[redleghunter]

What makes you think people are not going in the water.

Perhaps some people see others giving water, a creation of God, more precedence that His shed Blood for the remission of sins.

Does baptism justify?

[LearsFool]

What makes you think people are not going in the water.

They say it's a "work", and they don't do "works" for forgiveness. You don't have to read far on FR to find that.

Even many of those who've been baptized say they were baptized AFTER the forgiveness of their sins. (Maybe they think Naaman dipped in the water AFTER his leprosy was cured? Maybe Noah was saved by water AFTER the flood was over?)

Doesn't it seem strange that even though the Bible says baptism is for forgiveness of sins, people don't believe it? It's as much for forgiveness of sins as the blood of Christ is.

Well, maybe it's not so strange. After all, Jesus said the preaching of the gospel would sort people into two categories: (1) those who would believe and be baptized, and (2) those who would not believe.

So the disciple's job is to preach the gospel to those who haven't heard it, and let the hearers decide whether they want to be saved or damned.