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Pilgrim said:
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xyz said:
There is no general command for water baptism anywhere in Scripture.
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In view of the fact that water baptism became to great extent the next circumcision, a work vainly put towards justification, the saints may decide to omit this now empty ritual.
xyz,

Strange how all my English translations of the Bible and both my Greek texts (Westcott-Hort and TR) all have myriad passages which specifically state that believers+ are to be baptized. Whereas you may not be using the same reference material, I'll provide just a few of those passages for your benefit below:

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Matthew 28:19 (ASV) "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:"

Acts 2:38 (ASV) "And Peter [said] unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Acts 10:48 (ASV) "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days."

1 Corinthians 1:12-16 (ASV) "Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos: and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius; lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other." (the passage undeniably implies that Christian baptism was universally practiced and is assumed here by Paul)<br>
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The first of these is a general command, but does not mention water; the next two are not general commands; the last is not command. The fact that Paul baptized so remarkably few is indication of his own view of its importance.

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Secondly, I cannot understand your description of baptism as a "now empty ritual"?
You do not understand what John said to the Pharisees and Sadducees?

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The covenant sign of baptism, which replaced the covenant sign of circumcision (cf. Col 2:11, 12)
The 'circumcision done by Christ' is spiritual, in obedience to this command:

'"Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer."' Dt 10:16 NIV

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The apostle Peter probably has the best summary statement concerning baptism here:

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1 Peter 3:18-22 (ASV) "Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: which also after a true likeness doth now save you, [even] baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; who is one the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him."<br>
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Are we to understand, then, that it is water baptism that justifies?