John's ministry points toward the Messiah and the good news provided by Messiah. It is not the good news itself. You are trying to shove the law into God's grace and you can't make it fit.
No. John the Baptist told Israel to make straight the way of the Lord.
The gospel is not John the Baptists teaching. He pointed toward the Gospel, but he did not teach it.
JTB called Israel, under the old covenant, to repentance...not to the gospel of salvation. This is why none of John's disciples were saved. They had not received the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
While what you say is true it is also an example of evangelism and is true today just as it was then
John's ministry was specific to his day when he called out to Israel that the Messiah had come and they should follow Messiah.
No one is saying that we pick what to accept.
John preached repentance which is part of Salvation, confession which also is and baptism which is a part as well. What should we throw out just because it is Old Testament?
Repentance, confession and baptism are all effects of the cause. The cause being God making a person alive in Christ (ie salvation).
Funny I would say that of your belief, we will never agree and that is fine but taking pot shots at one another is not cool. To me once saved always saved which is what your election actually comes down to to me is a doctrine that leads men to hell but as I say we will never agree
I know you struggle with God's Sovereignty. God can open your eyes to His grace apart from works. He has a lifetime to do so.
It's quite simple. God adopts us. We are therefore members of God's Kingdom rather than the kingdom of darkness.
Do you mean, have pagans attempted to kill me and beat me up because of the gospel? Thankfully not yet.