Topic : Mark

• The Pauline Circle, F. F. Bruce, Eerdmans, 1985, p. 73

.

Resource

• Authority of Jesus in Mark, Inductive Preaching, p. 74

Resources

• Knowing Christ, Craig Glickman, pp. 17ff
• I.H. Marshall, Jesus the Savior, IVP, 1990, pp. 121ff
• John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 10

Resource

• A.T. Robertson, A Minister..., p. 44

Resource

• The Other Jesus, L.J. Ogilvie, Word, 1986, p. 13

Chance Encounter

Down on his luck, British writer Michael Arlen went to New York in 1944. To drown his sorrows he paid a visit to the famous restaurant “21.” In the lobby, he ran into film producer Samuel Goldwyn, who offered the somewhat impractical advice that he should buy racehorses. Arlen then met Louis B. Mayer, an old acquaintance, who asked him what were his plans for the future.

“I was just talking to Sam Goldwyn —” began Arlen.

“How much did he offer you?” interrupted Mayer.

Arlen hesitated. “Not enough,” he replied evasively.

“Would you take $15,000 for 30 weeks?” asked Mayer.

“Yes,” Arlen answered without a moment’s hesitation.

That chance encounter was just what Michael Arlen needed.

So was the encounter experienced by the paralytic in Mark 2. But his meeting with Jesus wasn’t by chance. It occurred through the loving devotion of his close friends. They weren’t about to let slip the opportunity to bring him to Jesus, and as a result this man experienced one of the Bible’s great miracles. As Jesus taught in a room jammed with people, He may have felt particles of dirt falling on His head. He and the crowd looked up to see daylight streaming through a growing hole in the roof. Then the needy man was lowered through the opening.

Jesus’ response amazes us no matter how often we read this familiar story. He took care of the greater problem first, forgiving the man’s sins. This angered Jesus’ opponents (vv. 6-7), who reasoned that only God could forgive sins. To prove His authority over sin, Jesus invoked His authority over sickness: to the paralytic He said, “Get up, take your mat and go home” (v. 11). The man whose body had been motionless, did just as Jesus commanded.

As amazed as the crowd must have been by sight of a man being lowered through a roof, they were more amazed when they saw him walk out of the house with his mat under his arm. They said, “We have never seen anything like this!” (v 12)—and that was never more true than with Jesus.

Today in the Word, May 23, 1993

Resource

• Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 11

Resource

• The Other Jesus, L.J. Ogilvie, Word, 1986, p. 118ff

Donald Trump

Early in 1989, when Trump’s bank account was still bulging, a writer asked Trump the inevitable question about what horizons were left to conquer. “Right now, I’m genuinely enjoying myself,” Trump replied. “I work and I don’t worry.” “What about death?” the writer asked. “Don’t you worry about dying?” Trump dealt his stock answer, one that appears in a lot of his interviews. “No,” he said. “I’m fatalistic and I protect myself as well as anybody can. I prepare for things.” This time, however, as Trump started walking up the stairs to have dinner with his family, he hesitated for a moment. “No,” he said finally, “I don’t believe in reincarnation, heaven or hell—but we go someplace.” Again a pause. “Do you know,” he added, “I cannot, for the life of me, figure out where.” Donald Trump, investor and businessman.

Quoted in Pursuit magazine in an adaptation from the took What Jesus Would Say, by Lee Strobel, 1994, Zondervan

We Hear What Our Ears are Tuned To

Anthropologist Ethal Alpenfels once told me about a woodsman who was walking down Fifth Avenue in New York City with a friend. All at once the woodsman said, “Why, I hear a cricket.”

“Nonsense,” scoffed the city man. “In this uproar? Not a chance.”

“ But I do,” said the woodsman, “and I’ll show you.” At that he took a dime out of his pocket and dropped it on the pavement. Instantly, people within 30 feet turned around to see whose coin had dropped.

“You see,” said the woodsman, “people hear what their ears are tuned to. Mine happen to be tuned to crickets.”

A. Purnell Bailey, columnist, Capper’s Weekly

Calm

Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.

