Commands from Christ Are Not Optional

[422 words] I recently read a Bible Q&A article written by a denominational preacher. In it he was asked, “Can you go to heaven if you ‘trust’ Jesus as your Lord and Savior but you are not yet baptized?” He began his answer by saying: “Yes. Baptism has nothing to do with salvation.” Later in the answer he 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, he 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 is never baptized, they will still be saved.” I would like to analyze how…