Bible Question: Hank! my friend what does Mark 16:16 say? Who is it speaking to today? Can it be ignored? Should we take it out of our bibles? |
Bible Answer: Greetings Grace and Truth! Actually, Mark 16:16 isn't in many New Testament manuscripts! ;-) But, even if one accepts it as original, what does it say? It says 'The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved....'. What does it not say? It does not say that baptism saves. Nor does it say that the one who has believed and has been baptized IS saved - rather it says WILL BE saved. What does the next phrase say though? "...but whoever has not believed will be condemned." No mention of baptism as being a grounds for condemnation. What if someone (like the infamous thief on the cross) believed but was not baptized? Mk. 16:16 does not say that they would be condemned, does it? The only way that baptism can be made essential to salvation is if it were included in both sides of the equation. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |