CHRISTIAN BAPTISM IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL FOR SALVATION BY SOME DENOMINATIONS BUT NOT BY OTHERS BECAUSE THEY POINT TO VARIOUS INSTANCES WHERE THE BIBLE INDICATES PEOPLE WERE SAVED WITHOUT BEING BAPTIZED. Nevertheless, Even If Baptism Is Not Essential For Salvation Of The Individual, The Rite Appears To Be Significant Because It Was Practiced In The New Testament By The Forerunner To Lord Jesus Christ And By His Disciples On His Behalf, As Well As The Apostles. In fact, the Apostles taught that Baptism was very important for obtaining a clear conscience and an exercising obedience of faith that is essential for continued salvation.

Why would Jesus use the word baptism in the great commission if baptism is just a ritual and he didn't actually mean to literally baptize people?

There are denominations that skip baptism and don't believe it's necessary. I think people are missing my point. I'm asking about the specific use if the word baptism in this verse as Jesus uses it.

Happy Riches Answer requested by Diane Shatto

There are certain criteria that Abraham filled to be saved. Baptism was not one of those criteria. One criteria is acknowledging God’s voice. But the main criteria for salvation is faith.

• They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did,” (John 8:39)

• That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants—not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all. (Romans 4:16)

Baptism, therefore, is not essential for salvation. Baptism is essential if we are to fulfill all righteousness. This is not something that is based upon keeping a rule, a ritual or a law to establish righteousness, rather this is a matter of obedience of faith.

• The scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23)

• What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; but that Israel who pursued the righteousness which is based on law did not succeed in fulfilling that law. (Romans 9:30–31)

• Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him. (Matthew 3:13–16)

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles begins and finishes the book of Romans (often called “The Fifth Gospel”) stating his mission is to bring about the obedience of faith in Lord Jesus Christ among all the nations.

• Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; (Romans 1:1-5)

• Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25–27)

When the Apostle Paul went to Ephesus, he came upon twelve disciples who had been baptized into John’s Baptism, the same baptism that Jesus went through. However, Paul declared that John’s baptism was merely one of repentance, and that the disciples needed to be baptized again; this time calling on the name of Lord Jesus Christ.

• And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:3-5)

• And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Baptism is a matter of obedience of faith. Obedience of faith cannot be exercised by children who have no knowledge of the reason why they need to repent and be born of God. Therefore, the Apostle Paul declared John the Baptist’s baptism invalid, for he declared that people were to be baptized in water calling upon the name of Lord Jesus Christ—which is the revealed name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is consistent with what Jesus said at the time of John the Baptist, when He said that it was “fitting to fulfill all righteousness.”

The Apostle Paul was given the message concerning salvation to take to every nation.

The revelation of what God was doing from Pentecost onward supersedes what was happening even at the time of John. Therefore people were called to exercise obedience of faith and fulfill all righteousness by being baptized in water calling upon the name of Lord Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life, filled with the Holy Spirit. Any other deviation is not in accordance to what the Apostle preached or what the other apostles did.

• And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

The evidence from Scripture is every person who is to walk with God needs to repent, and be baptized in the name of Lord Jesus Christ in order to fulfill all righteous by exercising obedience of faith. This was practiced by all the Apostles.

Pedobaptism, whether the splashing of water as a token of baptism or full baby baptism, often called “christenings”, are not valid expressions of obedience of faith by children. They are promoted in direct disobedience to what the Scriptures teach. So is any practice that does not conform with what the Apostles taught and did.

Too Many People Miss Out On The Truths Of Scriptures Because They Use Shortcuts