Lesson 4291

 (Lesson 4291)(10-30-23) Mark 16:14-20

    “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

    Today’s lesson is a furtherance of yesterday’s as it concerns Jesus’ use of the word “baptized” in the quote.

    Further proof that the water baptism (immersions), that John the Baptist administered, were merely prepatory rituals repentance, can be found in Acts 19:3-5, wherein the author wrote, “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the ptople, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord.”

    This text, very clearly establishes that water baptism is merely a ritual intended to cleanse the flesh “unto”, toward, or in preparation for, repentance, ot some other form of worship. Water baptism CANNOT save one’s eternal soul.~