Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 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.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
The Jews said what shall we do to be saved, and Peter said Acts 2:38, which baptism is part of salvation.
And when they say baptism in Jesus' name was only for the Jews to turn them to Jesus, it states that the promise is to all those afar off, and Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritans, were all baptized in the name of Jesus in the book of Acts.
If repentance alone washes away sins, then Peter would of not mentioned baptism for God is not vain having us do things that are not required, but would of only mentioned repentance, and receiving the Spirit.
Why mention baptism in the Bible if it has nothing to do with salvation, for the only things that God requires of us are things that are for our spiritual salvation, not do it but has no bearing on us spiritually.
God said love is the fulfilling of the law, getting down to the heart of the matter, not you have to lift weights, and rake your yard, and rub 2 stones together, and click your heels 3 times and say there's no place like heaven, so if baptism is not required to be saved Peter would of not mentioned it, and Jesus would of not said we have to be born of water and Spirit.
Act 22:15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Act 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Be baptized and wash away your sins.
Act 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
Act 8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
Act 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
Act 8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
Act 8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Act 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Act 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Philip preached the truth to him which included baptism, and then the eunuch was baptized and then saw him no more, which the eunuch was not baptized to belong to a Church for he was alone and not lined up with anyone, not even Philip which he saw no more, but he had to be baptized when Philip preached Jesus and how to be saved.
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It plainly states baptism does save us, which it is talking about water for it says it is not for the washing away of the filth, dirt of the flesh, but a good conscience toward God.
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
And how would baptism save us which can only be one logical conclusion, it is for remission of sins, washing away sins, like Christ laid down the sins that were placed on Him, and rose to in the Spirit, we have to be baptized in water,and lay down our sins, and will rise to new newness of life.
We have to identify with the man Christ Jesus, for that is how He had to lay down those sins by being buried, and that is how we are to lay down our sins by being baptized in water.
If repentance is for remission of sins, then Peter would of not mentioned baptism, and would of not mentioned it as part of being saved when the Jews said what must we do to be saved.
It would not be mentioned in the Bible about water baptism if there was no meaning concerning it for our spiritual salvation, for it would have no bearing on us.
It is about spiritual salvation, and that is why Jesus took the physical ordinances of Israel away because they have no bearing on spiritual salvation, so if baptism has no bearing on spiritual salvation it would not be mentioned to do it.
And concerning the thief on the cross that they say was not water baptized, Jesus' had not died yet when talking to the thief, and the thief had no way to be baptized anyway, for what was he to do, say, hey you, no not you, you, could you please let me off this cross so I can go be water baptized, which Jesus did not even explain about water baptism to him, and said today you will be with me in paradise.
I believe water baptism can be bypassed under certain conditions, such as a person confesses Christ, and repents, but dies before water baptism, or does not have knowledge to it yet, which will be from faulty teaching, and is a new person confessing Christ so has not come across the information,and dies.
If Jesus plainly states born of water and Spirit, and Jesus said he that is baptized shall be saved, and Luke said that repentance, and remission of sins, should be done in Jesus' name, which he separated repentance and remission of sin, talking about repentance and water baptism, and Peter preached water baptism to be saved, and Paul said if we are planted in the likeness of Christ's death, we shall rise to newness of life by the Spirit, and Peter says water baptism does save us, then we have to be water baptized.
If they believe they do not have to be water baptized to be saved, but they did get water baptized, would it still count as washing away their sins if they do not believe it is necessary for salvation, for this is worse than doubt, but not believing at all.