Matthew 28:19-20  Our command from Christ is to baptize in the name of __________, _________ and _______  _________ and __________ them to observe all things.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.."

Mark 16:16 The very words of ____________.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:38 We can’t be saved without the ____________ of our sins.  How can one be saved with the burden of sin that is “washed away” only with baptism?
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:41 This act was what added these brethren to the ____________ and kingdom of _______.
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 8:12 The _____________ response was to be baptized
But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 8:36 Based on the word revealed by __________, the eunuch sensed an ______________ to be baptized.
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"

Acts 9:18-19 Paul was baptized before taking __________.
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Acts 16:33 Paul and Silas’ __________(and his household) respond in faith and are ___________ baptized
At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.

Acts 18:5-8  Many of the __________________ heard him believed and were _____________.
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.  But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.  Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.

Acts 19:1-5 Corinthians were ______________ into Christ, having formerly been baptized by __________
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"  They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."  So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"  "John's baptism," they replied.  Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 22:16 Unloading the burden of our _______.
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'

Romans 6:3-5 This is a serious matter, because we are ________ with him through ____________and are united with him in his ___________ and _______________.    (Nothing else can do this.)
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

Romans 6:7 We must _____ to be free of our sins.
because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Ephesians 4:4-5 Key components in our relationship with ______, along with _________, __________, _________, _________, _________, and __________.
There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

I Peter 3:21 Peter says that Christ ________ us by his ____________ and ____________ now saves us.
...and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Colossians 2:12 We are _________ and __________ as Christ was ____________ and _________.
...having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

John 3:1-5 In Jesus own words, you have to be baptized to enter the ___________ of ________.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."   In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"  Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

Galatians 3:26-27 Once we are baptized, we are _________ with Christ.
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Titus 3:5 He ___________ us through the washing of regeneration/baptism.
...he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

1 John 5:8 The ___________, ____________, ____________, work together as a non-believer is reborn as a Christian
...the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

Check out these Web Sites Reference Baptism
Audio Lessons on Baptism, http://www.cocn.org/BaptismLessons.html         
Baptism, http://www.bebaptized.org Contact: baptism_1(at)lycos.com   (12-04-01)
Baptism for the Remission of Sins, http://www.mississippichristiansentinel.com/remission.html    
Baptism Stands Between:, http://www.mississippichristiansentinel.com/between.html
Baptism - A Special Study, http://www.bible.ca/eo/ba.htm  Contact:  MarkCopeland(at)aol.com  
Baptism - A Special Study, http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/ba.htm 04-01) 
Can One be Saved Before Baptism, http://www.bright.net/~1wayonly/savedbeforebaptism.html
Is One Saved Before Baptism? http://www.bright.net/~1wayonly/savedbeforebaptism.html
Purpose of Baptism, http://www.biblestudylessons.com/cgi-bin/gospel_way/baptism_purpose.php
Questions for Baptism, http://members.datafast.net.au/sggram/f220.htm
Salvation by Faith Only - A Soul Damning Doctrine! 
http://www.geocities.com/dixiewi1/a-e/qa_artalert1.html
Some Common Arguments Critics Use in an Attempt to Nullify the Need for Baptism, http://www.bebaptized.org/Somecommonarguments.htm
What the Early Christians said about baptism, http://www.bible.ca/H-baptism.htm  (09-03-04)
What Must I Do to Be Saved? http://organizations.nlamerica.com/dcoc/to_be_saved.htm
You Don't Need to be Baptized...Unless, http://www.retainthestandard.com/baptized.html  
How can people deny the commands given by Peter under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:28?  Can you not see that the command to repent and be baptized are both for the same thing -- essential to the remission of sins? Baptism is either essential, or repentance is non-essential.
 

For these dead sites, Check in the Internet Archive at Berkeley at http://www.archive.org/index.php
Another Response to a Letter on Baptism,  http://www.hwy65churchofchrist.org/The%20Truth%20About%20Baptism%20and%20Salvation.pdf Baptism, http://site.yahoo.com/northbroadway/baptism.html
The Bible Requires Baptism (pdf) http://www.hwy65churchofchrist.org/The%20Bible%20Requires%20Baptism.pdf
A Follow-Up Response on Baptism, http://www.hwy65churchofchrist.org/The%20Bible%20Requires%20Baptism.pdf
A Response to a Baptist Writer, http://www.hwy65churchofchrist.org/Response%20to%20Baptist%20Writer.pdf

Questions
What does Acts 2:38 say about baptism?
___ A. It is a sign that one has received forgiveness
___ B. It is for the forgiveness of sins
___ C. Sins are washed away by water
What does Romans 6:3 say about baptism?
___ A. One is baptized into Christ and into his death
___ B. One can be in Christ without being baptized
___ C. Baptism has no effect
What does 1Peter 3:21 say about baptism?
___ A. It saves us
___ B. It is not for washing our bodies
___ C. It is the appeal to God for a good conscience
___ D. All of the above
What does Galatians 3:26-27 say about baptism?
___ A. Baptism is an act of faith in Christ Jesus
___ B. We are baptized into Christ
___ C. As many as have been baptized are clothed with Christ
___ D. All of the above
What does Acts 22:16 say about baptism
 ___ A. Paul had to be baptized to wash away his sins
 ___ B. Paul needed only to call on the name of the Lord
 ___ C. Paul could neglect baptism and still be saved
Adapted from: http://members.datafast.net.au/sggram/f220.htm   (11-07-03)

