Tony - in your section discussing baptism, I noticed you did not include any verses to support the below:
"It’s a public ceremony where a new believer, who has decided to follow Jesus, tells the community of faith about their decision. It’s not a spiritual thing. Nothing new happens when we get wet"
Can you provide verses to support this?
The following verses seem to say the opposite:
Mark 16:16 ESV
[16] Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 2:38 ESV
[38] 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 will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 22:16 ESV
[16] And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
Romans 6:4 ESV
[4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Galatians 3:27 ESV
[27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
1 Peter 3:21 ESV
[21] Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Tony - in your section discussing baptism, I noticed you did not include any verses to support the below:
"It’s a public ceremony where a new believer, who has decided to follow Jesus, tells the community of faith about their decision. It’s not a spiritual thing. Nothing new happens when we get wet"
Can you provide verses to support this?
The following verses seem to say the opposite:
Mark 16:16 ESV
[16] Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 2:38 ESV
[38] 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 will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 22:16 ESV
[16] And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
Romans 6:4 ESV
[4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Galatians 3:27 ESV
[27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
1 Peter 3:21 ESV
[21] Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,