More Answers Concerning I Peter 3:21
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin Overfield
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000
More Answers Concerning I Peter 3:21
Many of you will remember that I sent out a Bible Note especially for
Easter entitled "Does Baptism Save us?". Some may also remember that
particular message came about through a question from a subscriber. He
was asking about I Peter 3:21:
"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:"
Well, I did not completely answer the dear brother's questions in that
Bible Note. He proceeded to question further and I answered to the best
of my understanding. Upon rereading our exchange, I thought it good to
share it in revised form with the rest of you.
Now for the questions and answers:
SUBSCRIBER:
"I still don't have a good understanding of what and how that which
is in parentheses is exemplified by water baptism and or relates to the
rest of the verse. In this aspect I thought water baptism did relate as
in the putting away of "Egypt" the former carnal-worldly way of life
and then continuing on to that which was and is promised-Holy
Spirit-promised land. And then, how does the first part of that which
was in parentheses tie in with the second part of the answer of a good
conscience toward God?
"Otherwise, I enjoyed the correlation between the water/ark and
salvation/Jesus.
"Also one more question for now - does it ever refer to Jesus as being the
Ark of the new covenant in the bible? If so I would like to read it.
Thanks
Gods Blessings on and in You"
BIBLE NOTE WRITER:
I knew that I had not really dealt directly with at least some of what
you were asking. I believe that the words "not the putting away of the
filth of the flesh" is a help in the direction of understanding what baptism
is about, in that it is reminding us that water is used to purify or cleanse
the flesh, or physical body. It is generally understood that water is used
to clean things. Of course, soap helps, but water is the primary cleansing
agent. So what is here being taught is that the outer purification of the
body from physical defilement does not save our souls, but it is
representative
of the spiritual cleansing one experiences when he truly repents and is born
again.
"But the answer of a good conscience toward God" is the second half
of the explanation that shows that Peter is speaking of a spiritual
cleansing
to which water baptism gives testimony. See, "the answer of a good
conscience toward God" is the result of having our sins forgiven. There is
then no more condemnation, or guilty conscience. We are then clean.
To say one has a "good conscience" is also to say that one has a clean
conscience. For, if the conscience is not clean, it certainly is not good.
The first part is negatively stating that the physical baptism itself
does
NOT save us from receiving the judgment of God for our sins; the second
part tells us what resultant spiritual condition DOES save us (as a result
of
the grace of God). When one has a good conscience, a conscience that has
no more guilt because he has been saved -- cleansed -- from his sins, he
then
has confidence in God that he shall be delivered from the judgment, or
wrath,
to come.
I plan to deal with baptism more in the future. To me, it seems that
both
the sacraments of baptism and the Communion, or Lord's Supper, have a
certain amount of mystery about them. Part of this may be because they were
never meant to take the place of the reality of a right relationship with
God,
but were to be used as outward forms of the expression of that relationship.
Across the years so many have attached more meaning to the sacraments
than our Lord intended, and sometimes people have neglected them
altogether perhaps through fear of being guilty of the abuses.
As for the "ark of the NEW covenant", the Bible does NOT say
that. I was just making the illustration. Sometimes, you may notice, I
put quotation marks around things that either come from the Bible or
somewhere else (maybe even a song), but may not give a Bible
reference. In this case I only put quotation marks around the word
ARK, because I knew the whole phrase was not in the Bible.
In the Old Testament "the ark of the covenant" was the symbol
of God's presence with the people. Obviously, it was the ark of the
OLD covenant. Now in the new covenant, or New Testament,
Jesus is referred to as Immanuel, "God with us". Therefore, I felt it
appropriate to consider Him as the "ark of the new covenant"
especially since every aspect of the Tabernacle worship pointed to
Jesus.
The ark itself and all that was in it spoke profoundly of Christ:
The Mercy Seat, which constituted the top of the ark, upon which
the blood of atonement was sprinkled and from whence God spoke.
This speaks of Christ's atoning sacrifice -- HIS blood. It also
illustrates the fact that man and God can meet together in the Person
of Christ (as at the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies), Who is both
God and man and has made reconciliation through His blood. And
then there is God's speaking to us through His Son as if from off the
top of the mercy seat in Heaven. For the Scriptures teach us that
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past
unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto
us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1, 2).
Aaron's Rod, that budded, speaking of the Life and resurrection of
Christ, without which there would be no resurrection for the rest of us.
But, thank God that Jesus said, "because I live, ye shall live also."
(John 14:19)
The Pot of Manna, representing God's supernatural supply of
sustenance for His people. Christ plainly said, "Moses gave you not
that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from
heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life unto the world. ... I am the bread which came down from
heaven. ... I am that bread of life." (John 6:32, 33, 41, 48 -- Oh how
wonderfully rich is this passage!)
The Tables of the Law, which law God said He would put in our
hearts under the new covenant. "For this is the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will
put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts"
(Hebrews 8:10). This Jesus accomplished through His death,
resurrection, and by His Spirit shedding the love of God abroad in
our hearts (Romans 5:5).
Jesus being the One to make it all possible -- He also showed us
by His own authority the first two commandments of love and a new
commandment of love, for "love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10).
The first two commandments being to love God with all our hearts, etc.
and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The new commandment, I'm sure
you know, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:24).
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
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