Well, I am sure I will gets lots of disagreement, but I understand John 10:26-27 like this. God in his foreknowledge knew who would believe in time and chose or elected these persons. These are his sheep. Those that God knew would not believe in time are not his sheep.
Jhn 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Note the order in verse 27, Jesus saiid my sheep #1 hear my voice, and #2 I know them. He knows these persons or sheep in an intimate way because they believed. Compare this to Galatians 4:9;
Gal 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
This passage in Galatians is speaking of new believers who in the past did not know God. But now that they have believed they are said to know God.
But note also, very importantly, that this verse also says NOW we are known of God. God did not know us in a personal and intimate way until we believed in time. However, God in his foreknowledge could foresee this future faith and know a believer in time. Compare this to John 10:4-5;
Jhn 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
We are elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father (1 Pet 1:2). God has chosen those whom he foresaw would believe in time. God did not know these persons in an intimate way until they believed in time, but God could foresee this in his foreknowledge. These are his sheep. Those God foresaw would not believe are not his sheep. This is why Jesus said, "but ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep".
As far as baptism spoken of in Mark 16:16, I have always believed this was speaking of water baptism, but it is possible this is speaking of being baptized into the Spirit. All who believe are baptized into the Spirit, not just some.
What is given by Jesus, as the reason those spoken of in verse 26 do not believe?
Concerning Gal. 4:9
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
I think the condition above is the state of being in unbelief and God has to call one and God has to remove one from being in the state of unbelief to the
state of belief. That is a believing one.
Paul was a sheep but he was a sheep in the state of unbelief and could not be a believer until he was called by Jesus. That is when he did know God for he understood that he was known of God.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,
who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief.
I do not believe Paul according to his free will all of a sudden went from unbelief to belief. I believe he was moved by God from unbelief to belief.
Back to the baptism.
Is Luke 12:50 and Matt 20:23 speaking of the same baptism?
Could the word baptism be inclusive of water baptism which pictures death and also spirit baptism which pictures resurrection with eternal life?
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ (water baptism) were baptized into his death?
V4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism (water) into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Looking forward to) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: (meaning) V8,9 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that
we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
(Baptism of eternal life)
Ye shall indeed be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.