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5. Question: According to Mark 16:16, which reads: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Does one have to be water baptized to be saved?
Answer: According to this passage, “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” And though Jesus did not say that a man would be damned without baptism, He did state that baptism is indeed joined to the faith of the believer unto their salvation. Now there are those who have argued that the reason Jesus included baptism in the first clause of this passage and not the second, was because unbelievers do not get baptized and therefore it would have sounded redundant to state that “he that believeth not and is not baptized shall be damned.” And those debating this point will go on to state that this proves that Jesus was not excusing the unbaptized from being damned.
Yet it could also be argued (and it has), that even though it is true that Jesus did indeed include baptism in the first clause of this passage as being joined with faith (believing). It still does not necessarily mean that He intended for baptism to be a necessary requirement of salvation. Because in the first clause of this passage Jesus was only assuming that we would know that the true believer would go on to be baptized. And that is why He excluded the unbaptized from being damned in the second clause in order to clarify His meaning in the first clause in case there was those who misunderstood the first clause. And those debating this point will go on to state that this proves that Jesus was indeed excusing the unbaptized from being damned.
In other words and in more simply terms, the first argument states that Jesus was not excusing the unbaptized from being damned since unbelievers do not get baptized. And the second argument states that Jesus was indeed excusing the unbaptized from being damned since Believers do get baptized. Now both of these arguments present two completely contradictory interpretations of the text we have under consideration.
And still yet, there is a third argument by those who would argue (and have), that it is indeed very possible for a person to be an unbeliever and still be baptized because unbelievers get baptized all the time. And that is the reason why Jesus excluded baptism from the second clause. Because given the fact that an unbeliever would be baptized only testifies to the fact that such an unbeliever would be deceived and actually believe himself to be a true believer. Therefore Jesus was killing two birds with one stone (so to speak) by stating that “he that believeth not shall be damned.” Because regardless of the unbeliever being baptized or not, he will still be damned if he dies in a state of unbelief. And those debating this point will go on to contend that this is why Jesus excluded the unbaptized in the second clause; thus, proving that it had nothing to do with Him excusing the unbaptized from being damned.
As we have considered the preceding arguments, you will notice that there are those on the same side of this debate whose arguments come to the same end conclusion of stating that “Jesus did not excuse the unbaptized from being damned.” And yet while coming to that same end conclusion, they seem to contradict each other as the first argument states: “unbelievers do not get baptized.” And the third argument states: “unbelievers get baptized all the time.” And though they might seem to contradict, in reality they do not. You see, there are two different kinds of unbelievers. One is the self professing unbeliever, and the other is the self deceived unbeliever.
Now the self professing unbeliever is the type who both mentally and in the heart denies the Gospel. It is this self professing unbeliever who will not get baptized because he totally rejects the Gospel. Then there is the self deceived unbeliever. This kind of unbeliever is the type who professes to believe the Gospel and he might even be baptized because he mentally accepts all the blessings and positive aspects of the Gospel. But only so long as they serve his own self interest. Yet he has deceived himself because has no true heart of faith or any heartfelt intentions of giving up the world or the sins he so loves. His is a false faith which allows such unbelievers to bring their sins of selfishness, carnality and vanity into the Church by calling these ungodly vices Christian virtues of worship and service to God. And America's Churches are full of such counterfeit Believers from the pulpits down to the pews. Such as these are like the “believing” Jews (See John 8:31-59) whom Jesus exhorted to continue in His Word so that they might know the truth and be made free from their servant hood to sin. Yet when confronted with their need for repentance they not only accused Jesus of being possessed of a devil, they also sought to kill Him with murder in their hearts.
Now having explained this seeming contradiction as being a simple misunderstanding of failing to consider all the factual possibilities, I must ask, what have I really accomplished? My point being that we have so many people on both sides of this debate concerning baptism, who are exploiting all these various arguments against one another. And they are doing so in order to prove their own doctrines; and yet, even those on the same side of this debate are presenting one sided arguments which appear to totally contradict themselves while arriving at the same conclusions. Thus all that I have accomplished in explaining the preceding contradiction is to give greater validity to that side of the debate.
