"Five Views of Mark 16:16"

Steven J. Wallace

Jesus stated nearly 2000 years ago, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mk. 16:16). To the simple, unbiased, and unprejudiced mind, Jesus’ statement is very clear and easy to understand. It is as easy to understand a doctor’s statement, “He who eats his food and digests it will live; but he who does not eat will die.” All of us would easily understand that unless we eat and digest, we will die! However, for those who have allied themselves with human creeds and have been depraved with worldly wisdom, Jesus’ simple statement becomes confusing and contradicting. Although the Bible ALWAYS places water baptism (in Jesus’ name) before salvation, men have sought ways to undermine the authority and confuse the simplicity of our Lord’s teaching.

For example, the Atheist would say, “He who believes and is baptized will NOT be saved.” He has rejected the existence of God and the authority of the Bible. Unbelievers believe there is no God, yet one would have to be “God” himself to prove such a position. For one to know that there is no God, he would have had to have been everywhere, seen everything at once, and know all things! Yet Jesus had him in mind when he said, “. . .he who believes not shall be condemned,” and again, “. . .he who does not believe is condemned already” (Jn. 3:18). Truly “the fool has said in his heart ‘There is no God.’ ” (Prov. 14:1).

The Universalist ap­proaches the scripture with the bias that God is a God of only love and therefore He can never condemn anyone. They say, “He who believes NOT and is NOT baptized shall be saved.”  While such a faith accepts the actuality of God, it rejects His word and leaves, nonetheless, a corrupt and misguided picture of Deity. Warning! “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:48).

The Catholic comes along and teaches, “He who believes NOT and is baptized shall be saved.” I say this as a former Catholic who was sprinkled as a baby. Catholics baptize babies because of the erroneous view of inherited sin (Ezek. 18:20); however, Bible baptism was NEVER administered to babies. Jesus taught that babies are safe (Lk. 18:15-17). Notwithstanding, subjects of Bible baptism must have first believed (see again Mark 16:16), yet faith comes by hearing the word of the Lord (Rom. 10:17). How can a baby believe when they cannot understand the word of the Lord? Can they also confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus (Matt. 10:32; Rom. 10:9, 10; Acts 8:37)? False doctrine makes us believe unbelievable things!

Then the Baptist comes and says, “He who believes and is NOT baptized shall be saved.” Yet is this what Jesus said?  Is it Deity’s view? No amount of human manipulation will change the eternal truth of Mark 16:16. Beware of such “NOTS” in the devil’s “tale.”

The only correct view is what Jesus explicitly stated. Will you accept it?

“Unshakable Joy”

“Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you,” (Jn. 16:20-22).

As dark and vexing as the day they took Him away was, so, even more, the joy surged when He stood before them alive on resurrection day! Jesus spoke of unshaken joy—your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
Regardless of what the apostles faced from that day on, the world with all of its opposition could never shake, diminish, or skew their faith and joy. Through their pen, Christians can gain and retain that joy through the days we wait until when Jesus returns to take us away with Him. During the COVID pandemic, the words of a child were written on the sidewalk near my house, “Do not be sad because it cannot rain forever.” As the child knew so it was, “This too shall pass.”

Peter wrote of our unshakable joy in 1 Peter 4:13, “but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

My dear Brethren, keep your thoughts on the things above and the great things to come!
-SJW

SENTENCE SERMON: “Bible mathematics: We do not add to the Bible nor subtract from it, but rightly divide it for blessings to multiply.”