The Bible teaches that water baptism is unto - to obtain - the forgiveness of sins

What is the Biblical Evidence? The clear teaching of the New Testament is that it is faith and faith alone that saves. At least sixty times the New Testament states that salvation is received by faith with no mention of baptism. In Colossians 2:11-12, Paul parallels baptism with circumcision and in Romans 4:9-12, denies the "grace plus works for salvation" heresy by stating that Abraham was justified by God before he was circumcised. Circumcision was a practice commanded by the Lord to Israel and in believing God and outwardly acknowledging Him as a Jew by this sign, showed that he believed and identified himself with Jehovah God and as an Israelite. Circumcision never made anyone a Jew and likewise baptism does not make one a child of God. Like baptism, circumcision was an act of identification. Applying Luke 23:42-43 One passage the baptismal regeneration people have never really correctly understood is Luke 23:42-43 and the fact the thief on the cross was saved as Jesus declared, and was never baptized. They try to skirt the matter by saying this was before the Church Age when baptism was initiated. They state that Romans 10:9-10 requires that to be saved a person must believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. The thief could not have believed that because Christ had not yet arisen. The problem with that idea is that it does not take into account how were people in the Old Testament saved? Old Testament saints were saved by faith, through the grace of God as Hebrews 11 explains. This chapter is the Bible's Hall of Faith and states repeatedly how from Abel on men believed the revelation they were given by God and were saved. Abraham never heard the name of Jesus Christ or of His death, burial and resurrection, but he was certainly saved. But note what the word of God says: "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Romans 4:1-5) Applying Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9) Those that teach baptism is necessary for salvation ignore the clear and emphatic statement of Ephesians 2:8-9. Clearly, the verse unquestionably refutes any notion of receiving God's grace based on any work of man. It states, salvation is the gift of God, "NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast." One of the most simple and foundational rules of interpretation of the Bible is that one must interpret in the analogy of the faith. In simple terms any correct interpretation of the Bible will not contradict other teachings in the Scriptures. This passage says that salvation is the free gift of God and not of works and it is a flagrant error to then interpret verses such as Acts 2:38 as teaching otherwise. Both interpretations cannot be true because, if they were, God would have made an error in telling us one thing in one passage and something totally contradictory in another. However, the problem is not in the wording of the New Testament or in what God says 'it is found in man's bent to confuse and misinterpret what God has said because of his willing ignorance of the basics of the Word of God.' Yes, man willingly is ignorant because he could study and learn, but instead remains blind to the simplest truth. For example look again at the issue here. Sixty passages, including the classic passage of Ephesians 2:8-9, say that salvation is received by faith and faith alone. Paul refutes the grace plus works error in almost every book he writes, yet the Baptismal Regeneration crowd hang on to this false doctrine and ignore the contradiction their belief with other statements of God. They seem blind to the fact that their teaching makes God guilty of being confusing, and contradicting Himself. Often the baptismal regenerationist trying to reconcile his belief with Ephesians 2:8-9 will state that baptism is not a "work." However, the word translated "work" is the Greek noun ergon ergon er'-gon and means a "an act, deed, thing done" (2). Baptism is indeed a physical act, to which a person submits and is physically immersed under water. It is the deliberate result of new believer exercising his will and agreeing to be baptized. This is the same word used in passages such as 1 Timothy 5:10, 25; 6:18, 2 Timothy 3:17, which refer to "good works" (kalos ergon). To silence any doubt note that the word is used in 2 Timothy 4:14, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works(ergon)." There can be no mistake that the word means some action a person takes. Alexander the coppersmith's evil deeds were acts or works he committed. The Correct Interpretation of Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). The true interpretation of Acts 2:38 is not clouded in a great mystery that cannot be understood. Anyone with the most basic skills in Bible study can research and find the correct meaning of the verse. Acts 2:38 says, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The preposition "for" is the Greek work "eis" and simply means "with a view towards," "in connection with," "because of," or "in light of." In other words, Peter said that because they had believed and repented these people should now be baptized.In other New Testament passages on forgiveness, repentance, and water baptism, you do not find support for the teaching of baptismal regeneration. What is presented is that the significance of Christian water baptism is that all who believed were baptized. There is no example of an unbaptized Christian in the New Testament."(3) Today, as then, baptism remains a unique testimony of the life-transforming change brought about by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. In water baptism a believer identifies with Jesus Christ in an action that symbolizes the shared experience of death and resurrection with and in Him. (4) If Peter, in Acts 2:38, was saying one has to be baptized in order to be saved he would have violated the clear teaching of Ephesians 2:8-9 and the preaching of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 3:16 that "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus how to be "born again" and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If baptism is necessary for salvation, then why did he not tell this Pharisee to go and be baptized by John the Baptist? Jesus in John 3:36 sums up how to receive salvation when He said, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36) Jesus did not mention baptism because baptism is not necessary for salvation. This does not minimize the need for a person, who believes and by faith is saved, to be baptized. It is important for new believers to be baptized and identify themselves publicly with Jesus Christ and other believers in the local church (Matt. 28:19-20) because God has instructed us to do so; but baptism does not save us. Their belief coupled with their incorrectly interpreted "additional requirement of baptism for salvation", did not merit them salvation. NO MORE ROOM