Agreed.
Mark 16 is unambiguous.
In all the Bible accounts, baptism is ministered with great urgency (e.g. Acts 22:16).
“Now” means now.
Jesus’ own immersion, our pattern, obviously the highest priority, as He said: “Suffer it to be so NOW, for THUS it becometh us to fulfil ALL righteousness” (Matt 3:15,16).
In other words, becoming “an heir of the righteousness which is of faith” is contingent upon FORGIVENESS which is contingent upon fulfilling the ordinance of a believer’s baptism of REPENTANCE, without which there cannot be REMISSION of sins.
Being born again (Jn 3:3-7) is clearly equated with salvation as the OUTCOME of both believing (through a good confession before witnesses as per Rom 10) AND receiving “the WASHING of regeneration and renewal by the SPIRIT” (Titus 3:5) through the New Covenant baptism of repentance for the remission of sins as proof of the sincerity of repentance and commitment to learning “the Way,” to keep covenant (Lk 20:21; Rom 3:31; Heb 13:20,21).
After all, baptism is the grace for ADOPTION, which through supernatural heart circumcision (during our crucifixion through burial with Christ) which “puts off the body of the sins of the flesh” (Col 2:11) to “condemn sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3), PREDISPOSES us to be willing and obedient to the Spirit (Acts 5:31,32) for the holy, just, good, spiritual laws of God to be written on our hearts as the apple of our eye (Prov 7:1-3; Rom 7:12-16; Heb 8:8-12; 10:16), for “the righteousness of the law to be fulfilled in us” in word and deed as it was in Jesus (1 Jn 2:3-6) through the Presence and power of the Holy Spirit, “to fulfil all righteousness” – as Jesus said (Matt 3:15; Acts 10:35; Rom 2:13,26; 3:31; 7:22,25; 8:3-14; 15:16-18; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29; 3:3-10).
No-one can abide in the Vine without baptism into the Kingdom, in water and Spirit, to be made clean (Jn 15:3-14; 1 Peter 3:21; Heb 10:22).
The Divine EXCHANGE of the Divine Nature for the sin nature, by imputation of righteousness, occurs during baptism (Gal 3:27; Rom 6:4-7), which is why salvation is formalized THEN AND THERE, according to the pattern for redemption in the Passover and Exodus, whereby Israel, saved by grace through the Passover Blood of sprinkling, was redeemed from their adversary to be raised to newness of life, through baptism into Moses in the Sea (1 Cor 10:1-4).
Just so, we are the elect through sanctification of the Spirit unto both obedience and sprinkling (1 Peter 1:2).
Had Israel not been baptized in the Sea, their enemy would have destroyed them.
Their baptism foreshadows ours.
Ignoring the revelatory pattern in the Hebrew Scriptures, will condemn us to the consequences of being on the broad path, by default (Matt 7:13,14).
In YHWH’s mercy, baptism is not a suggestion!
Had Israel not been baptized in the Sea, their arch enemy would have destroyed them.
Their baptism foreshadows ours.
Ignoring the revelatory pattern in the Hebrew Scriptures, will condemn us to the consequences of being on the broad path, by default (Matt 7:13,14).
In YHWH’s mercy, baptism is not a suggestion!
More’s the pity that it’s so often delayed and/or treated as a subordinate procedural principle.
The LORD’s own ministry having OF NECESSITY to have BEGUN WITH HIS IMMERSION to be revealed (“made manifest”) to Israel (Matt 3:13-17; Jn 1:29-34), as a critically important sanctification issue (Jn 17:17,19), should get our attention.
The eunuch had the right idea, sharing the Holy Spirit’s great sense of urgency (Acts 8:36).
In fact, Providentially, Philip appeared on the scene under direction by the Angel of YHWH (Acts 8:26-40) expressly for the purpose of establishing the eunuch in this, the first step of righteousness, towards sanctification “wholly,” “spirit, soul and body” (Rom 15:16-18; 1 Thess 5:23), having believed Is 53 (Acts 8:32-38).
That cameo, like many others in Scripture, such as Acts 16:30-33 and 22:16, leaves no-one with an excuse for interpreting baptism as separate from salvation.
Baptism is as important to us, as the Ark to Noah, and the staff of YHWH, to Moses, for the salvation escape of the House of Jacob through the Sea
