Before we examine anything else, we must start here: Jesus commanded it.
Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). Not someone else’s church. His church. Built by Him, on His terms, according to His commands. And in the final words He spoke to His apostles before ascending to the Father, Jesus said:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
— Matthew 28:19–20
And in the Gospel of Mark:
“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
— Mark 16:16
Read that again. “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved.” Not “he who has believed shall be saved and may also consider being baptized at some point.” Belief and baptism are joined together in the Lord’s own words. On what authority does anyone separate what Jesus joined?
This is not a suggestion. This is not an invitation to consider a symbolic gesture at your convenience. This is a command from the head of the church. And the question every honest person must ask is: If Jesus commanded it, how can anyone call it unnecessary?