Baptism in the gospel response
The New Testament does not present baptism as a way to purchase salvation. Salvation is God's gift by grace. At the same time, Scripture places baptism within the response of faith to the gospel.
Mark 16:16 joins belief and baptism with salvation. Acts 2:38 connects repentance and baptism with forgiveness, while Acts 22:16 and 1 Peter 3:21 are also part of the study material APOLLOS uses when explaining baptism.
The New Testament pattern joins baptism with believing and a penitent response to the gospel.
Being baptized does not earn God's grace; it is an obedient response to what God has provided in Christ.
APOLLOS's study material connects baptism with forgiveness of past sins and the beginning of Christian life.
Conversion is a beginning, not the end. Scripture also calls Christians to remain faithful to Christ.
This introduction summarizes themes already used by APOLLOS's grounded salvation and baptism material.