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Bible Consistency Of Mark 16:15-16

Time and time again, Mark 16:15-16 is repeated throughout the New Testament in the works of the New Testament authors. Jesus has risen from the dead and is about to go back to heaven and he gives his disciples the Great Commission which makes them his apostles...

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16 NKJV)

Friend, do you have any trouble understanding what Jesus said? Is it me? Am I the only one who reads it as "believe and be baptized or be lost?" For the life of me, I cannot see it any other way.

In midweek Bible study we are, as this is written, into a study of Acts. The book of Acts is about the growth and uniqueness of the Lord's church in the first century AD. Acts is a history of the church's growth from the replacement of Judas in Acts 1 to the missionary journeys of Paul in Acts 28.

In Acts 3, beginning with verse one, Peter and John go up to the temple at the hour of prayer. They go there because that is where they are the most likely to find people receptive to the gospel. The temple contains those who are praying to God and most likely praying supplicating prayer, seeking something from God for themselves.

Can you see the "go" of the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16 there?

The presence of God is the very first thing that is declared by the complete healing of the man known to be lame from birth which Peter says came from God through the name, by the authority, of Jesus.

The people were gathered around Peter and John in amazement at the healing of the lame man they all knew was lame from birth. A miracle is something occurs outside of nature and since God controls nature anything occurring outside of nature has to come from God. The healing of the man lame from birth instantly healed was something that did not instantly occur in nature. It had to come from God.

In Acts three verse twelve Peter begins to preach about Jesus. He tells the people that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews had long longed for and they crucified him.

Can you see the "preach" of the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16 there?

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (I Corinthians 15:1-4 NKJV)

Can you see the "gospel" of the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16 there?

What is the gospel? It is how God saves. God now saves no other way after Jesus died on the cross. He has limited Himself to one way of salvation. Until Jesus gave himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross God and Jesus could forgive sins any way they wanted. Now, both have limited themselves to gospel obedience.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16 NKJV)

Can you see the "saving" of the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16 there?

In Acts 4:4 we read how about 5,000 believed.

Can you see the salvation of the Great Commission there?

Now, there are those who will say, "Wait a minute! There is no mention of any baptism in your quoted passages!"

New Testament salvation requires baptism in accordance with the Mark 16:15-16 Great Commission because the passage says it does. It doesn't have to say what the result of just a part of it is because it says what the result of all of it is.

7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Thessalonians 1:7-8 NKJV)

How does one literally obey the death burial and resurrection of Christ in the gospel definition of I Corinthians 15:1-4?

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (I Corinthians 15:1-4 NKJV)

Romans 6:3-5...

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, (Romans 6:3-5 NKJV)

See the death, burial and resurrection there? Do you see the Great Commission there?

And here is another question, remember when Jesus told Nicodemus TWICE in John 3 that "unless one is born again one cannot see the kingdom of heaven?" See "born again," newness of life in Romans 6:4?

Do you see the Great Commission in Romans 6:3-5?

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16 NKJV)

If you have not been baptized for the remission of sins or baptized for ANY other reason, you are still in your sins and still condemned. Acts 2:38. Acts 22:16, I Peter 3:21, others.

If we can be of assistance in any way, feel free to contact us.

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For Further Information Contact Marv Walker 706 816-7190
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