The Church of Christ places a slightly higher premium on baptism than the Baptist church (ironic given the names of the denominations), because the Church of Christ generally contends that belief and baptism are one phenomenon (and neither of them is a "work" - that's a myth!) They get that from Acts 2:38: "Believe and baptized, all of you". Whereas the Baptist doctrine splits the two things up, and you can do the baptism a bit more at your leisure.
I find the above a bit odd, and perhaps unfair. Stepping into water and allowing someone to put one briefly under and then raise one up is a physical act - I can't see that as anything but a work. That said, as a Baptist and Bible literalist I see baptism as essential, not for salvation but for obedience, and immersion is the only manner which fits the Romans 6 imagery of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. It's a believer's testimony of what Christ has already done.
The unfair thought relates to "at your leisure" and the experience of my wife and myself, each being saved while attending a mainline Methodist church decades ago. As babes in Christ in a church where the full Gospel was not being preached, we had little Christian growth for nearly 10 years. Finally, God worked to move us to attend a fundamental church, named "Bible" but thoroughly baptistic in doctrine and practice. However, that occurred in January, in the northern tip of Maine, and since the little rural church had no access to a baptistery, we had to wait (or chisel thru 3 feet of ice.) Baptisms were set for when the water was warmed up, which meant July, and my wife and I were then baptized at the first such opportunity. (The then-unsaved sister of another being baptized received Christ as Savior during the baptisms - she, at least, got baptized within minutes of salvation.)
I find the above a bit odd, and perhaps unfair. Stepping into water and allowing someone to put one briefly under and then raise one up is a physical act - I can't see that as anything but a work. That said, as a Baptist and Bible literalist I see baptism as essential, not for salvation but for obedience, and immersion is the only manner which fits the Romans 6 imagery of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. It's a believer's testimony of what Christ has already done.
The unfair thought relates to "at your leisure" and the experience of my wife and myself, each being saved while attending a mainline Methodist church decades ago. As babes in Christ in a church where the full Gospel was not being preached, we had little Christian growth for nearly 10 years. Finally, God worked to move us to attend a fundamental church, named "Bible" but thoroughly baptistic in doctrine and practice. However, that occurred in January, in the northern tip of Maine, and since the little rural church had no access to a baptistery, we had to wait (or chisel thru 3 feet of ice.) Baptisms were set for when the water was warmed up, which meant July, and my wife and I were then baptized at the first such opportunity. (The then-unsaved sister of another being baptized received Christ as Savior during the baptisms - she, at least, got baptized within minutes of salvation.)