Source unknown

Facing Hardships

Even when believers follow Christ’s bidding, they may face hardships. For example, Jesus’ disciples were doing God’s will when they took Him across the lake, for he had commanded them to do so. Yet they were buffeted by a dreadful tempest, and they seemed to be in danger of drowning. A storm - and Christ on board! It seems a contradiction. Wouldn’t His presence ensure a peaceful journey? Not at all! Life frequently becomes more difficult after a person has accepted Christ as Savior and Lord. The Christian encounters the devil’s opposition. But a storm - and Christ asleep! That even deepens the perplexity! Our Lord’s silence, the frustrating delays, the mysteries of his dealings - these are too profound for us to understand. Yet we can be certain that His purpose in testing our faith is to strengthen it. God will surly fulfill his plan for us through our struggles, and His deliverance will lead us to praise Him.

Needless fears beset the disciples because they did not trust Jesus words. If they had just thought for a moment, they would have remembered that he had said, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” He didn’t say, “Let us go to the middle of the lake and be drowned.” They should have been saying to the raging waves, “You can do us no harm, for Christ the mighty Savior is on board!”

Our Daily Bread, Feb. 16

Red Skelton

In 1951 comedian Red Skelton and a party of friends flew to Europe, where Skelton was to appear at the London Palladium. As they were flying over the Swiss Alps, three of the airplane’s engines failed. The situation looked very grave and the passengers began to pray. Skelton went into one of his best comic routines to distract them from the emergency as the plane lost height, coming closer and closer to the ominous-looking mountains. At the last moment the pilot spied a large field among the slopes and made a perfect landing. Skelton broke the relieved silence by saying, “Now, ladies and gentlemen, you may return to the evil habits you gave up 20 minutes ago.”

Skelton’s joking advice underscored the truth that whatever religious “commitments” those terrified passengers may have made were strictly temporary. The minute they stepped safely out of that aircraft, all deals with God were canceled.

But for the disciples of Jesus, there were no temporary commitments or cancellations. Once they stepped into the boat with Him, as it were, they were on board for the duration. Of course, there were times when the disciples wondered what they had gotten themselves into with Jesus. Today’s story was one of those occasions. Jesus concluded a long day of teaching by getting into a boat with His disciples—a sure sign in the Gospel of Mark that something interesting was about to happen (see 6:45, 8:13). As the Lord slept, black clouds filled the sky and giant waves began crashing over the boat and filled it with water. The terrified disciples woke Jesus, accusing Him of not caring that they might soon drown (v. 38).

Jesus got up and dealt with the tempest. No problem there. All it took was His authoritative Word, and a great miracle happened. Immediately the wind and waves died down. Even though Jesus was present with the disciples, they feared that the storm would kill them. Once that threat was past, they felt a different kind of fear. They stood in terrified awe of Him who had calmed the storm.

Today in the Word, May 24, 1993

Resource

• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 51

Gadarene Swine Law

The Gadarene Swine Law: Merely because the group is in formation does not mean that the group is on the right course.

Source unknown

Resource

• Christ’s Call To Discipleship, J.M. Boice, Moody, 1986, pp. 81ff

Resource

• John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 37

Resource

• John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 46

Aesop Riddle

According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity. Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, “Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow implies.”

The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.”

Our Daily Bread, June 6, 1992

Confident Hindu

You may remember Rao, the Hindu holy man who flirted with fame in 1966. The old mystic believed he could walk on water. He was so confident in his own spiritual power that he announced he would perform the feat before a live audience. He sold tickets at $100 apiece. Bombay’s elite turned out en masse to behold the spectacle. The event was held in a large garden with a deep pool. A crowd of more than 600 had assembled. The white-bearded yogi appeared in flowing robes and stepped confidently to the edge of the pool. He paused to pray silently. A reverent hush fell on the crowd. Rao opened his eyes, looked heavenward, and boldly stepped forward. With an awkward splash he disappeared beneath the water. Sputtering and red-faced, the holy man struggled to pull himself out of the water. Trembling with rage, he shook his finger at the silent, embarrassed crowd. “One of you,” Rao bellowed indignantly, “is an unbeliever!”

John MacArthur, in Tabletalk, April, 1990, p. 10

Obligation to Parents

More than 67% of parents recently interviewed believe that children have no obligation to parents regardless of what their parents have done for them.

