Radio Transcript

Baptism in the Preaching of Peter

In the American Standard Version of 1901, I Peter 3:21 reads: "which also after a true likeness doth now save you….." From the New King James Version, I Peter 3:21 reads: "There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism….." From the New American Standard I Peter 3:21 reads: "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you…" From the Revised Standard Version, I Peter 3:21 reads: "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you….." From the New International Version, I Peter 3:21 reads: "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you….." Friends, I don’t necessarily endorse all of these translations, or versions, of the Bible. So why do I mention them? Because there is not one commonly accepted Bible translation or version that renders I Peter 3:21 in such a way that it negates the necessity of baptism as a condition of salvation.

Why does Peter draw a parallel between the waters of the flood of Noah’s day and water baptism of our day? Let’s look at I Peter 3:18-21: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 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. 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:"

Friends, Peter drew a parallel between the water of the flood of Noah’s day and water baptism of our day because the waters of the flood pre-figured water baptism. In what way? First, the waters of the flood supported the ark and allowed those who were in the ark to escape destruction. Today, water baptism is the final condition in God’s plan whereby man may be saved. Through obedience to God’s plan, man is able to be saved from destruction. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16). Someone may say, Jesus did not say he that is not baptized shall be damned. Friends, he didn’t have to. He already said he that believeth not shall be damned. If a person does not believe, there’s no point in going any further in God’s plan. Baptism will not help a person who does not believe. Second, the waters of the flood separated those who were saved from the disobedient who perished. Today, the water of New Testament baptism separates those who are saved from the disobedient who will perish. Third, the evils of the world were destroyed by the flood, enabling Noah and his family to begin a new existence. Today, in baptism, the old man of sin with all its evils is buried. Romans 6:4 teaches that in baptism we rise to walk in newness of life.

But some will still insist that Noah was saved by faith and the flood was simply a picture of his salvation. The flood was a mere picture of that which he had already received. But let’s look at Hebrews 11:7: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." How was Noah saved? Not by faith alone. Noah was saved by a faith that was accompanied by obedience. In order for Noah and his house to be saved, Noah had to obey God by building the ark. In order for you to be saved from your sins, you must be baptized.

The Bible describes baptism as a burial. Paul wrote: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death" (Romans 6:3-4). To the church at Colosse Paul wrote: "Buried with him in baptism" (Colossians 2:12). Imagine a dog taking his bone and simply laying it on top of the ground. Would you say he buried his bone? Of course not! Imagine a dog putting part of the bone in the ground but leaving half of it sticking up out of the ground. Would you say the dog buried his bone? Of course not! The bone is not buried unless it is completely covered. Simple, isn’t it? A person is not buried with Christ in baptism unless he is immersed, or buried, in water.

Next from I Peter 3:21 consider the word "doth." Notice, Peter said there is something that baptism does. First, baptism frees us from the guilt of our sins. Peter said that we are to be baptized "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38).

Second, baptism results in our being added to the New Testament church. Paul wrote: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (I Corinthians 12:13). That body of course, is Christ’s church (Colossians 1:18).

Third, baptism results in our becoming a child of God. Paul wrote, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26.) How are we children of God? By faith alone? No! Notice verse twenty-seven: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Fourth, baptism allows us to have a fresh start, spiritually speaking. When we are baptized we become "new creatures" in God’s sight (II Corinthians 5:17). Old things are passed away, all things are become new.

Sixth, baptism places a person in Christ. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death" (Romans 6:3). A person who has not been baptized, and is thus outside of Christ, is unable to enjoy any spiritual blessings, for all spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

Next from I Peter 3:21 consider the words, "now save us." Peter wrote, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that baptism now saves us. But many people want to rewrite the Bible. They want to change Peter’s words to say, "baptism does not save us." But the teachings of those who say we do not have to be baptized to be saved use the same deception that Satan used in the garden of Eden when the serpent told Eve, "Ye shall not surely die."

"But wait a minute," they say. "The Bible teaches we are saved by grace." I don’t disagree with that. Paul wrote, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). The Bible also teaches we are saved by the blood of Christ. "In whom we have redemption through his blood" (Ephesians 1:7). We are saved by the word of God. James wrote: "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21). We are saved by hope (Romans 8:24). We are saved by faith (Romans 5:1). We are saved by our obedience. "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:9). And Peter taught that we are saved by baptism (I Peter 3:21).

Does the fact that we are saved by the blood of Christ, we are saved by the word of God, we are saved by hope, we are saved by obedience, and we are saved by faith diminish God’s grace in any way? Of course not! Does the fact that Peter taught we are saved by baptism diminish God’s grace in any way? Does it in any way make God’s grace less important? Of course not! Only a fool would answer yes to such a question.

Baptism, when preceded by faith (Mark 16:16), repentance (Acts 2:38), and confession (Romans 10:8-10), is the specific act of obedience that allows a person to become a recipient of God’s grace.