Commands from Christ are Not Optional

[420 words] I recently received a daily devotional email sample from a denominational organization hoping I would be interested in signing up. After the devotional, they answered a question. The question was: “Can you go to heaven if you trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior but you are not yet baptized?” They began their answer by saying: “Yes. Baptism has nothing to do with salvation.” Later in the answer they stated, “Baptism is an ordinance instituted by Christ until the end of the age.” Clearly this command was not only for the apostles who heard it but for His followers throughout the entire age. Finally they concluded with, “One is saved without, apart from and before baptism. Those who are saved should desire baptism as a public profession of faith, but please realize that it is not necessary for salvation. If a person believes in Jesus as Lord and…