Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation

Transcript

GRM 823
12/8/2002
Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh

As I mentioned this morning, I want to talk a little bit about baptism tonight. We were in Acts 22 this morning. In Acts 22:16 we have the account of Paul's conversion and the instruction of Ananias to arise, be baptized, wash away your sins, calling upon the name of the Lord. This is one of several verses in the New Testament that has been misunderstood by some to indicate that baptism is necessary for salvation. I just want to make some comments about what is involved in salvation and then walk through those verses that are sometimes taken to support the idea that baptism is necessary for salvation and give an alternative explanation to those who would say that baptism is necessary for salvation.

There are numerous verses in the Scripture that we could turn to that would talk about the fact that salvation is by faith alone. I've shared with you before; this is one of the major differences if not the major difference we have with other Protestant and Roman Catholics. Now not every Protestant but many Protestants believe that salvation is by faith. They include that but it's really works. It's a mixture of faith and works which means it's really by works. The Roman Catholic church doctrine it is a matter of faith and works for salvation. So at least they have the advantage of clarity on the issue. I've shared with you the program that they aired, a series really on the Roman Catholic channel and the title of it was "By grace alone, but not faith alone." They are trying to demonstrate that it is all by grace but it's not all by faith. Which one really . . . If it's not by faith alone, it's not by grace alone.

Turn to Acts 11. Just a few passages that emphasize that salvation is by faith, and it can be by faith alone and then we'll walk through some of those passages that are misunderstood. Acts 11. The apostle Peter is recounting the conversion of the Gentiles which took place in Acts 10. You'll note in Acts 11:17. He says, “if God gave to them,” referring to them Gentiles, the house of Cornelius, “the same gift as he gave to us also, after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way." You'll note that Peter is saying that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit upon believing or following believing in Jesus Christ. At the end of verse 18 the Jewish believing leadership in Jerusalem agrees. "God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life." While you're here you can look at verse 47 of chapter 10. They hear Peter preaching the message of the finished work of Christ and they believe it and they receive the Holy Spirit. That's what he has said in chapter 11 verse 17. In chapter 10 verse 47 you remember . . . Then Peter says, "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did." You'll note at least on this occasion in the church's history, baptism followed salvation by faith and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Keep that in mind because you'll find the Scripture emphasis is the way God saves one person is the way God saves everyone. There is never in the Old or New Testament any variation in the way of salvation. It is always by faith alone. We'll say more about that in a moment.

Look in chapter 15 of Acts. These are reviews, passages that we have covered in our recent study through Acts. Acts 15 verse 8. The Jerusalem council Peter is recounting the conversion of the Gentiles again. Because the issue at the Jerusalem council is do Gentiles have to be circumcised for salvation? Verse 5 the issue is raised by the sect of the Pharisees who had believed. There is confusion on the issue of salvation. What's in there ? They believed but they didn't think that was enough. They said it is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses. You see for them salvation was by faith plus circumcision plus keeping the Law. They weren't denying the necessity of faith in Christ. These are believing Pharisees, but they were requiring circumcision.

Peter says in verse 8, "And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them." He's talking about the Gentiles, the occasion in Acts 10. "Giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did to us, and He made no distinction between us and them." Us Jews and them referring to Gentiles. "Cleansing their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear but we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way as they are also." The writer makes a point here we believe that Jews are saved in the same way as Gentiles. In other words, circumcision is not part of salvation for Jews anymore than it is for Gentiles. You'll note the way he puts it in verse 11. Verse 9 he says at the end of the verse, "Cleansing their hearts by faith." Verse 11, "We believe we are saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." You'll see if it is by grace alone, it is by faith alone. We ought to be careful of artificial distinctions. If someone who says by grace alone but not by faith alone. If it is not by faith alone, it is not by grace alone. Peter makes that very connection. If you are adding circumcision to the issue of faith, it is not by faith alone. Then they are not being saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ because any works added make it works, not grace. Paul talks about that in Romans 11.