Therefore, whether I agree or disagree with their doctrine is beside the point. Because all I can think about is all those struggling lost souls out there who are seeking to learn the truth in order to know how to be saved. Yet when presented with all these conflicting and confusing arguments, far too many of these struggling seekers are becoming disillusioned and they either turn away in disgust to a false world religion or cult. Or they dismiss the whole subject all together and seek out the easiest Christian teaching to understand and they accept it with no questions asked, regardless of the fact that it might be totally wrong. I know because I've met such people on the streets while witnessing and passing tracts.
And then there is the struggling Child of God, who when assaulted with all these conflicting contradictions, ends up so confused that they begin to question their own salvation. And I have likewise met my share of these poor confused souls while out witnessing. I think of one young woman who stood out on an Uptown Chicago sidewalk everyday holding a Watch Tower Magazine. After speaking to her about her soul and the deity of Jesus Christ and His shed blood for our sins, she told me in tears that she was once a Bible believing Christian. And yet she was caught between such conflicting voices of disagreement about her salvation that it almost gave her a nervous break down. And that is when she was found by the Jehovah's Witnesses who won her to their religion by pointing out all of the contradictory teachings and extreme one sided interpretations of the Bible that are out there in the Christian Church at large. And they had so indoctrinated this woman against trusting the Bible she feared to even consider that she might just be a victim of another deception because she could not mentally or emotionally handle anymore disappointing failures in her attempts to find the truth.
As she spoke I could discern by the way she talked that there was the inner battle raging inside her heart as the Holy Spirit was convicting her against the lies of that Cult system which had conditioned her to no longer trust the promises and cautions of the K.J.V. Bible (which I was carefully reminding her of). And If I remember correctly, before I left her, she agreed with me that she would personally pray in the name of Jesus and plead His blood for the intervention of the Holy Spirit to open her eyes if she was being deceived.
This is why I no longer care if I'm accused of being afraid to offend others or to pick a side in this debate. Because to be perfectly honest I am afraid but it is certainly not my accusers I'm afraid of; but rather, what I'm afraid of is standing before God one day with the blood of some lost soul on my hands because I foolishly offended them by casting a stumbling block before them in their quest to find salvation. Because in reality it is not a matter of simply speaking the truth; but rather, it is a matter of how you speak it and to whom you're speaking it to. For there is something spiritually (and very) wrong with those who go around reproving and rebuking others simply to prove they are right without the slightest consideration for the salvation of the souls of those who they are offending.
Therefore it is my opinion that it would be far less costly to such victimized souls if those on both sides of the issue would just simply repent of causing so much stress and strife. Because the fact of the matter is that if such theologians and leaders were really honest and sincere, they would understand that it is indeed by faith alone in the finished work of the cross that the repentant Believer is saved. And yet it is also indeed correct to contend for (not condemn for) the necessity of being baptized because true faith will lead the faithful in obedience to the revealed will and commandment of Jesus Christ to be baptized.
For if an individual is a true Believer then they are being lead by the Holy Spirit and are therefore not without help and instruction. Yet given all the many conflicting teachings out there about baptism, it is only logical that at least some Believers would be cautious and would not just jump into the waters of the first baptismal that came along. Not until they have studied the Bible for themselves in order to understand the truth and purpose for baptism. Yet sadly, there are far too many people being baptized who do not know the first implications of the cross and what baptism really means. Nor do they even know why they are being baptized apart from the fact that their Pastor told them they must.
