You write: "these verses do not say what you are saying"
I disagree.
It seems that this is clearly what it is saying.
The verses are stating that water baptism is the point of the forgiveness of sins.
If this is not what these verses are saying then what message are they conveying?
God sent His Son to die in my place. I will be damned to think my actions are unto His salvation . God sent the perfect Lamb to the Cross shed His blood for the remission of sins . I will never put getting dunked in a river on the same , or as some here, above the Blood of Jesus. We are saved by
Grace Eph_2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
Not even our faith, but His gift.
Eph_2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Gal_6:14
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
I will not glory in the river dunking nor what is called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit of 40+ years ago.
Col_1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: