1. Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
A Specific Request
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
Text: Mark 16:15-16
Prepared By Nathan L Morrison
All Scripture given is from NASB unless otherwise stated
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Based on a lesson by Richard Thetford
Prepared by Nathan L Morrison /

2. Intro God has said that mankind is to listen to Jesus:
A Specific Request
Intro
God has said that mankind is to listen to Jesus:
Mt. 3:17: After the baptism of Jesus, God said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Mt. 17:5: At the transfiguration, God again says, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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3. Mt. 13:10-17
10. And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11. He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
13. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'HEARING YOU WILL HEAR AND SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND, AND SEEING YOU WILL SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE;
15. FOR THE HEARTS OF THIS PEOPLE HAVE GROWN DULL. THEIR EARS ARE HARD OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED, LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, LEST THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, SO THAT I SHOULD HEAL THEM.'
16. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;
17. for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
A Specific Request
Intro
Emphasis in Scripture mine!
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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4. Intro Mark 16:15-16 A statement of Jesus so plain and yet is highly
A Specific Request
Intro
Mark 16:15-16
15. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
A statement of Jesus so plain and yet is highly
disregarded by many preachers
One rarely hears it uttered by denominational preachers.
When they do refer to it they give an explanation that goes against what Jesus taught
Let us examine 4 different views of this passage taught by men and then contrast those with the one taught by Jesus!
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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5. He Who Believes and Is Baptized Will Not Be Saved
A Specific Request
This view is held by non-Christians
Atheists: Do not believe in God, heaven, hell, or salvation of any kind, thus don’t believe that even if one is obedient to the Scriptures, they will be saved.
Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc.: Believe in God or gods but do not believe that salvation is only found in Jesus, so do not believe baptism in His name will save anyone!
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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6. He Who Believes and Is Baptized Will NOT Be Saved
A Specific Request
Those who accept Jesus and the authority of His apostles
(Mt. 28:18-20) reject this view!
There is a God who offers salvation – I Tim. 2:3-4 (Acts 4:10-12; Titus 2:11)
Salvation is only found in Jesus – I Tim. 2:5-6; Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12
Judgment falls on those who have not obeyed the gospel – II Thess. 1:7-9
People who reject Jesus willingly deny His plain statement for salvation!
(Seeing, they do not see, hearing, they do not hear)
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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7. He Who DOES NOT Believe and Is NOT Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
This view is held by “Universalists”
They believe that God will save everyone eventually
To support their view they turn to I Tim. 2:6 & Titus 2:11
They ignore the passages that tell a person how to take hold of the blessings of the ransom paid and the grace of God that brings salvation and say this shows that God will save everyone! (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16)
I Tim. 2:6
6. who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
Titus 2:11
11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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8. He Who DOES NOT Believe and Is NOT Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
Those who know the teachings of Jesus and Paul reject
such a view
Jesus said there would be a few who were saved – Mt. 7:13-14
Paul warned of who would not be saved – Eph. 5:5-7; II Thess. 1:7-9
Eph. 5:5-7 (I Cor. 6:9-10)
5. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7. Therefore do not be partakers with them.
People who hold this view willingly deny the plain
teachings of Jesus to hold their view of world-wide
salvation!
(Seeing, they do not see, hearing, they do not hear)
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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9. He Who DOES NOT Believe and Is Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
This view is held by those who teach “infant baptism”
Infants, incapable of faith or “believing,” are baptized (actually sprinkled or poured, not immersed, so not even really baptized).
They (especially Catholics) indicate by their practice that faith is not essential to salvation! (A child is born with sin & must be baptized to go to Heaven)
They practice this from their own false doctrine of “original sin” from a false interpretation of Rom. 5:12 (Catholics & some Protestants had this in common) – John Calvin’s commentary in Geneva Bible (A.D. 1557)
John Calvin’s commentary on this passage in the Geneva Bible (A.D. 1557) (translated in English in Geneva to escape Catholic persecution, also known as the “Pilgrim’s Bible”) says, “From Adam, in whom all have sinned, both guiltiness and death (which is the punishment of guiltiness) came upon all…By sin is meant that disease which is ours by inheritance, and men commonly call it original sin…(‘all have sinned’). That is, in Adam.”
Rom. 5:12
12. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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10. He Who DOES NOT Believe and Is Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
The truth of the Bible says:
The one who sins will be punished – Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 14:12; II Cor. 5:10
Faith is a necessary prerequisite to baptism and salvation:
Baptism – Acts 8:35-38
Salvation – Rom. 10:9-10 (Acts 2:21, 38; 22:16)
An infant cannot believe with all their heart, confess Jesus as Savior, or choose to be baptized!
Sprinkling or pouring is NOT baptism:
Baptize: Gr. Baptizo (G907): to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet).
Rom. 6:3-4: Described as a “burial.”
Sprinkling & pouring were added by man hundreds of years later.
False doctrines of men lead to further apostasy and willfully ignoring the obvious!
(Seeing, they do not see, hearing, they do not hear)
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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11. He Who Believes and Is NOT Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
The most popular view held by almost all denominations
This view especially held by those who teach salvation by faith only.
One is saved BEFORE baptism
Baptism IS NOT essential to salvation
Baptism is an “outward appearance of inward grace” (Jn. 13:34-35: Love)
They take Rom. 10:9-10,13 to teach their doctrine as well as Rom. 3:28.
Rom. 3:28: When Martin Luther translated this into German he added the word “alone” which was not corrected for some time. It is not found in the Greek but many still claim it was a valid translation.
Rom. 10:9-10, 13: They use this passage to show baptism is not necessary, but just to believe.
What did Philip ask the Ethiopian in relation to his belief?
If he believed with all his heart he could be baptized! (Acts 8:37)
Belief results in action, the action = baptism!
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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12. He Who Believes and Is NOT Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
Jesus and His apostles clearly taught differently!
That “faith alone” cannot save – Mt. 7:21; Lk. 6:46-49
Rom. 6:17: Belief in the heart will result in obedience from the heart!
Heb. 5:9: Jesus saves those who obey Him!
Js. 2:14, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26: Luther called the book of James a “book of straw” and did not want to translate it because it contradicted his own teaching of “faith alone” in Rom. 3:28
I Jn. 2:3-5: John could be talking to denominations today! Those who profess to “know” Him but do not obey Him!
Baptism IS essential to salvation
Jn. 3:5; Mk.16:16; Mt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-7; I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-27; Col. 2:12-13; I Pet. 3:21
Baptism is how one “calls on the name of the Lord to be saved” (Rom. 10:8-9) – Acts 2:21 (Quoting from Joel 2:28), 38; 22:16
So many passages tell the believer what they are to do to act on that faith, yet many willingly fail to accept the obvious!
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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13. He Who Believes and Is NOT Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
Rom. 10:1-3 (Many people are like the Jews in Paul’s day)
1. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
2. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
Sincerity & faith alone will not get one into Heaven!
(Seeing, they do not see, hearing, they do not hear)
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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14. He Who Believes and Is Baptized Will Be Saved
A Specific Request
This view takes the words of Jesus at face value!
No further explanations needed!
Jesus said what He meant, and meant what He said!
The Scriptures teach:
One must “believe” – Acts 8:36-37 (2:37)
One must be “baptized” in order to receive forgiveness of sins – Acts 2:38; 22:16 – Obey the gospel! (I Pet. 1:2)
Those obedient to the gospel
(not willfully ignoring the obvious) will be saved!
(See, Hear, and Obey!)
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
Prepared by Nathan L Morrison /

