Romans Chapter 6
The vast majority of the denominational world says baptism is not necessary for the forgiveness of sins and to be saved. But let’s see what the Bible says, particularly Romans chapter 6. Romans 6:3-6 says, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."
The only way the Bible says for one to get into Christ is to be "baptized into Christ". Before baptism one is outside of Christ, and this is where Satan wants to keep people. There is no entrance into Christ and the benefits of His death prior to being baptized into Christ and into His death. Why should one be in Christ? Ephesians 1:3 says that God, "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ". If every spiritual blessing that God has is located in Christ, then there are no spiritual blessings for those who are outside of Christ.
When one is raised up out of the watery grave of baptism, it is then that the "walk in newness of life" begins (Romans 6:4), not before. Romans 6:6 says that it is in baptism, "that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin". Before baptism one is still an old man of sin, who is a slave to sin. When one is baptized into Christ, "he is a new creature" (2 Corinthians 5:17). If one is still outside of Christ, he is still an old sinful creature and without any hope.
Romans 6:5 KJV says that in baptism", "we have been planted together in the likeness of His death". It is in baptism that we die to sin. Before baptism one has every sin he has ever committed. But when one comes up out of the watery grave of baptism, he is no longer a slave to sin. All of his past sins have been forgiven. A burial implies a death. Baptism is the death and burial of one who has died to sin. Just as death and a burial separates one from his physical life, so being buried by baptism into the death of Christ, separates one from sin. Romans 6:7-8 says, "For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him". When we died with Christ in baptism, then we were freed from sin, not before. And if we died with Christ in baptism, we will live with Him eternally in Heaven.
Romans 6:17-18 KJV says they had "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine, which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin". When they "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine", they "were baptized into His (Christ’s) death"…"were buried with Him (Christ) through baptism", and were raised up to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4). It is when we obey this form of doctrine, that is a form of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, that we are made free from sin.
If one does not believe what God’s word says we must do to be saved, then there is no hope of salvation for him. The denominational world says baptism is not essential to salvation, but God’s word says it is. Anything that is more than, less than, or different from what God says in the Bible is false doctrine which is designed by Satan to deceive man and cause him to be eternally lost.