No - it is merely compliance or obedience.
If we say that we believe in the gospel and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master then as disciples we need to submit
to our Lord's teachings and to his commandments ... one of which is most definitely water baptism by full immersion.
Faith in scripture and belief in scripture - sola scriptura - means to read and do the word of God > to act on it.
Even Jesus himself underwent water baptism to demonstrate to us all the absolute importance of this sacrament.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. Matthew 3:13 (ESV)
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
John 14: (ESV)
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
John 15:10 (ESV)
47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
Acts 10: (ESV)
Water for what kind of baptism? Baptized in a name as a living authority .
Baptized in the
name as an unseen authority ? Certainly not H20 (spiritless) as that seen . It cannot produce the breath of life. His word is Spirit and is life... the quickening power or name of God working in our new souls.
Jesus said pouring water on his corrupted flesh profits for nothing. Water baptism is a completely different kind. . . founded in the Old testament carried on through a new manner after (Melchezedek ) through Christ from the tribe of Judah our High Priest continually without beginning or end. .Its what started the discussion in John 3:25
Do we forfeit the foundation of H20 baptism like you must with the tongues doctrine?
Makes me wonder what other foundations have lost their effect to preach the gospel?
Psalm 11:2-4 English Standard Version (ESV) for behold, the wicked bend the bow;they have
fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? "The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
Sign and wonder seekers turn that upside down..... testing God taking away his understanding. .
His eyelids test the children of man. Not our His. Sign seekers test Him after the things seen as confirming self edification, self wonderment..In that way it would seem they make Jesus into a Circus Seal .
John 6:30 So they said to
him, “Then what
sign do you do, that we may see and
believe you? What work do
you perform?
( An unknown ? ? ?.... tongue as a unknown? ? ?...... unknown wonderment) The counterfeiter father of lies...
Simply no such thing as a "sign gift" (false doctrine) . Spiritual unseen gifts... yes.
John 4:48So Jesus said to him, “Unless
you see
signs and wonders you will
not believe.”
Like he told the Israelites that sought after signs in Egypt. .Slow down when he sees the blood used to represent the working of His unseen Spirit, just as the metaphor water. Not when they see it having done the work
Water and blood are metaphors used in various parables . They are even used shown both (blood and water) working simotaniiously to give us the understanding of . . One pouring out Spirit life in jeopardy of his own Spirit as
if it was blood or as
if it was water (H20) . . . . He test men we do not test Him.