Belief, repentance, confession, baptism, and the objection to dipped or damned
Claim examined: Baptism and conversion
Scriptural Answer
Peter thought that one must "be dipped or damned". You are directly contradicting scripture by saying that Baptism does not save. Jesus said: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." Does Peter mean to say that baptism is all that is essential to salvation (apart from faith and repentance) or that baptism alone is sufficient to save people from their sins (whether or not they are old enough to even understand)? No. Peter does not say "baptism only" any more than any New Testament writer says "faith only" or "repentance only." Baptism has no power apart from faith (on the part of the one being baptized) and repentance. Without faith, one will not be baptized, it is that simple. Accepting the salvation which God offers through the atoning work of Christ involves a series of responses on the part of man: faith, repentance, confession and baptism. Without faith, repentance would not occur, and baptism would be meaningless. Without repentance, the individual has not died to himself and therefore is not suitable for burial (Rom. 6:3-7). Without confession, one has not made the good confession (nor will Jesus confess their name) and this makes me wonder does one really believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Without baptism, the blood of Christ cannot wash away the sins of the penitent (Acts 22:16; Rev. 1:5). Baptism saves us because it is part of the salvation process. Without baptism the conversion process is not complete. Ask yourself the question David, why were all of those who were converted in the book of Acts baptized??? There is no mention that they were baptized to show they were saved for this is nothing but an invention of men.
KJV Scriptures Used
Read each passage in its chapter and compare the Scriptures together.