Why do you have to start with the 2nd century to establish your claim?
Acts 16:
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.(KJV)
Acts 10:
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.(KJV)
A trend. Those with ears that hear, hear the Gospel; they believe; the Holy Spirit fills the believer and they are baptized.
Been happening since Pentecost. The water did not regenerate Cornelius and family...but the Holy Spirit. The water and the man doing the dunking have no powers to wash sins away. Only the Blood of Christ washes us from all sins. You choose to have faith in the proclamation and confirmation of a new Christian instead of the Object of his/her faith.
So here’s another question. Is Christian baptism the Gospel?
Let’s start with Acts 2 where Peter was asked what they must do after he preached “ the good news “ to,them.
V38 states he told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and receiving the Holy Spirit.
And for those under the illusion that Paul believed baptism was not for the remission of sins, Paul himself in Acts was to to arise and be baptized washing away his sins.
Thanks for proving my point point. Flee from those who believe no one understood baptism for 1,500 years. It is they that don’t understand baptism, just as they don’t understand the Church teaches the sacrifice of Jesus was PERFECT.
But we were warned false teachers would arise ...........