Are you saved? P.S.: Baptism

On baptism...This is in response to a comment from a reader.  I must be slipping in my old age.  Baptism can be a tricky subject depending on the doctrines you were raised with, so this next bit is going to be my opinion supported by various scriptures. 

First, baptism as I read it in the scripture is done by immersion.  It's a picture of burial and resurrection. Jesus was baptized by John, his cousin to fulfill scripture and to please the Father.
   
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.  And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"  But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus commanded that baptism be performed by His followers for new believers.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20

Baptism is a sign of repentance, as indicated in Acts chapter 2 but it is not just water baptism that is spoken of. The water immersion is a symbol of our baptism into the Holy Spirit.  We must separate the two, lest we wander into a legalistic view, seeing water immersion as necessary to enter Heaven.  When a person experiences salvation, they receive the Spirit. Jesus spoke of this, as did John the Baptizer. Peter said it this way to a crowd in Judea.

    John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."
Luke 3:16,17

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.  Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'  If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"
Acts 11:15-17

These converts had received the Holy Spirit. They had been baptized in the fire of the Spirit. They would be immersed in water later.  So, the two things are separate. 

Now, that being said, are we then able to ignore the act of water immersion?  To paraphrase Paul, Heaven forbid!  Baptism is the public symbol of what has happened in the new believer's soul. Jesus set the example and the practice was done as soon as possible for all new converts in the first century church.  Immersion is the picture of our death to sin and the resurrection into a new life as a new creature in Christ.  It is, I believe, the first most important step of obedience a new Christian takes part of.  If a person refuses to be baptized, I would wonder about their will to obey Christ and by extension their claim to be saved.  When Philip met the eunuch and witnessed to him, he was converted and as soon as they came to a body of water, he wanted to be baptized.

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"  Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
Acts 8:36-38

So, we get saved, immersed in the Holy Spirit then we follow in obedience and follow the example set by Christ and His disciples by being water immersed before the church body.  As I said, you may have different doctrinal teachings and we could get way off into the weeds. Arguments arise from smaller subjects. I'll leave it at this.  Keep seeking out the Word of God and keep praying!