The Mode Of Baptism Illustrated In Scripture, and Who Gets Baptized?
1 Peter 3:20…in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, NKJV
How does Baptism save us? We are not born again by water baptism; but it is the symbol or picture of the real ark; Jesus who saves us. Water baptism is the symbol for what really happens to the believer. It can not cause one to be saved.
It is not the water or putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience.
“The like figure”: the figure of baptism or being saved by water was a boat afloat, not immersed. The point is, it is not the water, but the response of conscience that is Baptism! A good conscience; not water that can only wash the flesh.
Not the putting away the filth of the flesh: which is to say, what saves us is not the water in the symbol, but the answer of a good conscience; is what this text teaches!
The same is true of 1 Cor.10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;…
How were all people, including children baptized? They were baptized into the covenant family by obedience. The answer of a good conscience. Moses is a type of Christ, as was the ark. They were baptized by obeying the symbol of being safely taken through judgment. Believers are saved by the efficacy of Christ who passed through the judgment of God for them and paid their penalty. We can do nothing to merit this salvation. Only Christ could get us pardon from the judgment that came upon those in the flood and those dying in the Red Sea; and the judgment to come upon all who do not obey Him. According to Paul and Peter what was done in the OT baptism and was an act of good conscience in obeying and doing the type or sign or symbol of that regeneration that truly pardons us from final judgment.
These texts says nothing of immersion. It speaks of obedience from the heart!! The only way water baptism can be said to save us is as a type of the real baptism of the Spirit in regeneration.
The passage through God’s judgment which was procured by another; Noah and his ark, or Moses and his parting of the Sea were types.
The obvious mistake of those who state baptizo always means immersed, is manifest as we saw in the baptizo at the Red Sea where they were on dry ground.
Pharoah’s Egyptians were immersed in judgment, while God’s people were said to be baptized as they walked on dry ground through the parted Red Sea. The only water for the covenant people here would have been the sprinkling overspray from the held back waters. Immersion is more clearly a sign of judgment than baptism in scripture.
Baptism in these passages does not mean immersion in water but the answer of a good conscience toward God. Water baptism does not convert us, it does not unite us to Christ in his death or burial. That is the old heretical teaching of baptismal regeneration.
We see the contrast in this verse of water baptism with the non-immesion, non-water baptism of the Spirit. Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” NKJV
So we see there is more than one distinct useage and meaning for the word baptism in scripture. One is Read Whole Article Click Here
