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NASB | Mark 16:16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 2015 |
Mark 16:16 "He who has believed [in Me] and has been baptized will be saved [from the penalty of God's wrath and judgment]; but he who has not believed will be condemned. |
Bible Question:
Hi, I would like to know if baptism is just a symbol and if you don't get baptized will you still go to hell for believing truly that Jesus died for our sins? |
Bible Answer: Hi Terra: It is not what I think or my interpretation of the Bible, but what did the Lord Jesus say? In Mark 16:16 Jesus says "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned" Notice that the emphasis is upon believing or believing not. In order to be saved we must believe that "Jesus died for our sins" upon the cross. It is not simply believing about this great truth, but accepting the truth as revealled by the Spirit of God through his word that "Jesus took my place on the cross, he bore the wrath for my sins and I simply rest my all upon him for eternity. Jesus said "verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth him that sent me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life" John 5:24 When we trust in Christ he changes us by his Spirit and makes us alive spiritually to him. We are immediately placed in the family of God through adoption forever. Nothing can separate us from that eternal relationship. What about baptism? It is a command of the Lord Jesus which he expects of those who have trusted him. Matt. 28:19 In Acts 2:41 we read "that they which gladly received (believed) his word were baptized. In the days of the early church it cost something to identify with the rejected Christ. The early believers were baptised by immersion which proclaimed to the world that they belong to Christ and that with his help they intend to live for him by his grace throughout the rest of their lives. I believe that baptism is a symbol of sanctification, that is, being set apart for Christ. To live a baptised life "we are to reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" Romans 6:11 Since baptism is a command of the Lord Jesus, a believer can please him by obedience to his word in the waters of baptism. The most important thing in our life is to put our trust in Christ. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" Acts 4:12 Praise his name forever! Standing on the promises of God! Robert |