Baptism

to be baptized as soon as he acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus and is
willing to learn further. In a way his salvation depends on this first step. Thus
baptism leads to salvation, though salvation is not attained through the ritual
of baptism.
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As soon as the person (individually) or family (by the decision of the head of
the family) or tribe (by the decision of the chief of the family) accept Jesus
they are baptized collectively (baptizing the nation) and the church jointly
teaches them into all truth. Those who believe and confess and do all things
that Jesus commanded them to do will be saved.
This is the only possible explanation that is possible without conflict with
other passages in the bible concerning salvation. Unless the ritual of baptism
is understood as an initiation into the study of Jesus we are bound to produce
heresies and hair splitting arguments such as:
Baptism Regenerates,
Baptism Saves,
Without Water Baptism there is no salvation,
Baptism must be in the name Jesus,
Baptism must be in the name of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit,
Baptism should be immersion,
Baptism should be sprinkling or pouring,
Baptism should be one immersion,
It should be three immersions,
Baptisee should be in standing position or sit down or lie down while being
baptized,
Immersion should be in backward position,
It should be in forward position,
It should be after 18 years of age,
It should be as an infant etc.
When baptism is a sacrament, and if it is a ritual sufficient or at least
necessary for salvation in the absolute literal sense, everything will become
complicated.
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