Baptism Now Saves You

Hey, I'm in a heavy e-mail discussion with an evangelical musician. We are going over purgatory, Eucharist and Infant Baptism. What do I say about

And baptism which saves you – not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ… (1 Peter 3:21)

It seems they want to use this passage as an argument for baptism as a mature appeal from an adult and a symbol rather than a true cleansing –– HELP!

n regards to your question regarding 1 Peter 3:21. Here is the context of the verse:

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. (1 Peter 3:18-23)

A couple of things for you to consider:

#1 –

Some advice for you. Whenever you are talking to an Evangelical about any passage, read the verses (or the chapter) before and after the verse(s) in question. That way you can understand the context of the teaching.

In this case, you will notice that water is the INSTRUMENTAL cause of salvation. Notice that the verse, v.20, IMMEDIATELY preceding the verse from the one you quoted (v.21) says: #q@eight persons were SAVED THROUGH WATER." That is the CONTEXT that we are to understand baptism. It is THROUGH the waters of baptism, which is the sacrament of faith, that we are saved.

#2 –

Verse 21 says: "baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you". There are two things here. First, it says quite clearly that "baptism now saves". Ask him if he agrees with Holy Scripture or not? Ask him to repeat those words to himself out loud. If he rejects it, he rejects what the Scriptures teach. Notice, for instance, it does not say faith now saves you, although of course, it is a necessary precondition. It is baptism, just like the Bible says, which is the instrument that God uses to save. Secondly, notice the context of the teaching. It surrounds the phrase "which corresponds to this". Well, ask him what this phrase is referring to? It is referring to the IMMEDIATE preceding verse which teaches that WATER SAVES. In other words, the flood cleansed the earth of filth and saved Noah and his family just like baptism does in our souls.

#3 –

"…not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience". This is actually a support for the Catholic position as well. St. Peter is reminding his readers that baptism is not an empty symbol removing dirt from the body, but it is truly spiritual which actually does give you a clear conscience because you have been forgiven through the waters of baptism – the sacrament of faith. Unless you are born of water and the spirit (i.e. baptism), you will not enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

#4 –

Tell him to compare the above passage to Romans 6:1-6.

#5 –

Challenge him to find one church father or early Christian who denies what the Catholic Church teaches by baptism.

For my comprehensive paper on the subject, click here.

John Pacheco

September 18, 2001