@LoveofTruth Do you think it's also possible that Jesus meant water baptism? Why did Peter think baptism was important for the gentiles he was writing to? He said: "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 good 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 having been subjected to him." (1 Peter 3:21-22). Why did Paul baptize the gentile Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:16)?
The verse in 1 PETER 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)
This section of scripture show that this baptism saves us, and as already pointed out, the saving baptism is not water baptism, but a baptism into Christ by one Spirit (1 Cor 12;13, Gal. 3:27) and to put on Christ, baptized into his death. So here again we see this confirmed by Peter.
And we know that we are saved by
the gospel 1 Cor 15:1-4,and no water baptism, or Sabbaths, or Mosaic law, or the Lords supper or any other ordinance or ritual is added to that gospel or we would be preaching another gospel.
It is worth noting that Peter only speaks of what
“saves” here and says it is this baptism by the resurrection of Christ, he does not mention the death of Christ as the saving aspect, though we know that both the death of Christ and the resurrection are needed for salvation. But Peter is focusing on the “
saving part”, the
new life and inward immersion into Christ by his resurrection. Paul defines each of these works and their place, when he says,
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”(Romans 5:10, KJV)
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:25 KJV)
This is a very important understanding here for Peter talks of what now
“saves us”, and this is the baptism he mentions in this place.
While it is true that we are also baptized “into Christ” ( this being done by the Spirit at salvation ( 1 Cor 12;13), were baptized into “Christ “death” (Romans 6:3,4), this referring to our identity with the cross of Christ and we die to self in this and are buried with him. Paul says we were planted together in the likeness of his death. This is in connection to the engrafted word which is the seed sown in the heart and our life , or rather our new life in connection with that seed as the fallow ground of our heart is broken up and the seed planted in our heart. This part of our baptism is our inward circumcision connection to Christ, this is not the new life aspect, the new life is in the resurrection as we are raise up with him to life.
“Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:44 KJV). This is a deep spiritual reality in believers, Paul speaks of this in connection to the spiritual baptism, and says
“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:5,6 KJV).
This dying and rising with Christ is a common theme in the New Testament, Paul expresses such things in very profound words, when he says,
“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”(2 Corinthians 4:10 KJV). This dying and rising is the power of the gospel in our lives, and a daily one. This is how we are truly baptized into Christ. But when we read of being risen with him, is referring to our salvation in the newness of life at the new birth.
If Christ had only died on the cross we would have no hope, and if we only die with Christ we would not know the joy of the newness of life being risen with him. And so we
“shall be saved by his life”, that is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ as Peter says (1 Peter 3:21 KJV).
To understand this section of scripture more fully, we need to look at the previous verse that Peter wrote, which says,
“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. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us...” (1 Peter 3:20,21 KJV)
Here Peter uses the
ark of Noah as a symbol or figure of believers being baptized into Christ. His connects the two to show in a figure the baptism that saves us.
The figure of being saved
in the ark, is like believers being saved in Christ or baptized into him. In that ark they died to the old world and rose up to a new one, lifted up above the judgement of the old world by and through the water, into the heavens and found rest in God, Noahs name meaning,
“rest” and he figures the rest we now experience
in Christ. This whole figure is showing how we are also baptized
into Christ being saved by
his resurrection. This is a wonderful lesson about our spiritual new birth, and being risen with Christ
Therefore, it is obvious that when Peter mentions the figure of Noahs ark and the salvation God gave them, he is showing believers that our salvation is similar to this, and that the saving baptism he speaks of is a spiritual one, which is into Christ.
Peter clarifies what this saving baptism is not and says it is,
“not the putting away of the filth of the flesh”, or in other words, it is
not an outward washing with water. The word
“filth” meaning
“dirt” in the Greek, and relates to the physical washing of dirt from the body. The word "filth" here is a different word from “filthiness of the flesh” in another place.
So from Peters verse none can say that he is speaking of water baptism that saves here, but this saving baptism he speaks of is an inward baptism into Christ as the figure of the ark of Noah signifies and as they were raised up into the heavens above the judgement, we too are raised up with him into heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2:6).
He goes on further and says what this saving baptism is,
“the answer of a good conscience towards God”, and this is by the resurrection of Christ. Our
conscience can only
be clean, through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:14) and this is an
inward work. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins
(Hebrews 9:22 KJV) the true washing comes then, as we are
“washed from our sins in his own blood” (Revelation 1:5 KJV). This is all the spiritual work of God
“purifying their hearts by faith.”(Acts 15:9), and so a spiritual baptism into Christ is needed
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:15 KJVB). and therfore
“...the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:” (1 Timothy 1:5). And to have a good conscience comes through the saving baptism as Peter said (1 Peter 3:21). This pure, saving and spiritual baptism can not be water in these context.
The answer of a good conscience
The word "
conscience" means,
“with knowledge”. In the Old Covenant God could save them still and work
in mystery in their hearts and they were able to still have a pure heart by faith (Isaiah 38:3, Jeremiah 4:14, Isaiah 51:7, 1 Kings 8:6) and to have life, (Deuteronomy 30:19, Ezekiel 18:28,) and faith in Gods righteousness, (Galatians 3:6). But many things were
hid from them and they could not have
that answer of a good conscience fully because Christ had not risen from the dead yet and the way into the holiest of all was not know. They could still have that witness in their conscience as Paul said (Romans 2:14), and have Christ in them, but all this was in mystery and hidden (Colossians 1:26,27) they saw shadows and types, and diverse washings and carnal ordinances (Hebrews 9:8-10).
