I have had for the longest time a big problem with baptism. That problem was not baptismal efficacy or trying to figure what baptism represented. Baptism has no absolute power to save me, but it is symbolic of death and resurrection, those being of Christ. It does have objective meaning--I or anyone become a member of The Church of believers and The Covenant with God upon the completion.

My problem was... I saw no need for symbolism. For me, since baptism has no absolute efficacy, then it need not be done, and no one does do it for this reason anyway. As for its objectivity, well, I just never really gave it much thought, but after much reading, I see its objectivity very much worth thinking about. But the big hang-up for me, was the symbolism. I am in many ways a product of my generation: 1) pragmatic, 2) technically oriented, with no artistic orientation, 3) shallow, etc. If baptism was only symbolic of something, and didn't really accomplish anything, then why do it? And the only thing that really needed to be accomplished for me and for anyone was salvation, and since baptism does not save me, there is, once again, no need for it.

And even now, I still have some questions. Given the objectivity of baptism, doesn't salvation automatically make me a part of The Church of believers, and automatically bring me into The Covenant with God? So, if salvation itself accomplishes these, then why do we need baptism? And why did Christ not send Paul to baptize (1 Corinthians 1:17), if it is so important?

I'm still working through the issue, but I've come much further in understanding baptism.