Turn back to the book of Romans. Or over to the book of Romans. Back toward the back of your Bible. The next book after Acts. Romans. Turn to Romans 11:6 the verse I just referred to. Romans 11:6, "If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works otherwise grace is no longer grace." Salvation is not by faith alone in Christ alone, it is not by grace alone. Any works of any kind made part of the requirement of salvation nullify grace. It cannot be by faith plus works. If it is, it is not by grace because as soon as you add works, you nullify grace. Back up to Romans 4. A passage I usually take you to on this issue of baptism although baptism is not mentioned at all. Now look at verse 28 of chapter 3, just before chapter 4. Romans 3:28. “We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law." That's true for Jews and Gentiles. "Is He the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also since God is one." Now in the way my translation has this arranged. "Since God" begins verse 30 and "is one" is at the end. I believe in some of the New American Standard Bibles they have may have rearranged the wording here but what you want to find in this, and the statement is "Since God is one." That's the key idea in verse 30. "God is one - the One who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised by faith. The argument is there is only one God, there is only way of salvation for Jew and Gentiles alike. The God who saved Gentiles by faith alone saved Jews by faith alone. Remember circumcision never did save anyone. What was required is the circumcision of the heart as the prophets proclaimed. Physical circumcision was to be a manifestation of their relationship with God, an act of obedience, marking the nation off in a distinct way. But no one was ever saved by circumcision. No one was ever saved by faith plus circumcision; and that's what chapter 4 demonstrates.

What he's done . . . Since there's only one God, one way of salvation, chapter 4 gives us an example, a clear example, of how God saved one key individual in Old Testament history, in Israel's history, the founding father of the nation Israel, the man Abraham. "What shall we say that Abraham our forefather according to the flesh has found. If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about." Remember Romans 11? If it's by works, it's not by grace. And if it's by works, then I can boast of what I have accomplished and done. "For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." That's a quote from Genesis 15:6. Clear direct statement. Abraham believed God. God credited to Abraham as righteousness. Now if you work for your salvation, then you are paid for what you did. You get a paycheck because you worked. So, it's not grace. When your paycheck is given to you, don't say, "Oh, I'm not going to take it. It's . . . you know. I don't deserve this." You say, "No, I earned it. I worked for it."

"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness." So, you see, here's a clear-cut distinction. It is either by faith alone or by works alone and then he quotes from David. Then the question. Talk about the blessing upon the saved. Verse 9, "Is this blessing then upon the circumcised or upon the uncircumcised?" Now when David talks about the blessing of those whose "lawless deeds have been forgiven, whose sins have been covered, those who sin the Lord will not take into account." Another quote from the Old Testament in verses 7 and 8. Is He talking about circumcised or uncircumcised people? Well, faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness, verse 9. How then was it reckoned? While he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Stop and think. Genesis 15:6 has Abraham been circumcised yet? No, he's not going to be circumcised till chapter 17. Perhaps as long as 20 years go by between the declaration of Genesis 15:6 and the physical circumcision of Abraham in chapter 17. Now was Abraham righteous or was he not when God declared him righteous? Of course, he was righteous. When God declares him righteous, he is righteous. Well, remember the argument . . . Now we all can agree that Abraham was righteous at Genesis 15:6 because God declared him righteous. Now was he circumcised in Genesis 15:6? No, he was not. Maybe 20 years later in Genesis 17 he will be circumcised.

Verse 11, "He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them." The argument was God had a purpose in that. Even in the order. He could have commanded Abraham circumcision earlier but the order of declaring him righteous by faith long before he was circumcised, God intended to establish a pattern for all to see that salvation was by faith alone.

Down in verse 16, "For this reason, it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace." You note the two are inseparable, but I mention this because of the position of Roman Catholicism - It is by grace alone but not faith alone. It is by faith that it might be in accordance with grace. Because if it's not by faith alone it is not by grace.