But
now in the new covenant, the
way is known clearly through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and all mankind can now have the answer of a good conscience, knowing the Christ work has been done, finished, and Christ has risen again, being accepted of God and declared to be the Son of God with Power. We can now receive the the Holy Ghost who was not poured out upon all flesh until Christ finished work and was he was glorified (John 7:9). The
full assurance of hope is known to all, whereas even though the
OT saints had hope, but that
“full assurance of hope” Hebrews 10:22 and
“the answer of a good consceince” came by the resurrection of Christ.
Scripture teaches then, that the saving baptism is an inward work of the heart affecting the conscience (Timothy 1:5). This harmonizes with the many other scriptures where Paul defines the
“one baptism” for all believers as being by one Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).
This baptism cannot be achieved in the flesh. However, a baptism in water is easy for the flesh, and many can perform a ritual
without having an inward change. But few there be that find the narrow path and who are baptized into Christ death burrial and resurrection, where the flesh is crucified and their new man risen in Christ. This is
a deep inward work, not made with hands.
No outward ordinance can cleanse the conscience, as it is written
,
“... the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances” Hebrews 9:8-10.)
In the context here we see the
“divers washings” (baptisms) of the Old Covenant also could not cleanse the conscience. Those ordinances could not give the true knowledge of the finished work that Christ would do in time.
Peter says that the “baptism that doth also now save us” is connected to the “answer of a good conscience”,
so he cannot be referring to outward water baptism, for that would contradict these verses in Hebrews 9 which says that no diverse washings (baptisms) and carnal ordinances could make them perfect as pertaining to the conscience, water baptism would be included in this. Rather, the saving baptism is an inward work of the Spirit as the Hebrew writer reveals,
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14). Having our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience is clearly an inward work as we have seen (Hebrews 10:22).
As we read in Hebrews 9 it speaks of the
“gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;” Hebrews 9:9. This is referring to the
shadows and forms of the law with the many sacrifices and ordinances, could not make them perfect
according to their conscience or their understanding and knowledge, so a continual sacrificial system was set up, and a memory of their sins constantly, because if they were once purged, they should have had no more conscience of sins.
(Hebrews 10:1-4), they could not look unto the end of that which is abolished
(2 Corinthians 3:13,14).
But even though they did not have the "full knowledge" yet of Gods revelation of salvation, they could still be perfected in their hearts, ways and faith as many scriptures bear this out in the Old Testament; “I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight” (Isaiah 38:3), “O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved”, (Jeremiah 4:14, notice the heart washing here), “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law;” (Isaiah 51:7), “Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.” (1 Kings 15:14) “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9), “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23), “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me“ (Psalms 51:10),
For those who were alive before Christ came to the earth, it was the
“conscience” or the knowledge that was lacking, and the shadows and figures of Christ work are for those who were given the ordinances and the law, Christ work was only seen in types and shadows, in sacrifices and ordinances that could not give the true understanding in the conscience and make it perfect.
But now New Testament believers can enter in
boldly to the throne of grace and be perfected forever for them that are sanctified through continual faith,
(Hebrews 10:1, Collossians 1:23). Believers in the new covenant have received of His fullness and have their conscience clean. They can have a full assurance of hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They also have the
witness in themselves and are risen with him. This gives the answer or the inquiry of a good conscience which will bear witness inwardly.
If we read further into Peters words in 1 Peter 3:21
without the parenthesis, it is read this way,
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us....by the ressurection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:21. Paul said that Christ was risen for our justification
(Romans 4:25) and that he we are buried with Christ by baptism and raise with him to the newness of life
(Colossians 2:12). This baptism is related to the resurrection power of Christ in our hearts, this is the grace of God (or his free gift given by His Spirit influencing our hearts, and giving us joy) that saves us.
It is worth noting also
eight souls were saved in the ark. Eight is a number of resurrection as we read in scripture, on the eighth day Christ rose from the dead, and on the eighth day children were circumcised, There are seven days in the Jewish week, the eighth day speaks of a new day, or new life. So eight souls were saved in the ark typifying resurrection, and the saving baptism is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the figure is of dying to the old life and being risen with him inwardly is the reality of that figure. This is true of all that have been saved of all time, even before Christ came.
In conclusion to Peters description of the saving baptism, we can observe a certain truth. Namely, that while we need Christ death on the cross for our sins, and this is the way we are reconciled to God and justified before him, signifying that we can approach God through Christ righteousness, this is not enough by itself, for unless we are risen with him in the likeness of his resurrection (Romans 6:5), being born again and baptized into Christ then we would not be saved. Both are needed, faith and grace, and believing and being baptized into Christ, the saving aspect in us is connected to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and this is our saving baptism.
We can safely say then, that Peter speaks of a saving baptism, and not an outward work or washing of water baptism, but an inward work of God in the heart and where the conscience has an answer.
