It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that is the Gospel, not the death, and resurrection, so water baptism is part of the Gospel of Christ.
And we have to identify with the man Christ Jesus who died on the cross, and we repent of our sins, was buried, and we are water baptized, and rose from the grave, and we receive the Spirit.
We have to go through the same thing as the man Christ Jesus, and we are a living sacrifice unto God.
Water baptism was given by John the Baptist for the remission of sins before the Gospel came in to affect, and Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.
Water baptism is necessary for it is part of the Gospel of Christ.
And some people say that it is a work, and we are saved by faith, but everything we do and think is a work, which repentance, and confessing Christ is a work, and the Bible says it is the work of faith.
The Bible says love is greater than faith, and faith works by love, so it is not faith alone, it is love alone, and everything stems from love, so no love, no faith.
The Jews asked Peter what they must do to be saved, and he said, repent, be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and everybody in the future, and it is the same salvation plan for Jews and Gentiles.
Which Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritans were all baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Act 19:4 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.
Act 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And those that were baptized unto John's baptism had to be baptized in the name of Jesus.
Act 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
The Bible says be baptized, and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord, for water baptism is for the remission of sins like the man Christ Jesus laid down the sins of the world in burial.
Jesus said He came in His Father's name.
The Son inherited the name from the Father.
The Holy Spirit comes in the name of Jesus.
Matthew says baptize in the name, singular, and Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are not names but titles, and Jesus is the name.
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even 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.
This states that water baptism does now save us, not cleansing the body, but a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 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.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
When we are baptized into Jesus we are baptized in to His death, for if we have been planted in the likeness of His death, we shall also rise in the likeness of His resurrection.
And then our old man is crucified with Him.
Baptism is necessary and part of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
And we have to identify with the man Christ Jesus for we are a human like Him, and we are a living sacrifice.
And baptism is for the removal of sins, washing them away.
Some people say what about the thief on the cross, but Jesus had not died yet when He spoke to him saying you will be with me today in paradise, so the Gospel did not go in to affect yet, and Jesus already forgave him.
John the Baptist was not saved while he was on earth, which is why Jesus said that the person that is least in heaven is greater than John the Baptist.
And the thief had no way to be water baptized for he was hanging on a cross.
And Peter preached the first message of salvation, and then people were water baptized in Jesus' name which the thief would of been dead by then.
If a person believes water baptism is necessary for salvation, and went to get it done but died before that they should still be saved, or if they did not have sufficient information which caused them to not come to the truth with no fault of their own they should be saved, although it might not be until after the millennial reign of Christ when the dead are judged.
But the Bible plainly states it is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and water baptism is for washing away of sins, and we have to identify with the man Christ Jesus.
If a person is water baptized, but believes it is not necessary, are they saved, and usually people that do not believe it is necessary are baptized in the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but baptism is in Jesus' name.
For there is no other name whereby we are saved, but the name Jesus.
And everything we do in word or in deed we do all in the name of Jesus.
So why would we use titles when Jesus is the name that saves us.
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.
Jesus said born of the water and Spirit to be able to enter the kingdom of God.
Water.
hudōr hudatos
hoo'-dor, hoo'-dat-os, etc.
From the base of G5205; water (as if rainy) literally or figuratively: - water.
Some people want to say faith alone, but Paul said charity is greater than faith.
Paul said without charity you are nothing, and have erred from the faith.
James said without charity your faith is dead.
John said without charity the love of God does not dwell in them, so do not love in word, or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
It is love alone, and everything stems from love, which faith works by love, and it is the work of faith.
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.
2Th 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.
Faith is a work.