTER they have been baptized...
Baptism is the given in this passage, not believing...
Cornelius and his party were filled with the Holy Spirit in their believing and THEN they were Baptized into Christ... Similarly so, though differently, with Paul...
Condemnation is a function of sin, not of lack of believing, except for those who have been baptized into Christ, and then go back to unbelief... Paul wrote of this in Hebrews:
Heb 6:3-6
And this will we do, if God permit.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened,
and have tasted of the heavenly Gift,
and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
And have tasted the good Word of God,
and the Powers of the world to come,
These are those Baptized INTO Christ, you see...
Heb 6:6
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;
And this
renewal means another Baptism...
Arsenios