Christ alone saves. So what about baptism?

Acts 10:34-43

"...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him."
-- Acts 10:38

Verse 38 is quoted in Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 7: Holy Supper (SD 7.36) to support the argument against transubstantiation. For, "the divine essence is not transformed into the human nature, but that the two unaltered natures are personally united" in Jesus (SD 7.36).

"All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
-- Acts 10:43

Verse 43 is quoted in Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 4: Justification (AP 4.83) as solid proof that "We receive the forgiveness of sins... through [Jesus'] name, that is, on account of him, and therefore not on account of our merits and not on account of our contrition, attrition, love, acts of worship, or works" (AP 4.83).

Verse 43 is quoted again in Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 12: Repentance (AP 12.65) as part of a familiar argument. "Therefore the only way that we receive the forgiveness of sins is through the name of Christ, that is, because of Christ, and not because of any of our merits or works" (AP 12.65).

And in case that wasn't enough, verse 43 is quoted again in Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 20: Good Works (AP 20.2) arguing, yep, "that the forgiveness of sins takes place freely on account of Christ, that Christ--and not our works--is the atoning sacrifice for sin" (AP 20.2).

Matthew 3:13-17

And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
— Mathew 3:16

Verse 16 is cited in a footnote to The Large Catechism, Part 4: Baptism (LC 4.21, n. 201) near the end of Luther’s argument that we should take baptism seriously and honor it. This citation gives the highest reason: God honors baptism. This passage is a biblical example of God showing how important baptism is.

TheoThru

The interpretation of these two readings could be easily misconstrued. I know this because it happens in some expressions of the Church. If Christ and Christ alone saves, then why bother with baptism? If baptism saves, then is getting baptized a work we can do to be saved?

Christ alone saves. Baptism is the sacrament of the Church that enfolds us in that salvation.

Is baptism necessary? The baptism of the Holy Spirit is necessary because this is how we receive the gift of faith in Jesus. Baptism with water is the Church’s public declaration of God’s action, both in the life of the adult who is baptized and in the life of the parents who bring their child to be baptized.

The faith given by the Holy Spirit draws us to the waters of baptism and into the community of the Church. Whether the baptism of the Spirit happens before, during, or after the sacrament of baptism is not ours to control. What matters is that God honors baptism by pouring out forgiveness of sins, redemption, and salvation in the sacrament of baptism. And if there’s still issues, remember that Jesus—the one and only one who saves—was baptized.

How do we return to the waters of baptism in the challenges of life?
How do we preach and teach so that baptism doesn’t become a work?
How do we make it clear that baptism is not fire insurance?
How do we honor and esteem baptism, and where to we fall short?