“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” Mark 16:16 (NASB)

Mark 16:9-20 are not considered inspired scripture as these verses do NOT appear in early manuscripts; this is why you’ll find these verses [ ] in better translations with a margin note.

Mark 16:16 does not teach that water is an element of salvation but that “belief” is. The verse says NOTHING about those who are NOT baptized but only about those who don’t “believe”…they are condemned. Those who advocate Mark 16:16 as supporting water baptism as necessary for salvation are guilty of the “negative inference fallacy.”

If you enter baptismal waters believing that your participation in same supplements the sufficiency of Jesus to provide you redemption through His blood atonement ALONE, you’re not redeemed, you’re a cult member, not a Christian. Faith-belief in Jesus as Messiah redeems the soul, not water. Your works, your efforts, are equated to a filthy garment when same are used to supplement Jesus’ work at Golgotha…this is evil…this is self-righteousness that offends the Father (Isaiah 64:6).

Water baptism is commanded by Jesus for those who have entered into New Covenant relationship with the Father through faith in Jesus as our Messiah; this, as per the Great Commission articulated in Matthew 28. Water baptism is an act of obedience to Messiah’s command that follows salvation by faith. The blood of Jesus atones for sin (Leviticus 17:11; 1 Peter 1:18-19), not water.