Water baptism is not necessary for salvation

Before I begin, I will show that water baptism did not originate from the church, Jewish teachers, or the Essenes. It originated much earlier. In ancient Babylon according to the Tablets of Maklu, water was important as a spiritual cleansing agent in the cult of Enke 2000 B.C. In ancient Egypt, the book of Coming Forth by Day, contains a treatise on the water baptism of newborn children, which is performed to purify them of blemishes acquired in the womb. The Niles water was believed to have regenerative power. Today, a number of churches, like the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians, teach that physical water is essential to accomplish a spiritual fiat. A misunderstanding of the application of water in the Christian doctrine can result in believing that it is essential to one's salvation even when there is none around. One church teaches that procrastination of submitting to water belief can be rectified by terming it 'baptism of desire'. In other words (even though our church teaches that water baptism is absolutely essential to one's salvation, the person waited too long and thereby missed the opportunity, but if they were sincere before they died, they are saved). The true New Testament teaching is that the Holy Spirit is the AGENT baptizing the person's spirit into the ELEMENT (spiritual blood) (spiritual church) (spiritual body) "For by one Spirit were we baptized into one body..." 1Cor.12:13, (Eph.1:3,7) (Col.1:18). The 1st century church practiced a baptism in water whose authority was addressed by the baptizer and what the baptism was to accomplish. For example, before Jesus took authority, water baptism was in John's name (by his authority) and the reason for the baptism was to show repentance, and if the person were to have died before they had the opportunity to obey the Gospel, they would have obtained the remission of sins. 'John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins.' (Mark 1:4) With the death and resurrection of Christ, we all were given the opportunity to be in covenant with Him. By coming to New Testament belief, as opposed to worldly belief (John 12:42,43) a person's spirit is washed clean and then in covenant with Christ. 'Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synogogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.' Of those who were water baptized by John but did not have the opportunity to be a member of the New Covenant, they later on did get an invitation- '...and finding certain disciples, he (Paul) said unto then "Have ye received the Holy Spirit since you believed?" And they said unto him, "We have not so much have heard whether there be any Holy Spirit." And he said unto them, "Unto what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism." Then said Paul, "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this they were baptized in the name of (by the authority of) the Lord Jesus. Now to some of the scriptures you quoted. Like many who hold to water being essential, they sincerely believe that the scripture actually means what they have been taught. It many times does not. This is one of those times. Acts 22:16 Is actually telling us that Saul (Paul) was to arise and be water baptized and wash away his sins, calling on (invoking) the name of the Lord. There are only 2 places in the New Testament where this Koine Greek word for 'calling' is used. Here in Act 22:16 and in Acts 7:59 where Stephen is very near death; 'And they stoned Stephen, calling (epikaleomai) upon God, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." These are parallel passages. They both describe a cry to God to deliver them. Stephen's a plea to deliver his spirit, and Saul (Paul) a plea to cleanse his conscience from many years of sins. Many who hold to water baptism salvation also appeal to 1 Pet.3:21 "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save (sozo) 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." The key word here is (sozo) the Koine Greek word meaning- deliverance from error and corrupt notions, moral purity. Many, including yourself, thought that the Koine Greek word here was (diasozo) which means- to preserve through danger, to keep from perishing. My source for the Koine Greek words in this 2nd Affirmative are Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.