Still yet, not every seeking believer receives the full message of the gospel. Many are simply taught an easy believism without ever being given the knowledge of God's will concerning baptism. And yet if such persons are truly repentant believers, they will naturally follow on to be baptized as soon as they are better instructed. I believe the conflict occurs when on the one hand we have individuals and whole denominations preaching an incomplete gospel in order to gain more converts to their cause. And tragically in many cases such hirelings are indoctrinating their converts against being baptized at all, by teaching that it is an unnecessary aspect of the salvation process.
On the other hand, we have those who take the opposite extreme and present baptism in a legalistic fashion as being ones only means of salvation to such a degree that baptism overshadows faith as being less necessary in the salvation of the soul. In my opinion I personally believe that one must present the Gospel in its fullness and preach baptism as being the natural extension of one's faith in walking in obedience to the will and commandment of Jesus Christ. Because according to God's Word we are the children of God by faith when we are baptized into Christ. And it is by baptism that we put on Christ. As it is written:
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:26-27
Speaking of baptism, the Apostle Peter wrote: “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” 1st Peter 3:21-22
Notice the emphasis: “(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)” In other words baptism that saves us is not an “end all” act in relation to a personal work of cleansing and righteousness that we trust in for our salvation. But it is an act born of faith which gives us that unadulterated confidence of salvation because to be baptized is to publicly confess one's faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an act of obedience that proves the belief of the Believer. It is the door through which we publicly accept, declare and enter into the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is our belief in Jesus confessed to the world. Baptism is not a work of self righteous that earns the baptized any merit with God; rather, it is the manifested expression of the Believer's untainted faith in their dependence upon the grace of God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ to wash away our sins. And thus it is written:
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16
So we see that just as faith without works is dead; so likewise, belief without baptism is spiritually insensible. Yet it is not our business to condemn and damn the unbaptized, or to argue for baptism against those who willfully differ. We should simply teach and preach the full gospel of believing, being baptized and being filled with the Spirit and leave the convincing and convicting to the Word of God and the Holy Ghost. Because such bitter debates only lead to the loss of those Believers who we are called to reach and teach. For we are not God, and so we can not look into the motives of the hearts of those who deny the act of being baptized. Only God knows their reasons, be they honestly mistaken but yet sincere or be they dishonestly deceitful. Whatever the case, only God alone shall be their judge.
And while I do believe in water baptism as being joined with the faith of the Believer unto the salvation of their souls. I also believe that there are Believers in this world who (due to persecution or poverty) have no access to a Bible or a Preacher. And though these Believers are unbaptized because of simply never being taught (due to their personal circumstances). I believe that they are as saved as you or I because they have repented at the preaching of the Word. And I personally believe that if such individuals died in their faith without water baptism, they would still be saved though they were never water baptized. Because in many such cases the very lives of such can be a public confession and a living act of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In that such are baptized in the fiery trials of life and their God is with them.
Therefore, what I am really meaning to state here is that I personally believe that it is indeed Biblically correct to teach that a Believer must be baptized to be saved. As Jesus stated: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;” And yet I also believe that the reason why Jesus didn't include the unbaptized with the unbeliever as being damned, (when He went on to state: “but he that believeth not shall be damned”), is because in such cases God has the right to make exceptions to the rule for Believers whose circumstances beg for special consideration. Thus, it is my own personal opinion and belief that just as it is possible for there to be baptized unbelievers who shall go to hell; so likewise, it is possible for there to be unbaptized Believers who shall go to heaven.
However, I would strongly advise any Believer who is reading this article to consider the fact that you yourself are no longer ignorant of the will of God concerning baptism. And while I am not the one to tell you that you will be damned if you are not water baptized. Nor am I going to tell you that you will not be damned if you remain unbaptized. But I trust that every true Believer shall indeed obey the Gospel and work out their own salvation with fear and trembling in willingness to do God's good pleasure as He works in them toward that end. As it is written:
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13
It was never my job to threaten anyone to believe one way or the other. All I am responsible for is to tell you that God says what He means and He means what He says. And if He said: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them…” (Matthew 28:19) Then every Believer who has been taught ought also to be baptized! Amen?
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