Well, where does the Bible teach that? Is it a public confession of faith? How public was the Ethiopian eunuch’s baptism?Here are a couple of interesting passages on baptism:Colossians 212 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.13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;Acts 22
Baptism is the first step of obedience once a person is saved.It may or may not be public. I have had to baptize by affusion on several occasions, some in people’s homes.
As with most things, we often go too far in the other direction when we see doctrinal error. I don’t believe the Bible teaches baptismal regeneration. You mentioned the Ethiopian eunuch. He was truly converted. He went on his way with joy. Earlier in the same chapter Simon Magus was baptized. After his baptism he was said to be in bitterness and iniquity. So clearly the water didn’t wash away the sins of Simon. When speaking to the Corinthians, Paul mentioned that Israel was Baptized into Moses. Clearly this was about identity. In that analogy it wasn’t the Israelites who got wet…it was the Egyptians! So while I could not point to you an explicit statement that baptism is an outward symbol of an inward reality, surely the concept of identity supports the idea.
To begin with, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance but it was not Christian baptism (Acts 19:1-5will affirm this). Baptism doesn’t save the Christian any more than Abraham’s circumcision saved him. It was his faith that brought justification. Similarly, it is the Christian believer’s faith in Jesus Christ that brings remission of sins. The water is an outward symbol of the believer’s saving faith much in the same way circumcision was the outward symbol of the faith Abraham already had.
To begin with, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance but it was not Christian baptism (Acts 19:1-5will affirm this). Similarly, it is the Christian believer’s faith in Jesus Christ that brings remission of sins. I do not see them as the same thing, either. But the same phrase phrase ‘baptism for the forgiveness of sin’ appears in reference to both John’s baptism and Christian baptism. (NKJV)