15. A Specific Request
Conclusion
All four of the first views have to change the words of Christ to teach their doctrines
He who believes and is baptized will NOT be saved
He who DOES NOT believe and is NOT baptized will be saved
He who DOES NOT believe and is baptized will be saved
He who believes and is NOT baptized will be saved
Gal. 1:8-9
8. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Mt. 13:13
13. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
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16. Conclusion Only one view of Mk. 16:16 should be taught & practiced
A Specific Request
Conclusion
Only one view of Mk. 16:16 should be taught & practiced
Mark 16:16
16. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Only view that does not involve “tampering” with
Jesus’ words!
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
Prepared by Nathan L Morrison /

17. How have you responded to the Don’t be one guilty of seeing, yet do
A Specific Request
Conclusion
The word of God will be our judge (Jn. 12:48) so we must make sure we are in obedience to it!
How have you responded to the
command by Jesus in Mk. 16:16?
Don’t be one guilty of seeing, yet do
not see, and hearing,
yet do not hear!
Mark 16:15-16: Believe & Obey Jesus
Prepared by Nathan L Morrison /

18. “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”
Hear The Gospel (Jn. 5:24; Rom. 10:17)
Believe In Christ (Jn. 3:16-18; Jn. 8:24)
Repent Of Sins (Lk. 13:35; Acts 2:38)
Confess Christ (Mt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10)
Be Baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16)
Remain Faithful (Jn. 8:31; Rev. 2:10)
For The Erring Child:
Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I Jn. 1:9),
Pray (Acts 8:22)