That being the case, there's only one God. There's only one way of salvation. So, he's proved a point. Circumcision cannot be necessary for salvation because God declared Abraham righteous by faith before he was ever circumcised. The logical question, the simple question, was Abraham ever baptized? Or had he been baptized by the time God declared him righteous? At least he was circumcised in subsequent years. As far as we know Abraham was never baptized. We say well baptism wasn't an issue then. No but the point still stands, does it not? If God could declare Abraham righteous by faith and he had not been baptized, then you have it. Salvation is by faith. There's only one God. There's only one way of salvation. There is development in Scripture but there is no change in the way of salvation anywhere from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation. Salvation is always by grace alone through faith alone in the revelation of God alone, if you will. The clarity of revelation through the death and resurrection of Christ had not come yet but it's always by faith in the God who reveals Himself. God spoke, Abraham believed God, God credited it to him as righteousness. Very simple passage. This is the passage I always go to when I talk to those who want to argue baptismal regeneration. Let's first settle the foundational issue. There is only one God so there's only one way of salvation. What are you going to do with Abraham. I have yet to have an answer. Well, don't know, but there are verses that say. Well, we'll look at those verses, but we are clear salvation cannot be by faith plus baptism. If it is there is more than one God. There is the God who saved Abraham by faith alone apart from circumcision, apart from baptism, apart from church membership, apart from . . . fill in the blank; and the God who now saves people by faith plus something else. It's the whole argument. There is only one God. Since God is one then he must justify Jews and Gentiles in the same way. Either everybody must have to be circumcised to be righteous before God or no one has to be circumcised to be righteous before God. We already have the example of Abraham. That's unchanging. So, the stand, there ought not to be an issue here. We may struggle with interpreting certain passages, but there ought to be no question in the mind of anyone who truly believes the Scripture whether baptism is necessary for salvation. We say well baptism wasn't instituted when Abraham lived. No, but it had been by the time Paul wrote the book of Romans and that's the example he draws under the direction of the Spirit of God. To say well they didn't practice baptism when Abraham walked the earth further establishes the point. God declared Abraham righteous 2000 years before Christ and Christian baptism doesn't occur until 2000 years after Abraham and now you want to say it's necessary for salvation? That's even more ridiculous and foolish than saying circumcision is necessary for salvation. At least there was only 20 years separating his being declared righteous by faith and his being circumcised. Two thousand years go by before anybody receives Christian baptism, and you are going to say it's necessary for salvation? Can't be. That's the foundation. Now I have to look at the passages that may as you read them at first glance seem to imply that baptism would be necessary for salvation. Well, we already know that can't be a possibility because that truth is clearly established.

Let's look at some passages. Mark 16:16. Now I'm not going through all the possibilities in all these passages but just to draw attention to what I would see is a consistent explanation of the passage. You are aware that there is some dispute over the ending of the Gospel of Mark. Just being aware of that. I don't think there's anything here that can't be explained consistent with the rest of Scripture. But there is a debate. The debate comes with this added late since the manuscript buries on this portion.

In Mark 16:16, verse 15, "God into all the world, and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; he who has not believed shall be condemned." They are to preach the Gospel. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. You're first reading you say well, you could take that mean that you must believe and be baptized in order to be saved. But we also already know that can't be so just from passages we've looked at without trying to multiply the evidence. One simple thing is you note the last part of the verse. It's the one who doesn't believe who is condemned. Now the one who genuinely believes it is assumed, and this is true through the New Testament that those who have truly believed will be baptized in public identification with Christ. Just like Abraham believed God and was declared righteous, 20 years later when God commands him to be circumcised, it's a mute point. Of course, I'll be circumcised God commanded me to do it. Circumcision was to be a manifestation of their faith and then when they took . . . then circumcised their young sons at eight days of age, they were demonstrating that they were believing in the God of Israel, manifesting that faith and so on of their covenant relationship as a nation. Here, it's assumed. If a person believes, they will be baptized. A person who would refuse . . . You know in Romans 10 if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you will be saved. Well, they are both sides of the same coin. I mean when a person believes in their heart, they confess it. They acknowledge it.

The Bible doesn't make provision for secret disciples so to speak. Salvation is by faith and condemnation is a result of lack of faith. We say well I could take that another way, but you couldn't take it another way and be consistent with Scripture. That would fit then with the testimony regarding Abraham in Romans 4. Well, yes, saved by faith and then God required circumcision of Abraham. Not because his salvation wasn't complete but as an act of obedience, as a sign of the righteousness he had by faith as Romans 4 said. God commands us to believe in His Son. Then He commands those who have believed to be baptized as evidence of their faith. So not really a great problem.

Look in John chapter 3, well-known account of Nicodemus. When he comes to Jesus by night and Jesus says to him in verse 3. You'll note, Nicodemus is willing to acknowledge you are a teacher come from God. "No one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." There is no other answer. Here is the acknowledgment from an unbelieving Jewish teacher and leader. But there is no other explanation, but you have come from God. Jesus said to him, "Unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God." Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Let's get right to the heart of the matter. Nicodemus says what do you mean born again? How . . . what can you do? I can't be born again. Jesus said, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." And there's water. And so for some people as soon as you see water that means baptism. Therefore, you must be born of water and the spirit, so water baptism is necessary for salvation. Nicodemus still doesn't track in all these things and you know we ought to understand at this point. Verse 10 Jesus says to Nicodemus, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" Nicodemus says how can these things be?