Source unknown

Resource

• Christ’s Call To Discipleship, J.M. Boice, Moody, 1986, pp. 81ff

Resource

• John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 37

Resource

• John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 46

Hudson Taylor

From the Choice Gleanings Calender comes this story: On one occasion Hudson Taylor wanted to teach a spiritual lesson, so he filled a glass with water and placed it on the table before him. While he was speaking, he pounded his fist hard enough to make the water splash onto the table. He then explained, “You will come up against much trouble. But when you do, remember only what’s in you will spill out.”

Our Daily Bread, Oct. 9

Resource

• God Came Near, Max Lucado, Multnomah Press, 1987, p. 63

The Agnostic

An agnostic scientist once asked author Dorothy Sayers to write a letter to his scientific organization setting forth her reasons for believing in the Christian faith. The letter he received back was not at all what the scientist had expected. It read:

“Why do you want a letter from me? Why don’t you take the trouble to find out for yourselves what Christianity is? You take time to learn technical terms about electricity. Why don’t you do as much for theology? Why do you accept mildewed old heresies as the language of the church, when any handbook of church history will tell you where they came from? Why do you balk at the doctrine of the Trinity—God, the Three in One—yet meekly acquiesce when Einstein tells you that E=MC2? I admit you can practice Christianity without knowing much theology, just as you can drive a car without knowing much about internal combustion. But when something breaks down in the car, you humbly go to the man who understands the works; if something goes wrong with religion, you merely throw the works away and tell the theologian he is a liar. Why do you want a letter from me? You will never bother to check on it or find out whether I’m giving you personal opinions or Christian doctrines. Go away and do some work on your own and let me get on with mine.”

From God Still Speaks in the Space Age, quoted in Connexions, a publication of Search Ministries, Vol. 1, No. 6, June, 1988, pp. 19-20)

Resource

• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 62

Resource

• Bibliotheca Sacra, 140:558:117

Going the Way Jesus Went

If anyone wants to learn what it means to go the way Jesus went, he must do three things. First he must give up all right to himself; that is, cease bothering about self-preservation, self-aggrandizement, and self-protection against ridicule, and abandon self-assertion as a way of life. This is how the world is crucified to me (Gal. 6:14). Second, he must take up his cross: that is, settle for a life into which the world’s favor and esteem do not enter. Only criminals going to execution—people from whom the world’s favor has been totally withdrawn—carried crosses in those day. This is how I am crucified to the world (Gal. 6:14). Third, the would-be disciple must follow Jesus by accepting as leader and guide one who was even then on his way to execution and who expected to involve his disciples in sufferings like his own. This, says Jesus, is the only path that leads to life.

Paul wrote: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). This brings together both aspects of the Christian’s identification with Christ; acceptance of Christ’s cross as both the end of the old life and the pattern of the new one.

Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for January 17

King’s Authority

Many years ago a primitive tribe observed a custom of electing a king every 7 years. During his reign he was given authority to do whatever he wanted. But there was one hitch! At the end of his brief reign he was put to death to make way for a new leader. Believe it or not, there were always men who were willing to exchange their lives for 7 years of power and indulgence.

Daily Walk, August 6, 1993

Resource

• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 107

Austrian Peasant

One day an Austrian peasant spotted three men in hunting garb. Thinking they looked tired, he offered them a ride in his cart. The men accepted and struck up a conversation. “Who are you?” the driver asked one of the passengers.

“I’m the king of Saxony,” was the reply. The peasant nodded and asked the next man the same question.

“The king of Bavaria,” said the second passenger.

“And you,” the peasant went on skeptically to the third passenger, “I suppose you’re the emperor of Austria?” The amazing thing is that it was the emperor of Austria! The man was Francis Joseph I, emperor of Austria from 1848-1916. Would that peasant have acted differently if he had known that we was addressing his sovereign? Of course!

Today in the Word, November 25, 1995, p. 32.

Misplaced “If”

The man to whom Jesus spoke these words had a son with a mute spirit. Having just seen the disciples powerless to cast out the spirit, he doubted whether their Master could help him. Therefore he said to Jesus, “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22).

