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IVAN - Why do Mormons believe baptism is required for salvation? It is simply a gift from God received by faith, and is a symbolic act of obedience and a public declaration of one's faith.
Paul said: "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." (1 Cor 1: 17)
Also:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast."(Eph 2: 8-9)
Baptism is a work we perform and therefore cannot save us:
JOEL - Paul did baptize some people but he was not sent to build a reputation based on the number of converts he could get. Paul made it clear that he was focusing on preaching the gospel and leaving the performance of baptisms to other qualified people.
We are indeed saved by faith and grace, but baptism is not a work we perform, it is a work that God performs through us to wash away our sins.
Your statement of baptism being a gift from God and an act of obedience is true and is a belief held by most Protestant faiths, but it is also evident from the scriptures that it is also a requirement for salvation.
Jesus said:
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16)
And:
"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)
Even Jesus, who never sinned, was baptized to show obedience to God and be the example for us to follow:
"But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." (Mat 3 14-15)
Peter said:
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2: 38)
Peter also said:
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10: 47-48)
Peter didn't just tell them they could be baptized now, he "commanded" them to be baptized
Jesus told His Apostles:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matt 28: 19)
Why would Jesus tell His Apostles to baptize people if it were not essential to their salvation?
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