Not Faith Plus Baptism

Make note, salvation of the soul is deliverance from self of the soul.

Not Faith Plus Baptism

Now someone may suggest that even though salvation does not depend on hope, confession, works, or prayer, nevertheless only he who believes and is baptized is saved. Such a concept is also incorrect. Yes, Mark 16.16 does in fact state that "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved", but we should notice what the word "saved" points to. The Bible mentions several kinds of salvation such as eternal salvation, believer’s daily salvation, saved from affliction and physical deliverance, and salvation of the soul. The salvation which is related to baptism refers especially to being saved from this sinful world. This is different from having eternal life. Having eternal life is a personal acceptance of life eternal, but baptism is to be saved out of the evil system of the world. One who believes and yet is not baptized has eternal life in him, but he will still be viewed by the world as an unsaved person. He must rise up and be baptized—declaring thereby that he has severed his relation with the evil world—before he will be acknowledged by the people that he is a saved person.

As to having eternal life—that is, coming out of judgment and being eternally saved—all he needs is faith and nothing else. For we must note that the second part of Mark 16.16 continues with: "but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned"; it does not say, He that disbelieves and is not baptized shall be condemned. On the other hand, to be saved from the evil system of this world does require faith and baptism, whereas unbelief alone is enough for condemnation. In other words, the condition for not being condemned is simply "believe", not "believe and be baptized". The malefactor on the cross was not baptized, yet the Lord said to him: "Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23.40-44). He had believed, so he was not condemned. He was saved and received eternal life. Consequently, baptism is not a condition for eternal life.