Faith & Baptism

Were you baptized first, and then received faith to believe? Or did faith come first, then baptism? Do you think it matters? If you were baptized as an infant, should you still be baptized again as an adult after you have received faith?
I still find confusion on this subject, so I thought it good to write about these things for you. First, you must remember that it is faith in Jesus Christ—His death and resurrection—that saves you for eternity.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. -Acts 4:12
For by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. -Eph 2:8-9
Baptism is a miracle of God by which—through water and the Word—you are set free from the sinful nature. In the Old Testament, God used the word “circumcision” to foretell of what He would do for us in baptism. In that case, the foreskin represented the sinful nature that had to be “done away with.” In the New Testament, Baptism is portrayed as being crucified (with Christ) and raised up to live a new life. The following verse puts it together:
For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. -Rom 6:6-7
Faith allows you to know God, through Jesus. Through faith you have an anchor for your soul in heaven, and the hope of eternal life in your heart. But God wanted more for you. More than knowing you are saved and hoping for that future, He wants you to experience His salvation now–in this life—and be filled with His power. He wants you to become a vessel in whom He lives, moves, and speaks by His Spirit. This becomes reality through baptism. So faith saves you from your sins; baptism saves you from the sinful nature. When both are present, you have been born again.
If you are baptized as an infant, the sinful nature is “done away with,” but the blessings and power of a life free from the sinful nature will not be realized until faith comes. Once faith comes, you can understand and rejoice. If faith comes first, you will be prompted by God to get baptized. He wants you to experience Kingdom living now! If a person is baptized but never receives faith, they are not saved. Faith brings eternal life; baptism saves us from the sinful nature in this life.
I believe God performs His work through baptism at any age. Faith is not required for it to “work.” Faith enables us to believe what He did for us through baptism, but it does not matter if faith came first or last. In the Old Testament, the command was to circumcise infant males when they were 8 days old. This clarifies another point: You only need to be baptized once. Once the sinful nature is done away with, it is gone. You do not need to do away with it again. When the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!
Finally, you should know that it is impossible to be baptized “Methodist,” or “Catholic,” or “Lutheran.” Those are manmade membership drives, designed to keep you in their denomination for life. You are baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ. You are Christian!