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:
Please note the three important words at tje beginning of verse 21, “The like figure”. Baptism doesn’t save, what it symbolizes does.
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The Facts About Scriptural Baptism
The Purpose of Baptism
There is a certain amount of emphasis placed on baptism in the New Testament. It is something believers should do; before we look at why, let’s start off by touching on the wrong reason for baptism.
Salvation in the Old Testament is no different than salvation in the New Testament; it went from believing the Messiah would come and pay the price for our sins to believing the Messiah did come and pay the price for our sins. This is called “faith”.
The animal sacrifices covered their sins until the Ultimate Sacrifice cleansed their sins. Baptism is pictured on a few occasions in the Old Testament, but the illustration is a picture of a picture of salvation.
One scripture that causes some confusion with the relationship between salvation and baptism is Mark 16:16
which says “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
He mentioned believing and baptism together to show the order they are to be achieved. Scriptural baptism is believer’s baptism. The Lord wasn’t making baptism part of 87
The Facts About Scriptural Baptism
salvation; if He had, the sentence would have ended differently.
Let’s look at the three responses that Jesus could have finished the thought with, and what each response would have meant.
He could have said “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes but isn’t baptized shall be damned.” This would have been supportive of baptism as a requirement of salvation, but then Ephesians 2:8 would be a lie. Also, what of the person in a desert who gains faith in Christ, but water is nowhere around. Does a lack of water prevent an eternity away from the lake of fire? Of course not.
He could have said “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that isn’t baptized shall be damned.”
This removes the entirety of the “faith” aspect and would lead to baptismal regeneration as the method of salvation, meaning Jesus lied on the cross to the thief who was never baptized. It also makes Ephesians 2:9 a lie as well and makes the entirety of the Catholic church redeemed. Neither is true.
What He did say was “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” This statement shows us that it isn’t baptism that keeps us out of hell. Instead, it reconfirms that it is belief that 88
The Facts About Scriptural Baptism
keeps us out of the lake of fire. Meaning it is belief that saves us. And belief, or faith, alone.
So, if baptism has nothing to do with salvation, why should we be baptized?
First, Jesus set the example for us; if baptism wasn’t beneath His station, it certainly isn’t beneath ours. It also shows that the entirety of the first church, founded during His ministry, consisted of scripturally baptized believers.
And that included Jesus.
Baptizing is part of the Great Commission, meaning the church is expected to do this in perpetuity of the church age.
But the best reason to do it, this public display of our obedience to our Savior, is because Jesus commanded it.
1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments: and his commandments