Once more,
no passage is given to sustain the theory that an unbaptized believer is condemned.
No baptism is mentioned in the story. But yes, you water-baptism-idolaters have been refuted many times on this forum. You have been shown how many, many passages offer salvation and justification by faith/belief alone with no reference to any water. Yet you persist in clinging to the idolatry of salvation by works, despite the Bible telling you that it is by grace through faith, not of works.
Since there is but one way of salvation all through the Bible he is an example for us today. "
Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.",'
Even in the Law period we see the same salvation method as today, by way of picture: The bronze serpent is held up & it is look (in faith) & live.
The rock is smitten, as Christ was smitten, nailed to the cross. Water comes forth like living water of salvation.
The second time, Moses is told to speak to the rock (for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord [call of faith] shall be saved). Moses ruins the example by smiting the rock the 2nd time -- Christ died once for all; no death again is needed; just speak to the rock.
Heb 9:16-17 does not mention baptism.
So now you abandon any argument from John 3, since it is under the old law. And do you abandon all the teachings of Jesus on earth because they are under the law? If you will cut off the thief because the law is in force until the crucifixion is ended, you must cut off all the Teachings of Jesus on earth. So you may not argue from His teachings any longer.
He did perform through his disciples water-baptism during his ministry. But yes, the Baptism of the Spirit did not go into effect until Acts 2, Pentecost.
Moreover, postulating different ways to be saved in different dispensations is unscriptural. All through the Bible salvation is by belief/faith, of which Abraham is the great example.
Tt
The big reason for rejecting the water-idolatry, is that scripture so many times offers salvation just for faith/believing.
.
Acts 15:8
And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by
faith.
Acts 26:18b
that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by
faith in me.
Rom 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by
faith.
Rom 3:21-30
But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 even the righteousness of God through
faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that
believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 whom God set forth
to be a propitiation, through
faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;
26 for the showing,
I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath
faith in Jesus.
27 Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of
faith.
28 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by
faith apart from the works of the law.
29 Or is God
the God of Jews only? is he not
the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also:
30 if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by
faith, and the uncircumcision through
faith.
Rom 4:1ff
:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.
3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham
believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him who works, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.
5 But to him that works not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his
faith is reckoned for righteousness.
6 Even as David also pronounces blessing upon the man, to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works,
7 saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin.
9 Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his
faith was reckoned for righteousness.
10 How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:
11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of
the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them who
believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;
12 and the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that
faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision.
13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of
faith.
14 For if they that are of the law are heirs,
faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect:
15 for the law works wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
16 For this cause
it is of
faith, that
it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
17 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he
believed,
even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.
18 Who in hope
believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And without being weakened in
faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;
20 yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through
faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being
fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 Wherefore also
it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
Rom 5:1-2
Being therefore justified by
faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have had our access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand; and let us boast in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 9:30:
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at
that law. Wherefore? Because
they sought it not by
faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling; even as it is written,
Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence:
And he who
believes on him shall not be put to shame.
Rom 10:4ff
For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who
believes. For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. But the righteousness which is of
faith says thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down
or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of
faith, which we preach.
Gal 2:15-16
We being Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through
faith in Jesus Christ, even we
believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by
faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Gal 3:
This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?
4 Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.
5 He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you,
doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith?
6 Even as Abraham
believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
7 Know therefore that they that are of
faith, the same are sons of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by
faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham,
saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.
9 So then they that are of
faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continues not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by
faith;
12 and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree: that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith.
Gal 3:22ff
But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe. But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law is become our tutor
to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by
faith. But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. For ye are all sons of God, through
faith, in Christ Jesus.
Gal 5:5-6
For we through the Spirit by
faith wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but
faith working through love.
Philip 3:8-9
Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own,
even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
Col 2:6
As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in him,
7 rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
2 Tim 3:15b
the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Titus 1:4
to Titus, my true child after a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.
Heb 3:19ff
And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.
2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. For we who have believed do enter into that rest;
Heb 10:39
But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.
Heb 11:7
By faith Noah, being warned
of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
1 Pet 1:3ff
Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials,
7 that the proof of your faith,
being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ:
8 whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 receiving the end of your faith,
even the salvation of
your souls.
1 John 5:4-5
4 For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the worldll,
even our faith.
5 And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?