The most popular way of explaining away Mark 16:16 is to say that it does not say, that he who has not been baptized will be condemned,
therefore water baptism is not essential to be saved.
Not exact matches
When,
therefore, we find them also possessing sacraments, fairly magical in their efficacy — especially
baptisms, whether of
water or of blood, and sacred meals that conferred union with the deity — the query inevitably rises in how far in these regards they influenced Christianity.
Furthermore, there is no indication of Jesus ever performing
water baptism; on the contrary — «When
therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were)».