When I think about Mark 16:16, I ask myself “is the baptism(immersion) mentioned the immersion of our physical bodies into water?”
1 John 5:1 makes me think it is not. How can 1 John 5:1 be true if it is physical water immersion?
“
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”
1 John 5:1 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/1jn.5.1.KJV
Doesn’t Ephesians 1:13 describe our immersion into Christ? If we are sealed in him weren’t we also immersed into him?
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
Ephesians 1:13 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/eph.1.13.KJV
Notice that physical immersion into water is not present here in Ephesians 1:13. We are sealed in Christ having believed.
This is another interesting verse.
“
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/1co.12.13.KJV
By one Spirit we are all immersed into one body. Clearly this is not a water immersion. The medium for immersion is given in the verse and it isn’t water.
Remember this one:
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
Colossians 2:8-12 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/col.2.8-12.KJV
In physical water immersion the hands of the person who baptizes you are definitely used. If you say that physical water immersion is required then hands are required. That obviously isn’t what is being discussed here.
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
Romans 6:3-6 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.6.3-6.KJV
Immersed into Christ and immersed into his death. Isn’t the medium for immersion given in the passage itself. The word for water is not present.
Should we add or assume water in these passages when it wasn’t mentioned. The medium for immersion in each one is already there.
Remember Proverbs 30:5-6.
“Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
Proverbs 30:5-6 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.30.5-6.KJV