Note 10 at 1Co 1:17: This is a very important statement by the Apostle Paul that reveals a lot about the way he viewed water baptism. If he had deemed water baptism necessary for salvation, as some people proclaim today, he would never have made a statement like this.

Just as with Peter, when he argued for the conversion of the Gentiles before the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (see note 5 at Ac 11:18), Paul did not consider baptism a requirement for salvation.

There is no argument that water baptism is a command of Jesus and should therefore be performed (Mt 28:19), but it is error to teach that it is essential for salvation.