I never said "don't be baptized". I never said "don't do good works". Tell me where I have ever said not to do those. All I have been saying is we are justified by faith. In fact I just quoted Romans 5:1,2 where Paul tells us how we are justified. Are you saying Paul has it wrong?
Our faith will be shown through our good works and our baptism by water is a public confession before others as our "giving of ourselves" to God. But you CANNOT add those to justification, redemption, reconciliation, salvation or sactification. Especially when we are told over and over in the Bible (the very Word of God) that only by the blood of Christ are any of those possible. And only by the grace of God could we even think about giving ourselves to God.
never said you did just asked who said we must be and why...?
Luke 3:2-4King James Version (KJV)
[SUP]2 [/SUP]Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests,
the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]And he came into all the country about Jordan,
preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
[SUP]4 [/SUP]As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Acts 2:38
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.
repentance and baptism for the remission of sins is preparing the way of the Lord...your reason for baptism is wrong...
Acts 19:2-4King James Version (KJV)
[SUP]2 [/SUP]He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]And he said unto them,
Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people,
that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 8:12
But
when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ,
they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 2:38
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.