Colossians 2:11-13 Shows Water Baptism Is Required For Salvation
Colossians 2:11-13 reads, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”verse 11 is talking about the forgiveness of sinsverse 13 is talking about the forgiveness of sinsverse 12 then (contextually) is obviously telling when forgiveness of sins takes place (when we are "buried with him in baptism"), else Paul changed the subject from verse 11 to verse 12, and then back again in verse 13“With him” means "together, at the same time." But we don't literally do these things at the same time as Jesus, as he actually did these things some 2000 years ago. How then do we do these things “with” Jesus? The answer is - when we are “planted together (with him) in the likeness of his death” (Romans 6:5). “Planted … in the likeness of his death” has to be water baptism:· We are Buried together WITH HIM by being buried in water baptism which pictures his burial.· We are Risen together WITH HIM by rising out of water baptism which pictures his resurrection.· So we are Made Alive (“quickened”) together WITH HIM by being made alive spiritually ("forgiven") in water baptism which pictures his being made alive physically again (resurrection).The reason it can be said we are made alive WITH HIM, is that we are made alive when we picture his being made alive, that is, when we are raised out of the waters of baptism. If we are forgiven before baptism, then we wouldn't be made alive WITH him, we would be made alive BEFORE him (that is, before we picture his resurrection).Conclusion: Colossians 2:11-13 proves forgiveness of sins occurs when one is baptized