It seems, then, we disagree. How should you and i resolve this disagreement.
I think that when two people disagree the best course of action is to find a mediator of whom they both trust. I have learned to trust every author of the Bible. I would be willing to let any one of them settle the dispute between us. You may choose the author and the passage of Scripture, if you like.
I will choose Jesus Himself. (I am assuming that we both believe that the Gospels record His sayings and discourses accurately, and that neither of us thinks that anything was added to Jesus’ sayings by the Church, in order to justify later Church practices.)
I’m also assuming we both believe that Jesus sets the example for us, of how to live a Christian life.
What did Jesus do?
With regard to Baptism, the example set by Jesus is that He Himself was baptized. When asked the reason (since He is without sin, and had no need of Baptism) He replied, “Let it be so now, for so it becomes us to fulfill all justice.” (Matthew 3:15)
The records of this are found in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:19-34. The commentator of my Bible footnotes mentions here that this occurred in fulfillment of the Messianic prophesies that we find in Isaiah 40. It seems significant that Christ’s Baptism by John is what marks or signifies the making straight of the way of the Lord.
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Who did Jesus say will be saved?**
In Matthew 7:21 (which is part of the Sermon on the Mount) Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in Heaven shall enter the kingdom of Heaven.”
It seems clear from this that our obedience is not a side-effect of our salvation, but an essential element of it.
Is salvation a one-time event?
Just before the passage I just quoted, there is another very interesting passage about salvation, from Matthew 7:13-20. Here, He says, “How narrow is the gate, and close is the way that leads to life! And few there are who find it.” (v.14)
There is
both a gate,
and a way. There is both an initial event of prevenient grace, and the necessity on our part to continue, step by step, in following God’s way.
Do good works have an effect on our salvation?
Read Matthew 25:31-46. Notice that although all of the people being judged had believed in Jesus during their lives, only some of them had actually done any good works. It was only the ones who had actually done the good works who were admitted into Heaven. The rest of them, despite the fact that they certainly had believed in Jesus, went to Hell.
Notice also just before this passage, where we see two parables: the parable of the ten virgins, and the parable of the talents.
In each case, the bridesmaids and the servants were all given gifts. But some of them squandered or wasted the gifts, and were cast out, while others made good use of the gifts, and were admitted into glory. This shows us that what we do with God’s free gift of grace will have an effect on whether or not we will ultimately be saved.
EDIT: I almost forgot the most important part -
When did Jesus command us to be baptized?
In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus commanded the Apostles to baptize us, and through the Apostles, their successors. In commanding the Apostles and their successors to baptize us, it seems clear that He expects us to submit to their authority, and to be baptized by them.
