No, I think if a person decides to get baptized per Acts 2:38, they believe enough to do it. We are not the faith police.
So you admit that not everyone who receives water baptism is a genuine believer? One who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of their salvation. There have been plenty of people who have received water baptism because they are trusting in water baptism to save them instead of trusting exclusively in Jesus Christ to save them.
We only ask them if they believe with all their heart as per Acts 8 with Phillip and the eunuch.
Believing in water baptism + other works for salvation is not believing in Jesus Christ with all your heart.
That confession is the qualifier to baptize them for the remission of sins.
Lip service confession + faith in water baptism for salvation (instead of faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation) is not a significant qualifier.
And yes, Acts 2:38 will all we will reflect on as we exit this world.
You mean faith in water baptism instead of faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation is what you will reflect on as you exit this world. I will be reflecting on Acts 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31; 26:18; Romans 1:16; 3:24-28; 4:5-6; 5:1 and numerous other passages of scripture which make it clear man is saved through faith and not by works when I exit this world. Either we are trusting 100% in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation or else we are 100% lost.
I will, by faith, KNOW that my sins were remitted on Oct 7, 1979 at Apostolic Tabernacle when pastor Joe Arroyo baptized me by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of my sins, and I left that night completely delivered from all of my vices to prove it's transforming power.
Moral self-reformation can get confused with regeneration.
That will be my defense before almighty God.
So at the judgment, you will be saying Lord, Lord, didn't
I receive water baptism, attend the church of Christ and do many wonderful works? That will be your defense? I will be saying, Lord, Lord didn't
YOU die for my sins, were buried and rose again the third day to provide for me eternal life. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) I trust in
YOU as the ALL-sufficient means of my salvation.
I received Jesus Christ through faith several years ago late one Saturday night after diligently searching the scriptures and knew without a doubt that I had become born again that night, yet I was unable to receive water baptism until Sunday morning. I actually could not wait to get water baptized on Sunday morning and I even gave a 5 minute testimony just prior to receiving water baptism on how I was raised in the Roman Catholic church and had also temporarily attended the church of Christ and was taught the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration/remission/salvation by works, but now finally understand what it truly means to believe the gospel (Romans 1:16) and my life has been transformed ever since. Praise God! :)
1 John 5:11 - And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and
this life is in His Son. 12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who
believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.