First, I think we could all agree that just because a majority holds an opinion does not make it correct. Biblical scholars can be wrong. When Christ began His ministry the majority of biblical scholars did not believe that He was the Messiah. They were wrong.
Second, I do not believe that God’s word is so murky that you need a PhD to understand it. It is not safe to simply believe what scholars tell us; we need to study it out ourselves. If you do, you will find the gospel is plain and understandable.
Third, I am not sure if it is safe to say that most biblical scholars do say that baptism isn’t necessary. I am not aware that today’s biblical scholars have been polled on the subject. It is certainly true that for the first 1500 years of the Church most biblical scholars believed that baptism was necessary.
It may also surprise you that most people who identify themselves as Christians today belong to a denomination that officially teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation. The Church of Christ, as well as those of the Anglican Communion, Apostolic Brethren, Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists, Roman Catholics, many Pentecostal groups, and others all officially teach that baptism is for salvation. These groups represent well over two-thirds of people who call themselves Christians. They disagree about how or when to baptize or who is eligible, but they all read the same Bible and came to the conclusion that baptism is necessary.
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