Now at this point the Church hasn't even begun. There was baptism being practiced. Jesus had been baptized. John the Baptist was on the scene baptizing. You know, an understanding of baptism is necessary for salvation. No. John the Baptist wouldn't even baptized sinful people remember that came out to him (Matthew 3) until there was some evidence in their lives that they had been changed, that faith had done it's work and they had really been saved. In this context Jesus is talking to a Jewish leader. He is expected to understand something of what is being said.

There are a variety of explanations other than well, baptism is necessary for salvation because I don't know how Nicodemus being the teacher in Israel could have been expected to know that. Because no where does the Old Testament indicate that baptism would ever be necessary for salvation. Some say well water refers to physical birth. You know, we even refer to it today. What? The water broke. That means birth is imminent. Some take this to mean he's saying well, you not only need the physical birth, but you need a spiritual birth. Then Nicodemus should understand the spiritual birth and some hold that and that's a possibility. Some take the water here to refer to the Word of God because Ephesians 5:27 talks about the washing of water with the Word. It equates the Word of God as doing a washing with water; that's a possibility. I think a very real possibility in the context of John as well as Old Testament background is the water is simply representing the Spirit. You can translate the conjunction, "and" which is the Greek K a i as we carry it over, "Kai", as even water even the Spirit. Water referring to the Spirit. The water is a symbol of the Spirit. It will be used that way over in John 7. If you want to turn over there. In John 7:38 Jesus said, "He who believes in Me as the Scripture says from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water, but this He spoke of the Spirit whom those who believed in Him were to receive." The Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified. There you see the rivers of living water are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The water that I'm talking about refers to the Spirit (verse 39). He interprets it there. If you are looking for an interpretation within in the context of the Gospel of John of the water, the natural one would be the Spirit.

Nicodemus could be expected to understand that. Turn back to the Old Testament to the book of Isaiah chapter 44. Remember Nicodemus has come to Christ by night and the issue is this the Messiah of Israel. Nicodemus hasn't taken that step yet, but he acknowledges He must come from God. The signs He does demonstrate that. He is wrestling with could this be the Messiah? Jesus is what? Talking to Him what's going to be necessary to get into the kingdom which the Messiah will establish. Remember at this point we're talking about the Messiah establishing a kingdom the Jews are anticipating.
Isaiah 44, talking about this time of blessing, and look at verse 3. God tells Israel not to fear. "For I will pour out water on the thirsty land, streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring." You see He uses that picture like Christ does in chapter 7. "Out of His innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. This He spoke of the Spirit. I will pour out water on the thirsty land. I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring." So that connection of the Spirit with water being symbolized by water and there it's not much the cleansing as the refreshing which in that desert land the refreshing water. Here its a refreshing life of the Spirit.

Look over in Ezekiel. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel chapter 36 and here it's in the context of talking about the coming new covenant of Israel. It's also developed in Jeremiah 31. In Ezekiel 36:25 and this is in the context of when God is ready to act on behalf of Israel. "Not for their sake but for His holy name," verse 22 said. Then he'll bring them from the nations and in verse 25, "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you. You will be clean. I will cleanse you from your filthiness from your idols." Note that. I will sprinkle clean water on you. "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." Verse 27, "I will put my Spirit within you." You see in the context here you talk about the salvation of Israel talked about the water being poured out upon them. The Spirit being given to them. Nicodemus as the teacher of Israel could have been expected to understand Isaiah, understand Ezekiel. You come and talk to a one who has demonstrated he is the prophesied Messiah. You ought to understand the birth by the Spirit and the new heart that the Old Testament prophesied. I think that's probably the most probable explanation. I don't think he's going in to try to convince Nicodemus you have to be physically born, and then spiritually born. The issue is the second birth. Nicodemus has no question about the first birth, the physical one. The issue is this talk about being born again, being born from above. What are we talking about here? Jesus says can you be the teacher of Israel and not understand this. I mean what do you do with the prophets. There is no excuse for this ignorance. To say that you have to be baptized in water plus have the Spirit to be saved. Nicodemus we can understand had no concept of that kind of talk. But to understand the refreshing water of the Holy Spirit being given in connection with the Messiah's ministry and in preparation for the establishing of his kingdom; and you can't go into the kingdom without that. Nicodemus should have understood that from numerous Old Testament passages.

