The church of Christ places so much emphasis on baptism because it is emphasized so much in the scripture!
It is commanded as essential for salvation:
- "He that believeth as is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:16
" 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 recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost."Acts 2:38
"For Christ also hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
By which he also went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
Which sometimes were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing , wherein few, that is,eight souls were saved by water.
The like figure even baptism doth also now save us( not by putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of agood conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;" I Peter 3: 18-21
Salvation is in the blood of Jesus:
- "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," Revelations 1:5
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Hebrews 9:14
Baptism into the death of Christ
- "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
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." Romans 6:3-4
Salvation is not in the water:
Baptism is an act of obedience:
- "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us(not the putting away of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:" I Peter 3:21
- Belief and confession:
- "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."Mark 16:16
"And Phillip said, If thou beleiveth with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Phillip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."
Acts 8:37-38
Repentance:
- "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