Now there was an if in his plea, but the poor, trembling father had put the if in the wrong place. Jesus didn’t command him to retract the if, but He put it where it belonged. He seemed to say, “There should be no if about My power or willingness—the if lies somewhere else.” Jesus countered the father’s if with another if. “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The man’s trust was strengthened, and he humbly asked for help to overcome his unbelief. Instantly Jesus spoke the word, and the boy was healed.

Like this man, we often see an if in relation to our problems. And we too put it in the wrong place. “If Jesus can help me overcome this sinful habit.” “If He can change my life.” No, the real issue is, if we can believe, He both can and will respond.

Is there something you know is God’s will for your life but you have doubts? Maybe you’ve misplaced your if. - H.G.B.

Our Daily Bread, August 24, 1992

Impact of Religion: Little Difference

The Princeton Religion Research Center has measured the impact of religion on day-to-day work. Comparing the “churched” with the “unchurched” on a wide range of behaviors like pilfering supplies, overstating qualifications on resumes, calling in sick when not sick and overstating tax deductions, the center finds “little difference in the ethical views and behavior of the churched and the unchurched.” What differences there are “are not significant or are of marginal significance.” If faith in God makes no difference in how we spend our money, how we use our time, how we behave on the job, then how important can it really be?

William Hendricks, Christianity Today, 11-25-91, p. 12

Resource

• Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation, (USA: Victor Books, a Division of Scripture Press, 1989), pp. 81ff

Resource

• A.T. Robertson, A Minister..., p. 92

Resource

• The Other Jesus, L.J. Ogilvie, Word, 1986, p. 52

Resources

• Living Dangerously, S. Briscoe, Zondervan, 1968, pp. 28ff
• Christlike, Barry Applewhite, p. 85
• So Great Salvation, Charles Ryrie, Victor Books, 1989, pp. 81ff

Do not love the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15)

An old fable tells about a crane that was wading in a stream looking for snails when a beautiful swan landed nearby. The crane had never seen a swan before, so he asked, “What are you?” “I’m a swan,” came the reply. “And where did you come from?” the crane inquired. “Heaven,” the swan answered. “What is that?” asked the crane. the swan eagerly began to explain its beauty and glory. He spoke of the new Jerusalem, the city of pure gold with a jasper wall and pearly gates. He described its “pure river of water of life, clear as crystal.” At that point the crane interrupted, “Tell me, are there any snails in heaven?” “No, I’m afraid not,” the swan said. “Then I don’t care to go there,” the crane stated decisively. “I like snails!”

Our Daily Bread

Resource

• Christlike, Barry Applewhite, p. 95

Resource

Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 38

Desire to Be Great

From the words of Jesus to His disciples we may properly conclude that there is nothing wrong with the desire to be great, provided

(1) we seek the right kind of greatness;

(2) we allow God to decide what greatness is;

(3) we are willing to pay the full price that greatness demands; and

(4) we are content to wait for the judgment of God to settle the matter at last!

It is vitally important, however, that we know what Christ meant when He used the word great in relation to people. No one whose heart has had a vision of God will ever consent to think of himself as being great. There are two kinds of greatness recognized in the Scriptures: an absolute uncreated greatness belonging to God alone, and a relative and finite greatness achieved by or bestowed upon certain friends of God and sons and daughters of faith, who by obedience and self-denial seek to become as much like God as possible.

A.W. Tozer, Source unknown

The Barren Fig Tree

Many detractors of our Lord have pointed with glee to what on the surface seems like a fit of petty anger on Christ’s part, spawned by His selfish appetite. In reality, it was probably unrealistic to expect figs at that time of year, a fact which He must have known quite well. Perhaps the key to the whole passage is in the fact that “His disciples heard it.”

When we look at the surrounding passages, we see that Christ was using the barren fig tree to teach His disciples something they desperately needed to know. This might be called a living parable. Our Lord had just come from His triumphal entry into the city, having been proclaimed as King by the multitude (vs. 7-11), knowing their shallow adoration would soon turn into cries for His death. Leaving the fig tree, he drove the money changers from the temple grounds, having recognized that they were not only exploiting all the Jews who entered, but had taken over the court of the Gentiles, using it as a shortcut through town (v.16) and a place of business (v.15), thus denying the possibility of true worship to all, both Jews and Gentiles. The fig tree was an object lesson on barrenness, typifying the Jewish nation’s condition in spite of their privileged heritage. This type of hypocritical fruitlessness receives condemnation (vs. 20-21), exhibits a lack of faith (vs. 24-26), and hinders our prayers (vs. 24-26).

Source unknown

The House of Prayer

Thy mansion is the Christian’s heart,
O Lord, Thy dwelling-place secure!
Bid the unruly throng depart,
And leave the consecrated door.

Devoted as it is to Thee,
A thievish swarm frequents the place;
They steal away my joys from me,
And rob my Saviour of His praise.

There, too, a sharp designing trade
Sin, Satan, and the World maintain;
Nor cease to press me, and persuade
To part with ease, and purchase pain.

I know them, and I hate their din;
Am weary of the bustling crowd;
But while their voice is heard within,
I cannot serve Thee as I would.

Oh! for the joy Thy presence gives,
What peace shall reign when Thou art there;
Thy presence makes this den of thieves
A calm delightful house of prayer.

And if Thou make Thy temple shine,
Yet, self-abased, will I adore:
The gold and silver are not mine;
I give Thee what was Thine before.

Olney Hymns, by William Cowper, from Cowper’s Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York

Resource

• Tales of the Neverending, Mark Littleton, Moody, 1990, p. 141

Resource

• C. Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p. 61

Resource

• Evidence That Demands a Verdict, p. 90

Purposes of Miracles

The majority of New Testament scholars do not think this verse or the last twelve verses of Mark’s Gospel were written by Mark himself. They think that the original ending to Mark’s Gospel was lost and that these verses were added later by someone other than Mark. Nevertheless, these last twelve verses were written very early in the history of the church, for they are found in several manuscripts of Tatian’s Diatessaron (A.D. 170). They were also quoted by Irenaeus (who died in A.D. 202) and Tertullian (who died in A.D. 220). At the very least, therefore, these verses reflect what the early church thought about the purposes of miracles, even if these verses are not considered part of the original Scriptures.

Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, by Jack Deere (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993), p. 277.

Resource

• Divine Healing Today, Richard Mayhue, Moody Press, p. 61

Resource

• Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, M. Cocoris, Moody, 1984, p. 25

Fritz Kreisler, Violinist

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), the world-famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn’t able to buy it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he returned to the seller, hoping to purchase that beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner’s home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it.

Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea. “Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?” he asked.

Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector’s emotions were deeply stirred. “I have no right to keep that to myself,” he exclaimed. “It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it.”

Our Daily Bread, February 4, 1994

From 1974 to 1978 I was involved in evangelistic outreach ministry at two universities: Arkansas State University (1974-76) and North Carolina State University (1976-778). I often ran into students who believed that in order to go to heaven you had to be baptized. One of the passages they cited was Mark 16:15-16.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

In this article I will explain why this verse can’t be teaching salvation by baptism and then show what it does mean.

Mark 16:16 Isn’t Teaching That You Must Be Water Baptized to Go to Heaven

There are a number of clear and compelling reasons why we can be sure that Mark 16:16 isn’t teaching that water baptism is a condition of eternal salvation:

• The basis of condemnation is unbelief only.
• The apostles did not preach that you must be baptized to go to heaven.
• The Gospel never changes.
• There are NT examples of people who were saved before they were baptized.

Let’s briefly consider each of those points in more detail.

Condemnation Is for Unbelief Only

Jesus didn’t say, “He who is not baptized will be condemned.” Neither did He say, “He who does not believe and is not baptized will be condemned.” By this our Lord made it clear that faith alone was necessary to avoid eternal condemnation. He said the same thing in John 3:18: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (see also John 5:24; 6:47).

The Apostles Preached Salvation by Faith Alone

Two of the disciples in the inner circle were Peter and John. Both of them heard Jesus say the words recorded in Mark 16. Yet both of them taught that the only condition of eternal salvation was trusting in Christ and Him alone.