In Acts 2:38, and a number of the passages do come from Acts that people quote thinking that baptism is required. Remember they are dealing with Israel. Here is a break clearly. When a Jew professed faith in Christ that created problems. When they were baptized that was a public break in numerous ways. That continues to be an issue today, continues to be an issue for many people today. Protestant and Catholic alike claim to believe in Christ. Fine. But then when they are baptized as believers then there is a shattering effect through family and friends.

Acts 2:38 Peter has preached on the day of Pentecost and then he said to them verse 38, "Repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the Holy Spirit." Again, we say well in this context that we just had this verse, maybe we could be confused and say well, you need to repent and be baptized if you are going to be forgiven. Again, it's the consistent pattern of the New Testament that those who have genuinely repented and believed will be baptized. The New Testament doesn't even given consideration to the thought of a person who was truly a believer who hadn't testified to that fact with water baptism. The refusal to contest with your mouth, to be publicly identified with Christ, to be baptized as a follower of Christ, would be taken as the fact you haven't believed. Would you not . . . If you are going to deny Christ or refuse to be identified with Him as He has commanded, why should we assume you're a believer. Now again, we find that offensive. We say well, we don't want to confuse people. Believers don't get confused in this way. The elect who are submissive to the instructions of the Spirit of God aren't confused. Other people are. Paul said the Judaizers are confused; but they're cursed. Genuine believers aren't confused and shouldn't allow themselves to open to that confusion. Peter is calling them to repent, and it will be a genuine repentance because you'll have to step forward and be publicly identified with Christ. That's true but later we saw with the house of Cornelius he's preaching the Gospel and they believe it and they receive the Holy Spirit. Then Peter says well if these have received the Holy Spirit like we did on the day Pentecost would anybody have a problem with them being baptized as followers of Christ. Peter wasn't confused on the day of Pentecost. They received the Holy Spirit by faith. As those who have received the Holy Spirit by faith, they should also be obedient and testify to that faith and salvation by water baptism. If we just let Peter explain what happened. In passages we looked at chapter 10 and chapter 11. There's no confusion here. We say that could have been misunderstood. Well, we may want to read our misunderstanding of the day in which we live into it but it wasn't a misunderstanding for the people of Peter's day.

In Acts 22:16, we've already been there. That's where we were in our study in Acts. The instruction to Paul, "Arise and baptize and wash away your sins, calling on His name." If you know anything about Paul's writing, you realize he didn't make baptism a point of salvation. In fact, he writes to the Corinthians in I Corinthians 1 and says God didn't send me to baptize and my baptizing people was a rare occasion. If it was necessary for salvation, it would have been part of what Paul was called to do but he so clearly in his letters makes the point. He's the one who wrote Romans 4. I mean, there's no confusion here that the man who thought he had to be baptized to be saved wrote Romans 4? That's stretching it more than a little bit. Very simple. Ananias is giving him instruction, "Arise. Be baptized. Wash away your sins having called on the name of the Lord." I mean now what's the next step? Well, one's who's believed in the One that you saw on the Damascus Road. Now you testify to that fact. It is so.

Look over in Titus 3. Usually what happens when you talk to people who believe that baptism is necessary for salvation, they go on the initiative, and they want to take you to some of these passages we're looking at and you're constantly trying to defend yourself by explaining those passages. I usually want to take the initiative and say I am willing to talk about all of these passages but first we have to have a foundation to work from and then make sure that we are being consistent. I will have to be consistent and answer your questions in the passages we go to. But first we're going to Romans 4. If they say no, unless we talk . . ., then I say our conversation is over. Because we could argue for endless weeks and months if we are just going to say . . . they keep wanting to say no, let's look at this passage. You won't answer this passage. I will answer that passage but first we are going to deal with Romans 4 because if we do, you will have to admit you believe the Bible is the Word of God. Anything we do with these passages will be consistent with the rest of Scripture including Romans 4. What I want to do is if you will look at this one passage with me, I will look at all of your passages with you. We want to be careful because we sometimes get put in a box where we think, well you know, what am I going to say about this. It does say this. Well, this isn't the only verse in the Bible. The Bible is its own best interpreter.

