Baptism but not water

"Crucible" index ANOTHER ARGUMENT AGAINST SCRIPTURAL BAPTISM
suggesting Mark 16:16 is not water baptism. Enquiries

Since the 18th century the tendency has been to discount the end of Mark chapter 16 because it is missing from some 3rd./4th. century documents. Now that 'scholars' are having second thoughts on that matter Mark 16:16 is seen as a problem by those who claim that baptism in water has nothing to do with salvation.
In the early days of Christianity it was the Gnostics who denied that baptism in water was for the remission of sins. Yet in the last few centuries various futile arguments have been put forward in an attempt to prove that, in the New Testament, baptising a repentant person in water has nothing to do with salvation. In the Online Bible (OLBible.exe) computer program there are notes which teach this kind of error.
The Online Bible program is extremely useful for detailed Bible study. It is probably used by millions around the world. So when it contains erroneous notes it can do a lot of damage, especially so when they are about salvation. The following comment on the Greek words 'baptizo' and 'bapto' could seriously mislead the unwary. It is copied from the Online Bible:
907. baptizo from a derivative of 911 [bapto]
Not to be confused with 911, bapto. The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptised’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first [bapto] is temporary. The second, the act of baptising [baptizo] the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. e.g. #Mr 16:16. ‘He that believes and is baptised [baptizo] shall be saved’. Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle! (Bible Study Magazine, James Montgomery Boice, May 1989).

Boice's line of argument implies that in the Greek New Testament the verb 'bapto' is used for every reference to 'temporary' water baptism. However 'bapto' occurs only three times (Luke 16:24, John 13:26, Revelation 19:13) In none of these is there any reference to Christian baptism. In all other New Testament references to baptism the word 'baptizo' and its derivatives are used, for both 'temporary' and 'permanent' baptisms. So Boice's reference to 'bapto' is not only confusing but totally irrelavent.
Also, in the New Testament, 'baptizo' nearly always refers to water baptism. Of the 65 uses of 'baptizo' in the New Testament Greek text, listed in note 1 below, the 54 verses in bold type, taken collectively, definitely refer to water baptism, a burial in water and a rising from water, They do not indicate permanent immersion either literally or figuratively. The same is also true of the derivatives of baptizo.
A noun form of 'baptizo', 'baptisma', occurs 22 times. Of these, 15 refer to water baptism (see note 2). Also the 4 examples of another noun form of baptizo, baptismos, all refer to the water baptisms as practised by the Jews (note 3).
The remaining examples of 'baptizo' and its derivatives are the14 occurrences of 'baptistes'. These all refer to John the “Baptist.” He definitely baptised in water [Matthew 3:11] but he did not keep them permanently under the water (note 4).
So of the 101 occurrences of 'baptizo' and its derivatives, 83 indisputably refer to 'temporary' water baptism. Now, the Lord Jesus instructed the apostles to baptise those whom they taught (Matthew 28:19). In obedience to this Apostle Peter instructed heart smitten believers to repent and submit to being baptised (Acts 2:38) and about three thousand were baptised (Acts 2:41). So it follows that the baptism in Mark 16:16 is also the same kind of baptism. It is the baptism Cornelius and the Ethiopian eunuch submitted to, baptism in water (Acts 10:47, Acts 8:36-39).
NOTES
1)
Matthew 3:6,11,13,14,16 [John's baptism] 20:22,23 28:19 “baptizing them” Mark 1:4,5,8,9 6:14 7:4 10:38,39 16:16 Luke 3:7,12,16,21 7:29,30 11:38 12:50 John 1:25,26,28,31,33 3:22,23,26 4:1,2 10:40 Acts 1:5 2:38,41 8:12,13,16,36,38 9:18 10:47,48 11:16 16:15,33 18:8 19:3,4,5 22:16 Romans 6:3 1.Corinthians 1:13,14,15,16,17 10:2 12:13 15:29 Galatians 3:27
2)
Matthew 3:7 20:22,23 21:25 Mark 1:4 10:38,39 11:30 Luke 3:3 7:29 12:50 20:4 Acts 1:22 10:37 13:24 18:25 19:3,4 Romans 6:4 Ephesians 4:5 Colossians 2:12 1.Peter 3:21
3)
Mark 7:4,8 Hebrews 6:2 9:10
4)
Matthew 3:1 11:11,12 14:2,8 16:14 17:13 Mark 6:24,25 8:28 Luke 7:20,28,33 9:19

The "Crucible" index See also: "Jesse James wanted for robbery," "A GLARING ERROR OF INTERPRETATION of Acts 2:38 !" and "A GOOD CONSCIENCE's APPEAL"