Refusing to believe Jesus is not without consequence. (John 12:48)
And in the case of water baptism, scripture references that obedience to it in the name of the Lord Jesus is for remission of one's sin in accordance with Jesus' sacrifice. (Acts 2:1-39, Acts 22:16) Jesus' sacrifice made this possible for all of mankind. All have the opportunity to receive what Jesus died to provide, but not all will. For straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life and few will find it. But broad is the gate that leads to destruction and many are going that way. (Matthew 7)
Keep in mind that Jesus never said, get baptized after you are saved. He specifically stated, he that believes and is baptized shall be saved:
"...Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Obedience to water baptism is an essential part of the gospel message. (Mark 1:1-5, Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-7, 22:16)
- He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
And in the case of water baptism, scripture references that obedience to it in the name of the Lord Jesus is for remission of one's sin in accordance with Jesus' sacrifice. (Acts 2:1-39, Acts 22:16) Jesus' sacrifice made this possible for all of mankind. All have the opportunity to receive what Jesus died to provide, but not all will. For straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life and few will find it. But broad is the gate that leads to destruction and many are going that way. (Matthew 7)
Keep in mind that Jesus never said, get baptized after you are saved. He specifically stated, he that believes and is baptized shall be saved:
"...Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Obedience to water baptism is an essential part of the gospel message. (Mark 1:1-5, Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-7, 22:16)
Jesus's sacrifice, for the remission of sins for those that God gave to him, was not an offering to mankind, for mankind's acceptance, but was an offering to God, for God's acceptance. Jesus was not offering eternal deliverance for all of mankind to accept, but was the security of eternal inheritance for those that his Father gave him.
This knowledge of what Jesus had accomplished on the cross was given by the righteousness of God to the "remnant" of Israel (Jacob's name was changed by God to be called Israel - Gen 32:28), and the rest of God's born again children were blinded to this truth.
In Matthew seven, those who go into the straight gate, that leads to the abundant life that they receive here on earth, are the remnant, and those that go into the wide gate are the children of God that are blinded to the truth, and are preaching, and teaching the false doctrine of eternal deliverance by good works. The destruction is the false doctrine.