He who believes and is baptise will be saved.

 Amen. You are quoting a pivotal verse from the Gospel of Mark that contains both a profound promise and a sobering warning. It is the culmination of Jesus's Great Commission to His disciples.

The full verse is:

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." - Mark 16:16 (NKJV)

This statement from Jesus Himself lays out the essential components of salvation. Let's explore what this means.

Understanding the Verse

1. The Primacy of Belief (Faith): The central,non-negotiable requirement for salvation is belief or faith. This is not merely intellectual agreement but a whole-hearted trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

· The verse makes it clear that the one who "does not believe will be condemned." The absence of baptism does not condemn; the absence of faith does.

· This aligns perfectly with the core message of the entire New Testament:

  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) > "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9 (NKJV)

2. The Significance of Baptism: Baptism is not a magical ritual that saves.Instead, it is the God-ordained outward sign of an inward reality. It is the public declaration and identification with the faith that already exists in the heart.

· It symbolizes death and resurrection: Baptism by immersion pictures the believer's death to their old life, burial, and resurrection to new life in Christ (Romans 6:3-4).

· It is an act of obedience: Jesus commanded it (Matthew 28:19). Therefore, a believer who willingly refuses baptism is disobeying a clear command of Christ, which calls their professed faith into question.

· It is a public testimony: It is the believer's "pledge of a good conscience toward God" (1 Peter 3:21).

In summary: Belief saves. Baptism symbolizes and testifies to that salvation. They are two sides of the same coin—the internal faith and the external confession. A genuine believer will want to be baptized as their first act of obedience.

A Poem: "Believe and Be Baptized"

Here is a poem that reflects on the journey from belief to the waters of baptism.

"Believe and Be Baptized"

The call goes out to every soul, To be made broken,to be made whole. “Repent!”the holy voices cry, “And on the Lord,your God, rely.”

For it is not the work we do, That sees the old life made anew. It is not rites,nor words we say, That wash our guilty stains away.

It is the faith that takes a stand, And trusts the nail-pierced hand. It is the heart that says,“I believe,” And on His grace,will fully cleave.

“He who believes!” the Savior said, By His own body,blood, and head. This is the anchor,firm and sure, The only,perfect, sinless cure.

And then He calls us to the water, His own adopted son and daughter. To publicly our faith proclaim, To honor His most holy name.

“And is baptized!” the world will see, A portrait of what’s meant to be. Buried with Christ,the old self dies, Then from the water we will rise—

To walk now in the newness He, Through His Spirit,gives so free. It is the sign,the sacred plea, Of a soul that’s been set free.

So let the two be not divided, The faith within,the sign provided. Believe and be baptized,trust and obey, He’ll walk with you all the way.

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A Prayer of Response:

Lord Jesus,

I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe You died for my sins and rose again to give me life. I place my trust entirely in You for my salvation. Thank you for the grace that saves me.

Now, lead me in obedience. Give me the courage to publicly confess my faith in You through baptism. Help me to take this step of identification with Your death, burial, and resurrection. I want to follow You completely.

In Your mighty name, Amen.

If you have believed, the next step of obedience is clear. If you have not yet been baptized as a believer, I encourage you to speak with a pastor or spiritual leader about taking this joyful step.