[caww]

The Bible and Church have always taught we have our sins washed away, receive the Holy Spirit and are placed “in Christ” by baptism.

That's not true...the Bible does not teach we are saved thru Baptism...nor would it.But it is the teaching of the catholic church. However... Even the thief on the cross wasn't Baptized, yet he went to be with Christ that very day. We are saved thru Christ...that's it. Nothing we can do or ritual we perform changes that. He is sufficient, and we are complete in Him.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

past my bed time, so this is all for tonight. Acts 22:16, Saul had his sins washed away by baptism. God is the one who does the baptizing, thru the Church, His Body. the thief was saved as everyone who was saved in the OT was. in the NT, “he who believes and is baptized will be saved” we must come thru the door established by Jesus, not what seems right to us. again, your way of thinking was unknown for 1,500 years, that should give you pause.

[boatbums]

I think some people, whenever they see the word “baptism”, think it must always mean water baptism as in the sacrament of “Baptism”. This is a misunderstanding since those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Born of water vs. born of the Spirit. Obviously, a little baby could not understand such things, so this is why the rite of water baptism is reserved for after a profession of faith is made. This is how it was described and taught from the beginning. Those who believed were then water baptized and those who could not be water baptized - like the thief on the cross - were still saved because being baptized in the Spirit happens regardless of outward acts.