You need to interpret your pet verses in light of the rest of scripture. Jig saw puzzle works salvation is what you teach, but that is not what the Bible teaches. (Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31; 26:18; Romans 1:16; 3:24-28; 4:5-6; 5:1; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:8,9; Philippians 3:9; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 John 5:13 etc..).
Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved
(general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized) but he who
does not believe will be condemned. The omission of baptized with "does not believe" shows that Jesus does not make baptism absolutely necessary for salvation. Condemnation rests on unbelief and not on a lack of baptism. So salvation rests on belief. *NOWHERE does the Bible say "baptized or condemned."
If water baptism is absolutely required for salvation, then why did Jesus not mention it in the following verses? (3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26). What is the one requirement that Jesus mentions nine different times in each of these complete statements? *
BELIEVES. *What happened to baptism? *Hermeneutics.
*John 3:18 - He who
believes in Him is not condemned; but he who (is not water baptized? - NO)
does not believe is condemned already, because he has not (been water baptized? - NO)
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
In Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. This is exactly what Acts 3:19 teaches except that Peter omits the parenthesis.
*Also compare the fact that these Gentiles in Acts 10:45 received
the gift of the Holy Spirit (compare with Acts 2:38 -
the gift of the Holy Spirit) and this was BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:47).
In Acts 10:43 we read
..whoever believes in Him receives remission of sins. Again, these Gentiles received
the gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:45 -
when they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ - Acts 11:17 - (compare with Acts 16:31 -
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved) BEFORE water baptism - Acts 10:47. This is referred to as
repentance unto life - Acts 11:18.
*So the only logical conclusion
when properly harmonizing Scripture with Scripture is that faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*
Water baptism followed saving belief in Jesus Christ here. "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" - John 20:31 - but these are written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
believing you may have life in His name. *What happened to baptism?
Paul had already believed in Christ when Ananias came to pray for him to receive his sight (Acts 9:17). It also should be noted that Paul at the time when Ananias prayed for him to receive his sight, he was
filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17)--this was
BEFORE he was water baptized. (Acts 9:18) Verse 17 connects his being filled with the Spirit with the receiving of his sight. We know that he received his sight prior to his baptism.
Excellent article on Acts 22:16 -
https://kentbrandenburg.blogspot.com/2015/03/acts-2216-baptism-essential-for.html
*It's interesting that when Paul recounted this event again later in Acts (Acts 26:12-18), he did not mention Ananias or what Ananias said to him at all. Verse 18 again would confirm the idea that Paul received Christ as Savior on the road to Damascus since here Christ is telling Paul he will be a messenger for Him concerning
forgiveness of sins for Gentiles as they have faith in Him. It would seem unlikely that Christ would commission Paul if Paul had not yet believed in Him and was still lost in his sins.
No scripture is to be interpreted in isolation from the totality of scripture. Practically speaking, a singular and obscure verse is to be subservient to to multiple and clear verses, and not vice versa.
What happened to baptism? Confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead are
not two separate steps to salvation but are chronologically together. Romans 10:8 - But what does it say? "the word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart" (TOGETHER) that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
(notice the reverse order from verse 9-10) - that if you
confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Confess/believe; believe/confess.
You continue to show your ignorance and lack of true understanding of the scriptures. God made things simple to understand but men like you choose to confuse God's word and make it difficult.
You lack understanding of Ananias and Saul as an example.
Below is a copy of one of my threads posted on this forum on this very subject. Read it carefully, you might learn something.
REPOST
Many times, people erroneously cite Acts 9, and specifically the words of Ananias to Saul in verse 17, as justification that Ananias, who was not an apostle, also possessed the ability to bring about the manifestation of the Holy Spirit/Ghost, the falling of or being filled with the Spirit/Ghost, by the laying on of his hands on Saul (Paul), whereas this is contrary to scripture which clearly indicates that only the apostles had this ability as their promised "power from on high" as stated to them by the Lord in Luke 24:49, and confirmed by such verses as Acts 5:12, Acts 6:6-8, Acts 8:9-19, Acts 19:6, and 2 Tim 1:6.
Their use of this verse is unjustified based on the following:
Notice the difference in the words of instruction given to Ananias in verse 12 by the Lord versus the words of Ananias to Saul in verse 17.
In verse 12, the Lord says nothing about being "filled with the Holy Ghost", only that Saul "might receive his sight". But Ananias words in verse 17 added that he, Saul, should "be filled with the Holy Ghost".
Acts 9:11-12 (KJV)
11And the Lord
said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for
one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting
his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Acts 9:17 (KJV)
17And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord,
even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Now, look at Acts 22:1-16 and the words of Paul (Saul) during his recount of the event to the crowd at Jerusalem, specifically verse 13. You'll see Paul's recount of the event also DOES NOT say anything about "being filled with the Holy Ghost", but only that he receive his sight which is consistent with the instructions the Lord initially gave to Ananias in Acts 9:12.
So, does this represent a conflict of scripture? No! Scripture cannot and does not contradict or conflict with scripture. So, what did Ananias mean, why did he say what he said in Acts 9:17, what does this really mean, and when would Saul have then been "filled with the Holy Ghost" to make the scriptures agree?
Note Acts 9:18 and Acts 22:16 below.
After Saul received his sight, he was immediately baptized. It was at this point, when Saul was baptized, that he received the Holy Ghost which is consistent with scripture. See Acts 2:38 (below) which defines when and how one receives the Holy Ghost.
Acts 22:12-13
12And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt
there,
13Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
Acts 9:18 (KJV)
18And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Acts 22:16 (KJV)
16And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Acts 2:38 (KJV)
38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.