Does Baptism Save Us?
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2000
Does Baptism Save Us?
Here's the original question from a subscriber:
"How does baptism save us?"
This question was based on I Peter 3:21 which says, "The like figure
whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away
of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward
God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:".
Let's begin with verse 20 in trying to come to a proper understanding
of these words: "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the
longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a
preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."
This verse is stating that they were saved from a physical death by
the buoyancy of the ark upon the water. Therefore, it says that the water
saved them. Interesting isn't it that the same water which killed probably
billions of people also saved eight of them. This was based upon their
proper relation to the ark. Those who were outside of the ark were
drowned to death, while those who were inside the ark were on the top
of the world, riding out the storm.
Now, the verse in question is referring back to this physical salvation
by water. When it says "baptism doth also now save us", it is prefaced
by "the like figure", which means the "antitype, representative, or
counterpart"
(Strong's Dict.). So, in a similar way as they were saved by water, the
water
of baptism also saves us. But, don't stop here! We must follow this
through.
Add to the salvation here credited supposedly to water baptism the
rest of the non-parenthetical words in the verse: "by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ". Ah, here is the "ark" which bears the truly repentant and
believing soul upon the waters of baptism to a salvation that really saves!
The "ark" is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, or Christ Himself. Without
the
resurrection He would only have been an imposter, and without the true
Christ there would have been no resurrection -- not of Him, nor of the
Christian in the future (at the revelation of Christ when He returns for His
own as He has promised).
If the eight were saved by water and the multitudes were destroyed by
the same water, the primary difference between them being their relation to
the ark -- then how does modern Christianity come out in the wash?
I suggest to you that there are genuine Christians today who have been
obedient in the matter of being baptized by water for a public declaration
of their faith in Christ and of their relationship with Him. They are IN
Him
like Noah was in the ark. Their baptism is an expression of their being
cleansed from a life of dirty, wretched sinfulness.
Then again, there are many nominal "Christians" today who have been
baptized by water for whatever reason, but who do NOT have a proper
relationship with Christ. They are NOT IN Him even as the multitudes
that perished in the flood were NOT in the ark.
Let me ask you, what good will their baptism do them if they are still
wallowing in the filth of their sins? I have seen with my own eyes a
person baptized in water that had not gone the way of true Bible
repentance and of true faith in God. That sinner came out of the water
a wet sinner -- ALL WET.
Some key words to the meaning of this verse are these: "(not the
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,)". I care not if a person has been baptized a
million times by thousands of ministers, priests, prophets, false
messiahs, etc. It will not do his soul any good unless it is done in
obedience with a heart washed from sin in the blood of the Lamb,
Jesus Christ -- the "Ark" of the new covenant.
WARNING: THE BAPTISMAL WATERS CAN BE RATHER
DANGEROUS TO THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ON THE
SPIRITUAL "LIFE PRESERVER" -- THE RESURRECTED CHRIST!
Some have thereby been deceived and have become "twofold
more the child of hell" (Matthew 23:15).
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
Please send this Bible Note to everyone who may be interested or helped by
it. To subscribe to these FREE Bible Notes please send a blank e-mail to
[email protected]