It is always disturbing to hear precious souls, who believe in Jesus, state boldly and openly: "Baptism does not save us!" If they mean that we are not saved by baptism ALONE, I agree. But often, they mean that baptism is not essential to salvation, that we are saved BEFORE and WITHOUT baptism. This, I emphatically deny! Concerning God, it is written: "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) Through knowledge of the truth (given by God Himself), I "know" that baptism does indeed save us; and it is His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) that proclaims the following truths concerning baptism:

1. Baptism Is for the Remission of Sins: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) During the last Passover feast, when Jesus instituted the Lord's supper, He used these same words: "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28) Jesus shed His blood for the remission of sins, and we are baptized into His death, where He shed that blood, for the remission of our sins. "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" (Romans 6:3-4). "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 2:12)
   
   Jesus commanded Peter and the other apostles to preach the very gospel they preached in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. They could not do otherwise and be pleasing to God (cf. Galatians 1:8-10). "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24: 47) In like manner, those who heard the gospel could not be pleasing to God unless they obeyed. That obedience removed their sins and put them into God's fellowship, where salvation occurs. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, (WHEN do we walk in newness of life--AFTER baptism [Romans 6:4], as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7)
   
   
2. Baptism Is Calling on the Name of the Lord: "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16) Calling on the name of the Lord enables salvation. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13) In Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost, Peter and the apostles, quoting from the Old Testament, proclaimed to the Jews: "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:21) On that day, about 3,000 souls did that very thing when they believed the gospel and were baptized. Thus, it is written, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. ..And the Lord added to the church daily such as shou1d be saved." (Acts 2:41.47)
   
   
3. Baptism Puts One Into the Church: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." (1 Corinthians 12:13) As there is only one Spirit and one body, which is the church, so there is only one baptism. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians. 4:4-5) Jesus' disciples, inspired by the Holy Spirit, carried forth the precious seed of God's Word and planted it in men's hearts. There, it took root; and believers were "born again" of water and the Spirit, gaining entrance into God's Kingdom. In the end, Jesus will deliver the Kingdom to His Father.
   
   "Verily. verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." (John 3:5)
   
   "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him." (Acts 8:35-38)
   
   "Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father." (1 Corinthians 15:24)
   
   "... Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." (Ephesians 5:25,26) Jesus alone is head of the church, and He is its Savior (Ephesians 5:23).
   
   
4. Baptism Puts Us Into Christ: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) Only in Christ do we enjoy spiritual blessings. "..the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3) Only in Christ do we become new creatures. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away (note Romans 6:3-4 again); behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) Only in Christ are we created unto good works. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) Only in Christ is there salvation. "... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Thus, the only way to salvation is through baptism INTO Christ Jesus.
   
   
5. Baptism Produces Servants of Righteousness. "...though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." {Romans 6:17,18} And where does this service to God lead? "..having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life." {Romans 6:22} About the word "form," W.E. Vine wrote, "the metaphor os, that of a cast or frame into which molten material is poured so as to take its shape." (Vine's Expos. Dict. of OT and NT Words) The mold (form) is Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. We die to sin, are baptized into His death, and rise to walk in newness of life as servants of righteousness who follow our Lord's example. "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." {Hebrews 5:8,9}
   
   
6. Baptism Doth Also Now Save Us: "The like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." {1 Peter 3:21} I believe, (but many deny) what God declared in this passage. One individual wrote me, "you ask me to believe what Jesus taught in 1 Peter 3:21, but the truth is that Jesus didn't write the book of Peter. Peter wrote the book of Peter, and the teachings contained therein are presumably his. We hope they are the same teachings of Jesus, but we can never be certain, because Jesus himself never wrote anything!" At the end of his letter he signed it, "in the love of Christ, my brother, I am your servant."

Yes, it disturbs me to hear precious souls, who claim to love Christ, deny the very words He gave us. It was Peter who, by the command of Jesus, preached that baptism is for the remission of sins. And if the blood of Christ washes away our sins, are we not saved? "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation. 1:5,6)