Titus 3:5, "He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing by the Holy Spirit." Now the only reason you get baptism in this is because it says washing; and you know, if you come to the Bible with a preconception that baptism is necessary for salvation, every time you see water and every time you see washing, you read baptism, water baptism. But the washing here is regeneration. You are made new by the Spirit. You are washed when you are regenerated, renewed, made new. Same basic point that Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about in John 3. You have to be born again. You have to become a new creature. You have to be made new on the inside. That's when you are washed. When you wash away your sins by calling on the name of the Lord, you are washed in regeneration. It's explained right in the context. It's the washing of regeneration, not the washing of water baptism and when you are made new in Christ all your sins are cleansed, washed away.

I Peter chapter 3. In the context here Peter again makes clean the Gospel. Verse 18, "Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, made alive in the Spirit." I mean what a concise compact statement of the truth of the Gospel. Then he picks up the Spirit. It's made alive in the Spirit and it was in the Spirit he went and made proclamation to the Spirits now in prison. He's making a transition here and drawing an illustration which can be very confusing to us. We want to be careful that we don't try to build doctrine out of passage that we have to sort out first. Christ was made alive in the realm of Spirit. He went and made a proclamation to the Spirits now in prison. We are not going down that road tonight. My understanding is he did this in the days of Noah. That's explained in the next passage. This wasn't He went after His crucifixion, but He went in the Spirit in the days of Noah and was preaching through Noah who is called in Peter's writings a preacher of righteousness. Those to whom Noah preached while he was building the ark are now in prison awaiting sentencing to hell because they were disobedient.

"They were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah during the construction of the ark in which a few that is eight persons were brought safely through the water." Corresponding to that baptism now saves you. There you have it. You only need one verse to prove it, right? God only has to say it once. Does this not say baptism saves you? If we say if there's only one verse in all the Bible, that's all we need, and I have the verse. So be careful don’t tell people to say if you can give me one verse that says baptism saves you, I'll believe you because there is a verse. You say, oh no. Now what do I do? Who do I call? Gil won't answer his phone. Don won't answer his phone. None of the pastoral staff is there when you need them. There's a verse that says baptism now saves you. It may not have saved you before, but it now saves you.

Well, we have several problems with that. One, it would be a conflict with some of the other Scripture, right? We do have to deal with Romans 4. I always have that in my back pocket when I talk to these people. Well, you may be right but then we have two Gods. Are comfortable with that? The God who saved Abraham without baptism and the God who now saves with baptism. We really are not monotheists. We are biothiests even if not polytheists.

Well, there's a little problem corresponding to that. The word here is the antitype or symbol of that is baptism. Corresponding to an antitype of that or symbol of that baptism now saves you. He makes clear we are not talking about water baptism in that sense of saving. "Not the removal of dirt from the flesh but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." The end of verse 20 says eight persons were saved through water. My English translation says were brought safely through water. But the literal translation of that the verb is the same verb "to save" as you have down in verse 21. That's the connection. Eight persons were saved through water and corresponding to that, a symbol of that, the antitype of that, baptism now saves you. So, baptism saves you like the water saved Noah. Oh, wait a minute. Did the water save Noah? Well, how did the water save Noah? I mean, I thought the ark saved Noah. It hadn't been for the ark Noah would have drowned in the water with everybody else. That was the purpose of the ark. But it says they were saved through water. Through . . . how was . . . It was Noah being baptized, is that point? That hardly seems right. He may not even got wet. Because you know he got in and he closed the window, and the rains came. Whatever you do with this passage I think you're on terribly . . You're not even on shaky ground. You're standing on the air to say that I get out of this that baptism is necessary for salvation. It seems to me that there is a picture represented in this. Water didn't save Noah but being in the ark brought him the salvation in the context of the waters. It's not physical waters that save you, but there is a symbolism of water bringing deliverance. It cut him off from the unbeliever who was destroyed by the water, separated him from them. There is a picture in this. We are baptized in water, but water doesn't cleanse you. It's the good conscience. What happens in the inner person through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that saves you. I tell you what we just have here, what I can get from it, is we have a symbol being offered of baptism. Just like Noah and coming through the water. The waters in which we are baptized are symbolic and represent our being separated from the wicked and identified with Christ. But in baptism here it's called a symbol, an antitype; and we are cut off from the wicked. We are separated in the public forum. What happens when you have believed in Christ and now you are going to be baptized in water in identification with Him? That's a public testimony. For some of you with backgrounds in the Protestant realm like Lutheran and Roman Catholic, you've experienced that. Especially if you were Jewish, which much fewer would probably be. When that happened that was the end. I remember hearing the testimony years ago of a Jewish man who had been saved and he said you know, I talked to my family. When I got baptized, they put a candle in the window. Put candle in the window? We do that at Christmas. No, that's what we meant. My parents were symbolizing to all their Jewish friends their son had died. What did it? Well, the waters of baptism really cut him off from them. Is that what saved him, no. But in the public forum, that drew a line, and that happened. I think that's what Peter's talking about here and there was a connection with Noah as saved by the water. In that sense he is cut off and separated and that's symbolized in baptism. Now don't get confused. Not the removal of dirt from the flesh but what goes on in the inner man and we see that that's by faith. So that's not all that could be said on I Peter 3. But when somebody comes to this passage, I want to at least one to be clear on some of the issues.