Peter proclaimed the Gospel to Cornelius and his family. He led them to faith in Christ before he even mentioned baptism (cf. Acts 10-34-44). Only after they were saved and baptized by the Holy Spirit did Peter mention Christian baptism and give them the opportunity to be baptized (Acts 10:45-48).

The apostle John wrote an evangelistic book that we call the Gospel of John. He repeatedly indicated that faith is the condition of eternal salvation. Yet not once in all of John’s Gospel, written after the event recorded in Mark 16:16 occurred, did John condition eternal salvation upon water baptism. (In fact, Christian water baptism is not even mentioned in John’s Gospel. )

The Gospel Never Changes

“What about the thief on the cross?” I would say. “Jesus said he would be with Him that day in Paradise, yet he was never baptized.”

The response I would get was inevitably this: That was before Pentecost. After Pentecost, you have to be baptized in order to be saved.

What these students were telling me was that the Gospel had changed. Before Jesus’ resurrection and the coming of the Spirit a person was saved without water baptism. After that water baptism is required.

That is an impossible position to defend since the apostle Paul clearly indicates that we are saved in this age the same way Abraham and David were saved in their age (cf. Rom. 4:1-8; Gal. 3:6-14). The Gospel has always been, and always will be, by grace through faith plus nothing. We find this in the first book in the Bible (Gen. 3:15; 15:6) and in the last book in the Bible (Rev. 22:17).

The NT Gives Examples of Salvation Before Baptism

In addition to the thief on the cross, there are other NT examples of people who were saved without being baptized. Martha (John 11:25-27) is one. Another is Cornelius and his household. According to Acts 10:43-48, they were saved the moment they heard Peter tell them that all who believe in the Lord Jesus receive remission of sins. At that very moment, before they were baptized with water, they were baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

These four points prove that Mark 16:16 is not teaching that you must be water baptized to go to heaven. However, the question still remains as to what Mark 16:16 does mean.

Mark 16:16 Is Teaching That All Who Respond to the Great Commission Will Go to Heaven

The key to understanding these verses is to recognize that they are a summary statement of the Great Commission. Mark is not reporting everything that Jesus said about the Great Commission. He is recording one summary statement that Jesus made of it.

The Great Commission was communicated by the Lord on five different occasions (once each in the Gospels and Acts). There is a lot of variety in the way the Great Commission is expressed in these five instances. In some of those statements only evangelism is mentioned (e. g. , Luke 24:47, though it could possibly be dealing with both evangelism and discipleship, and Acts 1:8). In some only discipleship is mentioned (Matt. 28:18-20; John 21:15-17). the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16 includes both evangelism and discipleship. Preaching the Gospel to every creature (v. 15) is evangelism. Baptizing those who believe (v. 16) is the first step in discipleship.

What Jesus is saying in Mark 16:15-16 is this:

• Preach the Gospel to everyone on earth (v. 15).
• Tell people to believe in Him and to be baptized (implied in v. 16).
• Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.
• Those who don’t believe will be condemned.

It is, of course, true that all who believe and are baptized will be eternally saved. That is not to say, however, that those who either refuse to be baptized or who fail to be baptized through procrastination, ignorance, or lack of opportunity (for example, some people have died immediately after trusting in Christ) will not be saved. They will. At the very moment they believe, they are saved from the penalty of sin, eternal condemnation.

We must be careful not to read into Scripture. Jesus does not say or even imply that the one who isn’t baptized won’t be saved. We know that is not true from other Scripture, and even from the second half of v. 16.

Conclusion

Mark 16:16 does not contradict salvation by faith alone. Rather, it affirms it. Jesus clearly and unmistakably indicates that the sole basis of eternal condemnation is unbelief. The sole basis for eternal salvation is believing the Lord Jesus, and Him alone, for it.

________________

Another understanding of Mark 16:16 is that it refers to Holy Spirit baptism (see, for example, Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 6, p. 150). Except for some exceptional cases in the Book of Acts, Holy Spirit baptism has always occurred at the point of faith. Compare 1 Cor. 12:13. While that view is possible, I don’t believe it fits the context as well as the one I have articulated here.

Bob Wilkin, The GES News, Mary-June 1995, pp. 2-4