Some common arguments critics use in an attempt to nullify the need for baptism
For details for these topics, see http://www.bebaptized.org/Somecommonarguments.htm   (11-09-03)
Thief on the cross
Invite Jesus into your heart through prayer (Rev 3:20)
But baptism is a “work” and we are not saved by works…we are saved by faith alone.
But I was baptized as an infant…
Sure, baptism is commanded, but it’s not essential…
We are not saved when we are baptized in water; we are saved when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit.
If baptism is so important, then why isn’t baptism mentioned in every single passage about conversion?
We are not saved by baptism; we are saved by the blood of Christ…
We are not saved by baptism, we are saved by grace…
“What happens to a person if they die before they are baptized?”
“But Paul said he was not sent to baptize…”
“But God has answered my prayers for a long time, so how could I not be saved?”  (Note Cornelius)
Baptism in the name of Jesus, or baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

 (2 Peter 2:1). Peter warns us:  "Just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them"
 

Source: http://www.bebaptized.org/BaptismThethief.htm  (09-03-04)

 

Source: http://www.bebaptized.org/commandedbutnotessential.htm (09-03-04

Source: http://www.bebaptized.org/commandedbutnotessential.htm  (09-03-04)

Scriptures  Acts 2:38-41 Acts 8:5-12 Acts 8:26-40 Acts 9:18  Acts 10:47-48 Acts 16:15  Acts 16:16-33 Acts 18:8 Acts 19:3-5 Acts 22:16

Prayer of “invitation to Jesus” taught?  NO!  NO!  NO!  NO! NO! NO! NO!  NO!  NO!  NO!

Baptism is taught? YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!

What church fathers in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries said about Baptism
Adapted from http://www.bible.ca/H-baptism.htm  (09-03-04)
110 AD Ignatius of Antioch "Let none of you turn deserter. Let your baptism be your armor; your faith, your helmet; your love, your spear; your patient endurance, your panoply" (Letter to Polycarp 6).

110-165 AD Martyr "As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, 'Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enter into their mothers' wombs, is manifest to all... And for this we have learned from the apostles this reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe." (Justin Martyr, "First Apology," Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, pg. 183)

110-165 AD Martyr The "Constitutions of the Holy Apostles" also refer to John 3:5. There, the one who refuses to be baptized is to be condemned as an unbeliever, partially on the basis of what Jesus told Nicodemus…. "He that, out of contempt, will not be baptized, shall be condemned as an unbeliever, and shall be reproached as ungrateful and foolish. For the Lord says: 'Except a man be baptized of water and of the Spirit, he shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven.' And again: 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned.'" (Justin Martyr "Constitutions of the Holy Apostles," Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 7, pg. 456-457.)

115-188 THEOPHILUS "On the fifth day the living creatures which proceed from the waters were produced, through which also is revealed the manifold wisdom of God in these things; for who could count their multitude and various kinds? Moreover, the things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also might be a sign of men's being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins, through the water and laver of regeneration, as many as come to the truth, and are born again, and receive blessing from God." (Theophilus, "To Autolycus,", Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2, pg. 101)

120-205 AD IRENAEUS "As we are lepers in sin, we are made clean from our old transgressions by means
of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord. We are thus spiritually regenerated as newborn infants, even as the Lord has declared: 'Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.'" Irenaeus, "Fragments From Lost Writings", no. 34, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, pg. 574)

120-205 AD IRENAEUS "This class of men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism which is regeneration to God, and thus to a renunciation of the whole faith." (Against Heresies, bk. 1, chap. 21, sec. 1, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, pg. 345.)

140-230 AD TERULLIAN "Baptism itself is a corporal act by which we are plunged into the water, while its effect is spiritual, in that we are freed from our sins" (Baptism 7:2).

150-200 AD CLEMENT "Being baptized, we are illuminated; illuminated, we become sons; being made sons, we are made perfect; being made perfect, we are made immortal... This work is variously called grace, and illumination, and perfection, and washing. Washing, by which we cleanse away our sins; grace, by which the penalties accruing to transgressions are remitted; and illumination, by which that holy light of salvation is beheld, that is, by which we see God clearly." (Clement of Alexandria, "The Instructor," Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2,  pg. 215)

181 AD Theophilus of Antioch "Moreover, those things which were created from the waters were blessed by God, so that this might also be a sign that men would at a future time receive repentance and remission of sins through water and the bath of regeneration all who proceed to the truth and are born again and receive a blessing from God" (To Autolycus 12:16).

CONCLUSION
Baptism is essential to salvation!!!  Sins are "washed away"  It is the likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ which saves us.. We are added to the church.   We become clothed with Christ.  Don't delay, visit a congregation of the church of Christ today for further study on this subject.  Most people accept hearing, beleiving, confessing and repenting, but reject water baptism as essential to salvation. One cannot go to heaven based on this thinking. There is not a preacher, a Bible teacher, a theologian, nor anyone around the world that can take their Bible and prove that accountable sinners can be saved without water baptism.    A Wonderful brother in Christ, Marshall Keeble, said, "The devil doesn't want you to be baptized because he knows you'll burn better dry."

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