Baptism

• An act of obedience.
  Acts 2:38 (NIV)
  38 Peter replied, “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.
• Doesn't save!
  Luke 23:32-43 (NIV)
  32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

  36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

  38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

  39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

  40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

  42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[b]”

  43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

  Footnotes:
  [a]Luke 23:34 Some early manuscripts do not have this sentence.
  [b]Luke 23:42 Some manuscripts come with your kingly power

• A symbol of community.
  Jeremiah 31:31-33 (NIV)
  31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
  “when I will make a new covenant
  with the people of Israel
  and with the people of Judah.
  32 It will not be like the covenant
  I made with their ancestors
  when I took them by the hand
  to lead them out of Egypt,
  because they broke my covenant,
  though I was a husband to[a] them,[b]”
  declares the Lord.
  33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
  after that time,” declares the Lord.
  “I will put my law in their minds
  and write it on their hearts.
  I will be their God,
  and they will be my people.Footnotes:
  [a]Jeremiah 31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from
  [b]Jeremiah 31:32 Or was their master
• A symbol of our new life in Jesus.
  Romans 6:3-5 (NIV)
  3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Acts 2:36-41 (NIV)
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “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. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.