[jkl1122]

This is what you wrote in your last post to me:

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

"Notice that Jesus does not say he THAT IS NOT BAPTIZED shall be damned....he said that what damns a man is not believing !"

This is my response:
I totally agree. If you do not believe, you will be damned. That does NOT negate the clear teaching that belief and baptism are required for salvation in the first part of Mark 16:16. Since belief is required before baptism will even take place, listing disbelief as the thing that will cause a person to be condemned is sufficient. This is not a difficult concept to understand, unless you have a reason for wanting this verse to teach something other than it actually teaches.

[RnMomof7]

This is my response: I totally agree. If you do not believe, you will be damned.That does NOT negate the clear teaching that belief and baptism are required for salvation in the first part of Mark 16:16. Since belief is required before baptism will even take place, listing disbelief as the thing that will cause a person to be condemned is sufficient. This is not a difficult concept to understand, unless you have a reason for wanting this verse to teach something other than it actually teaches.

You have a very circular reasoning here. But it is clear you are Church of Christ and outside mainstream Protestantism's belief in salvation by faith alone.

The scripture is clear here, Jesus could as easily said he who does not believe and be baptized is damed... but he did not.

The fact is that there are many many scriptures on salvation by faith and only a couple that speak of baptism says it all.

The God I worship does not need the works of men to forgive any one.. He said "it is finished" Not "it is finished for those that act correctly and are baptized"

I believe God acts on men to make them acceptable , not that man makes himself acceptable to God by ritual obedience .

Our baptism is a response to an inward change by God and our obedience to the great commission come from God. It is all God