Thank you for the well thought out reply. You've given me a lot to digest and respond to. I will gladly do so but it will take some time. Since I don't have the time right now, I would like to challenge this one point for now.
Jesus does mention it. The reason baptism isn't mentioned in those verses is because baptism has already been established previously in the conversation.
It's easy to point and say, where is baptism, when someone begins in the middle of a conversation. Your first verse here is John 3:15. If we back up in the same conversation, we see baptism is necessary.
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
In John 3:5, Jesus said born of water and the Spirit. He did not say born of baptism and the Spirit and He also did not say unless one is water baptized, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. In the very next chapter, Jesus mentions "living water" in John 4:10, 14 and and He
connects living water with eternal life in John 4:14. Also, in John 7:38-39, we read - "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow rivers of
living water. But this He spoke
concerning the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the
source of living water (which reaches the heart)
and spiritual cleansing.
If "water" is arbitrarily defined as baptism, then we could just as justifiably say, "Out of his heart will flow rivers of living baptism" in John 7:38. If this sounds ridiculous, it is no more so than the idea that water baptism is the source or the means of becoming born again. Jesus still did not mention baptism in (John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26) and believing is not baptism and believing "precedes" baptism and we are saved through believing/placing faith in Christ alone for salvation. It's just that simple.
Also "water" is used in the Bible as an
emblem of the word of God, and in such uses it is
associated with cleansing or washing. (John 15:3; Ephesians 5:26) When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begets new life, so that we are said to become "partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4) The new birth is brought to pass through "incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever" (I Peter 1:23) and the Holy Spirit accomplishes the miracle of regeneration. (Titus 3:5) So, to automatically read "baptism" into John 3:5 simply because it mentions "water" is unwarranted.
We see that exact thing on the day of Pentecost. Be baptized and receive the gift of the HS. Water and Spirit.
You left out
repent. 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.
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
*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*
Also, there is no need to mention it every time because (1) it's already been established and (2) belief must come first. If someone doesn't believe, whether they do or do not get baptized makes zero difference.
16 The one who has believed (first) and has been baptized (notice has been, past tense) will be saved (comes after both, not before baptism)
Same verse we see what if someone doesn't believe but the one who has not believed will be condemned. If someone doesn't believe, it doesn't matter if they get baptized or not, they are condemned.
Since belief precedes baptism and belief is not baptism and numerous times in scripture the Bible says we are saved through belief "apart from additions or modifications" (Luke 8:12; John 1:12; 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29.40.47; 11:25,26; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31: Romans 1:16; 4:5; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 5:13 etc..) then baptism would need to be mentioned every time in order to be included in the equation. Repentance unto salvation is a change of mind which "precedes" belief/faith (Acts 20:21) and the new direction of this change of mind is belief/faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Two sides to the same coin, so repentance does not need to be mentioned alongside of belief/faith every time. It's already implied or assumed.
As I already explained, Mark 16:16(a) is 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. Now if someone does not believe in the existence of Christ then of course they would not get water baptized, yet there are still numerous people over the years (especially people who are members of churches that teach salvation by works, including Catholicism and Mormonism) who have been water baptized yet merely believe "mental assent" in the existence of Christ and that His death, burial and resurrection "happened" but they are still missing the crucial element of belief, namely,
trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of their salvation (Romans 1:16) so they
do not believe unto salvation, yet they get water baptized anyway because they are trusting in water baptism + other works for salvation.