The petty things include worrying about an external, third party, human activity, like baptism, instead of focusing on the actual words of Jesus instructing us how to live in love and charity. I am not against baptism, and have been baptized myself. It is meaningless, however, without a life that follows the instruction of Jesus. The sermon on the mount does not mention baptism.
http://www.gotquestions.org/baptism-Mark-16-16.html
I would not want to be in a position of labeling Christ own words as "external, third party, human activity."
Acts 3:22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."
1) To claim it is "External" is to claim it is not in Scripture. See Mt 28:19
2) To claim it is "third party" is to attribute Christ own words to .......?
3) To claim it is "human activity" is to deny God's work. Col 2:11,12 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
"It is meaningless, however, without a life that follows the instruction of Jesus."
AMEN!
"The sermon on the mount does not mention baptism."
Nor does it mention confession or belief.