The case for Mark 16:16.

<sigh>

It teaches the dull-witted nothing.

"I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

 

Where did you get that from the text?

He that believeth (first and foremost) and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Believing always precedes water baptism.

 

Actually, the command means exactly what it says to whom it says it and about whom it is said and the proof is the fact that these to whom it is said followed these directions to a T. So, my advice is to define the word "creature" and to consider if it is the operative word in the text.

Paul, an apostle, would say this later about the creature to a church of the province of Asia..

Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye (Colossians) have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Is Paul saying the apostolic mission is accomplished concerning the creature in 60 AD when this letter is written? Every creature under heaven seems to leave no creature out, no?

It makes me ask the questions, how much of the Bible are we willing to believe and how much effort are we willing to exert for the right answers?

 

Are you suggesting that baptism is a requirement for salvation?

 

He that believeth not shall be damned. It does not say he that is baptized not shall be damned.

The emphasis is on believing. Anybody can get baptized but if they have a heart of unbelief then it means nothing.

They are damned because they don't believe.