Baptism is essential to salvation. Jesus says in no uncertain terms that you MUST be born again of water and spirit or you dont get to the final destination.

Then the theif on the cross beside Jesus was water baptized????
God has the power to save anyone and everyone in any manner He so chooses. Surely you arn't saying that he can't. If God chooses to take an individual between their acceptance of Jesus and their water baptism, Are you saying they are not saved????? If so ? Based on what???
I agree that water baptism in important. I believe that if one (having the chance to)does not get water baptized then their commitment and salvation are at least questionable. But that doesn't mean they are not saved nor does water baptism assure salvation.
I believe water baptism is more dependant on salvation than salvation dependant on baptism.
Instead of asking what we must do to be saved we should be discussing how we show gratitude for our salvation. My first act of gratitude was to get baptized. If not as an act of obediance then what causes an individual to be baptized???

Well, grace in general is a gift of God. But Jesus again does say "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Well, grace in general is a gift of God.
But Jesus again does say "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, 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.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
The common perseption of John 3:5 is that "born of water" is baptism. But John 3:6 indicates that born of water is symbolic for "born of the flesh".
In other words one must be born of flesh and spirit to be saved.
Some say that "born of water" is the water of the womb. I find that to be a bit graffic and confusing but possibly having some symbolic merit.
Water baptism is way too often used as a means to judge the salvation of others. Something scripture tells us not to do.
Being baptized to be saved is essentialy placing our faith in the proper actions of ourselves and those who baptize us. That is legalism ,plain and simple. The belief that man can do or not do anything that has an effect on ones salvation, other than for the individual to accept the gift.
Water baptism can be no more than evidence of obedience, receiving the Holy Spirit or at the most salvation. And at that it certianly can't be concidered absolute.

Originally Posted by Chad

Excellent and amen :)

I was baptised when I was a baby the traditional catholic way. To me that is improper and unbiblical. A baby does not know whats happening for him/her to profess their own faith of Christ.

Since I've been saved nearly four years ago, I have not been baptised in water yet due to much reasons that I am dealing with personally but I wish to do it when I am ready both spiritually and emotionally. I refuse to forget GOD's commands but remain obedient to His Word.

Chad, I totally agree with you! I was also baptized as an infant, and did not know the implications of what was happening to me. I think it is so much more meaningfull, when a person consciously chooses to follow Christ, before taking the leap of baptism.

And I also, have been saved relatively recently. And I have been putting it off, because of my personal reasons!

cliffs, the New Testament Church of Christ hadn't been set up yet. the thief didn't need to be baptized. neither did Enoch when God took him. we have a guide book and a plan of salvation, its best to follow the plan.

If you guys read my profile you will see what I went through as a young Christian. I was rebellious against the belief system of the Church and only wanted to know Jesus "my way". I see it as an act of rebelliousness if you don't get baptised, I told myself I have to work through personal problems and I always thought people were "fake" for getting baptised.

It's an act of willingness and obedience to Christ to be baptised. It's not supposed to be something to think about, but a "next step" to becoming holy and living the way Christ wants you to. It starts with obedience to Christ and what He told us to do :)

I hope I have not offended, but don't bluff yourselves and put it off due to personal issues. Surrender all to Christ, including your old way of life, be reborn completely.

Baptism is a commandment of God. Jesus said "Those who love Me shall obey my commandments"

I was 'baptised' as a baby as well. But when I got saved at the age of 19, the Spirit led me into all truth and thus I decided to get baptised.... the real baptism. So I was water baptised, the Bible way, after a year of my salvation.

Baptism is not your passport to heaven but salvation is. But I don't see a point in being saved and disobeying the easiest commandment of all. There is grace attached to obeying God and His commandments. So I urge any new believer to be baptised after confessing your faith in Jesus. And I feel it is not good to delay your baptism. Simply because .... do you want to miss out on anything that God has in store for you???

Read Acts 8:26-40.

Originally Posted by bruce bunnell

cliffs, the New Testament Church of Christ hadn't been set up yet. the thief didn't need to be baptized. neither did Enoch when God took him. we have a guide book and a plan of salvation, its best to follow the plan.

Never said we didn't and never said we shouldn't. Never once said that any person able to shouldn't be baptized. What I said was telling some one that baptism saves and judging by baptism is just plain wrong. We certianly should follow the plan but the plan doesn't include a church saying what words must be said and judging by their doctrine.

Originally Posted by Gideon

Baptism is a commandment of God. Jesus said "Those who love Me shall obey my commandments" . . .

Baptism is not your passport to heaven but salvation is. But I don't see a point in being saved and disobeying the easiest commandment of all. There is grace attached to obeying God and His commandments. So I urge any new believer to be baptised after confessing your faith in Jesus. And I feel it is not good to delay your baptism. Simply because .... do you want to miss out on anything that God has in store for you???

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Acts 10:43-48
43*He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”
44*Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who had heard the message. 45*The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles, too. 46*And there could be no doubt about it, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter asked, 47*“Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48*So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.


Acts 19:1-7
1*While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior provinces. Finally, he came to Ephesus, where he found several believers.* 2*“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
“No,” they replied, “we don’t know what you mean. We haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3*“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
4*Paul said, “John’s baptism was to demonstrate a desire to turn from sin and turn to God. John himself told the people to believe in Jesus, the one John said would come later.”
5*As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6*Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7*There were about twelve men in all.

Originally Posted by CliffS

Never said we didn't and never said we shouldn't. Never once said that any person able to shouldn't be baptized. What I said was telling some one that baptism saves and judging by baptism is just plain wrong. We certianly should follow the plan but the plan doesn't include a church saying what words must be said and judging by their doctrine.
Couldn't have said it better myself.

1st peter 3;21 " and corresponding to that BABPTISM NOW SAVES YOU. "

Just so everyone can read it. Thanks Bruce Bunnell

1 Peter 3:18-22

18For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

19in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

20who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

21Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Originally Posted by bruce bunnell

1st peter 3;21 " and corresponding to that BABPTISM NOW SAVES YOU. "

Is this scripture referring to water baptism?