THROW OUT, TWIST, OR RIGHTLY DIVIDE?
Joel Finck
Scripture Reading: Mark
16:16
Today's text has been a
problem to many Bible expositors. It seems to be saying that baptism
is required for salvation:
"He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned" (Mark 16:16). Some churches simply take it for what it
says and require baptism for salvation. Those who understand Paul's
epistles reject such a view, for Paul clearly teaches salvation by
grace through faith without works. (Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8,9,
etc.)
This leaves only three
approaches to Mark 16:16-- throw out, twist, or rightly divide. Some
choose to throw it out, claiming that Mark 16:9-20 is not found in
the "oldest and best manuscripts." What they do not tell
you is that this passage is found in the majority of manuscripts.
The oldest and best (Sinaiticus and Vaticanus manuscripts) have
thousands of discrepancies between themselves. No, let us not throw
it out!
The second approach is to
twist the text, so it does not really mean what it says. Some
suggest that because the last half of the verse does not include
"and is not baptized" that this somehow changes the plain
meaning of the first half of the verse. The Lord did not have to add
"and is not baptized" because if a person did not believe,
it would not make any difference if he was baptized or not. He would
still be damned.
This does not change the
fact that the Lord still said; "He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved." Let us not twist what it says.
The solution is, of
course, to "rightly divide the Word of truth." Baptism was
once required as a demonstration of faith, but it is no longer.
(A 10 Minute Video)
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How
God Saves Men
Believing
Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing
Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read
Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
(A 10 Minute Video)
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