I Corinthians 15:29 is the last passage I'll mention. I Corinthians 15:29, "Otherwise what will those do who are baptized for the dead. If the dead are not raised at all why then are they baptized for them." You have some groups like Mormons who go back genealogies, and you can be baptized for the dead, for their salvation. What we are talking about here is some Christians died. Others have come to trust in Christ and now are talking their place as they have been baptized and step forward. This is the process going on. Just like I could say in the 37 years I have been Pastor of this church, some of you have been baptized for the dead in the sense some of our dear believers have died and gone to be with the Lord. But others have you been saved, come forward, been identified with Christ in water baptism and in a sense have taken their place because the ministry goes on. That's all that Paul is talking about here. Those are some of the main passages.

I was going to say something about infant baptism. I'll save that for a later time. Some people are terribly concerned about baptizing infants, and it moved from the realm to children and without the baptizing of babies they could be lost forever because this is what removes original sin. They often make a correction to circumcision. If you circumcised babies in Israel at 8 days old, what's wrong with baptizing babies at a young age and so on. I would just say at this point, there's absolutely no support for it scripturally. This is an awful important issue if the salvation of this baby depends on baptism, I would have expected Scripture to address it. Nowhere does it; and it is acknowledged even by writers like Luther and Riders that this is not a doctrine found in Scripture. For Roman Catholicism they have a second authority. They have the church whose authority supersedes everything else and they don't need scriptural authority. They only need a statement from the church that this brings about cleansing from original sin and that does it. But we'll do that on another occasion.

Salvation is by faith alone because it is by grace alone and it is founded on Christ alone. It simple. It's clean. Anything else we add to that is corrupting the message of salvation. Now let me say something and then we're done. That doesn't mean nothing else is important. Nothing else is necessary for salvation but obedience is important. We are not saved by our works, but we are saved unto good works. Obedience is a very important issue. I believe baptism is a very important issue. Well, it doesn't seem to have the same impact for many people today that . . . That's not an issue to me. The issue is that I'm commanded to do it. I'm commanded to undergo it. That's a settled issue. Oh, there are other ways I give my testimony. Praise the Lord for that. Am I called to give Plan B to God. That means I can decide not to do what He has said. I don't want to minimize the importance of obedience but neither do I want obedience in these areas to be brought back as a necessary requirement to be saved. There are certain things; obedience is to be a result of our salvation. I think that was expressed by Paul in his testimony in Acts 22:16. He was confronted by the Lord. Who are you? He revealed who is He. What would you have me do, Lord? That's the expression I take it of faith. Obedience is the result. There's no argument. When he is instructed to be baptized, of course, it's a done deal. That's a believer in Jesus Christ does and I will do it. There are other instructions to us as well but they are not necessary requirements for salvation. It is only believing in the simple, pure Gospel of Jesus Christ that brings salvation. Let's pray.

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of the free gift of salvation, that we can be washed, cleansed, born again, made new by believing in Your Son Jesus Christ. We thank you for the beautiful simplicity of the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, we pray that we will be clear in proclaiming a Gospel of grace. And Lord may we be just as clear in living a life of grace which is a life of obedience as a result of the new life we have in Christ. And we pray in His name, amen.