December 1, 2005, Vol.4, No.23.

Baptism

Part 7

Keith Sharp

1 Peter 3:17-22: Summary of the Meaning of Baptism

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 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, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. (1 Peter 3:17-22)

Mr. Lane then proceeds to a discussion of 1 Peter 3:17-22 as a summary of the meaning of water baptism. He teaches:

Baptism is a ‘figure’ or illustration of salvation. As such, it is ‘like’ the flood which was an old Testament figure of salvation. The word literally is ‘anti-type’. The Old Testament contains a number of types, that is, illustrations or foreshadowings of the saving work that was to be performed by Christ. The fulfillment of one of these in the New Testament is called the ‘anti-type’. Baptism thus teaches us about salvation, especially when viewed in the light of the flood, for they have a common feature, namely, water. (90-91)

The Bible 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. (1 Peter 3:21, King James Version)

The apostle Peter by inspiration taught, "baptism doth also now save us." Mr. Lane claims, "Baptism thus teaches us about salvation." Whom will you believe? Peter states, "baptism doth also now save us." Mr. Lane would have us believe, "baptism doth also not save us." Whom will you believe?

The author of the book contradicts himself. He has baptism being both the figure (type) and the "like figure" ("anti-type"). It can’t be both. The Old Testament contains the figures (types) which illustrate the spiritual principles of the New Testament, whereas the New Testament contains the fulfillments ("anti-types") of those figures. (Hebrews 8:1-5) Noah’s salvation by water is the figure (type). (1 Peter 3:17-20) Our salvation by water baptism is the fulfillment (anti-type). (1 Peter 3:21-22)

What a beautiful parallel there is between Noah’s salvation and ours. Noah was in danger of death (Genesis 6:13,17), and so were we. (Romans 3:23; 6:23) God saved Noah (Genesis 7:16), and He saves us. (Titus 3:4-5) Noah was saved by grace (Genesis 6:8), and we are too. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Noah’s salvation was by faith (Hebrews 11:7), and so is ours. (Romans 1:16) Noah had to obey God to be saved (Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 6:22; 7:5), and so do we. (Hebrews 5:8-9) Noah was saved by water (1 Peter 3:20), and we are saved by water baptism. (1 Peter 3:21) As the result Noah was saved (1 Peter 3:20; Hebrews 11:7) and righteous (Genesis 7:1; Hebrews 11:7), and so are we. (1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:17-18)

The author further claims:

For every believer is in Christ who bore the judgment of God and rose to life to bring his people to safety. This is what Peter means by ‘saved through water’ - it is through their faith-union with Christ who submitted to the judgment of God for them that believers rise with Christ to eternal security. (92)

Such a muddled misinterpretation of such a clear passage. Is every believer in Christ? As Jesus spoke in the temple, "many believed in Him." (John 8:30) But Jesus denounced these believers, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do." (John 8:44) Were they in Christ? John also records:

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:42-43)

Are believers who refuse to confess Christ because they prefer the praise of men to the praise of God in Christ? Even the demons believe in Christ. (James 2:19) Are they in Christ? We obtain a "faith-union" with Christ when we are baptized into Him. (Galatians 3:26-27) The saved believer is the baptized believer.

Mr. Lane further attempts to explain 1 Peter 3:21:

He might be misinterpreted as preaching ‘baptismal regeneration’ - the idea that it is by being baptised and by that alone that we are saved. But Peter denies this - it is not the water that cleanses us, for then only our flesh would be clean (‘the putting away of the filth of the flesh’). The water of baptism cannot reach our inward being and it is this that needs cleansing. It is our conscience that is defiled and water cannot touch that. (92) 

I do not disagree with one thing the author here teaches, but it is all irrelevant to the issue whether or not water baptism is essential to salvation. No, baptism by itself will not save. Baptism is valid only as it is the obedience of faith. (Mark 16:16; Romans 1:5) No water cannot touch the inward man, and there is no saving power in the water. The blood of Jesus cleanses the conscience from sin (Hebrews 9:13-14), but the sin cleansing power of that blood is applied to the conscience when our bodies are washed in water (Hebrews 10:21-22).

The author proceeds:

What then is the place of baptism here? Baptism is intended as a sign and outward confession of faith in Christ as the one whose death and resurrection are enough to save the soul. This confession is itself part of the faith through which salvation is received, according to Romans 10:9-10.... To be baptised is to say, ‘I have believed on him. I have come as a sinner and cast myself upon him.’ One who is in this position has already cleansed his conscience (Hebrews 9:14). (92)

Baptism is in a sense a confession, but Romans 10:9-10 certainly doesn’t teach it. The confession of that passage is "with your mouth" (verse 9) and "unto salvation." (verse 10) Now, if baptism were this confession, it certainly would be "unto salvation."

Is it not apparent Mr. Lane is not very careful in his use of Scripture? Is he not twisting the Scriptures to his own destruction and the destruction of those who follow him? (2 Peter 3:16)

This is exactly what Peter is saying here - baptism is an acknowledgement of the fact that through faith Christ has already cleansed the conscience.... The word for ‘answer’ used here has the sense of ‘a response to a demand’. The demand is by the crucified Christ to come to him in faith and then go out and confess him in baptism. (93)

Mr. Lane says "answer" means "a response to a demand." The definition of a word may be substituted for that word without changing the meaning of a sentence. So, let’s substitute "response to a demand" for "answer" in 1 Peter 3:21.

There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the ‘response to a demand’ of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Doesn’t make sense does it? Nor does it change the fact that Peter plainly teaches that water baptism does save us.

And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you -- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Corresponding to Noah’s salvation by water, baptism saves us. It’s not that there’s any soul cleansing power in the water, and it’s not because it removes dirt from the body. It’s because, by doing what the Lord says to do to be saved, we are appealing to Him to cleanse our conscience from sin. He does this by giving us the benefit of the blood of Christ. The power is in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, by which He was declared to be the Son of God and enabled to minister His own blood as our High Priest. Thus, in water baptism we call on the name of the Lord, and He forgives our sins. (Acts 2:21,37-38)