I Peter 3:21—“baptism doth also now save us”

 

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 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. 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 (I Pet. 3:18-21).

 

ROME/LUTHERAN ARGUMENT:

“Doesn’t this text teach baptismal regeneration?”

 

(I) 

Prof. Herman Hanko

[Source: A Pilgrim’s Manual: Commentary on I Peter (RFPA, 2012), pp. 233-236]

“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)” (I Peter 3:21).

The flood was a type of baptism. The similarities are these. The water of the flood was a type of the water of baptism. The water of baptism is a sign of the blood of Christ shed on the cross. The water of the flood destroyed the wicked world of which Noah and his family were a part; so does the blood of Christ destroy our corrupt and depraved natures by its cleansing power. The water of the flood lifted Noah and his family out of the wicked world and delivered them from it; so does the blood of Christ separate us and deliver us from the wicked world of which we are by nature a part.

The water of the flood brought Noah and his family into a new world; so the blood of Christ, signified in the water of baptism, brings us into the new heaven and the new earth. Baptism is a sign and seal of God’s covenant. The water of the flood brought Noah and his family into a new creation, in which God established his covenant with Noah and his seed and with the whole new creation of which Noah was an heir (Gen. 6:18-19; Gen. 9:9-17). As God established his covenant with Noah and his family and gave them the new creation, so God establishes his covenant with us and our seed and brings us into his covenant fellowship in the new heaven and the new earth. Hence we are saved by water as Noah was.

Two truths are underscored by the phrase “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.” First, baptism is a sign and seal because just as water washes away the filth of the body, so the blood of Christ, signified in the water of baptism, washes away the filth of our natures. Baptism is not a mere cleansing from dirt and grime that clings to our bodies. This would be absurd, for then one takes the picture for the reality. Second, the outward rite of baptism does not itself cleanse from the sinful filth of our souls, for only the reality to which baptism points is able to do this. The external rite of baptism has no ability to accomplish salvation; there is no power in the water of baptism. Rome is wrong in teaching baptismal regeneration, that is, the water itself has the power of regeneration and grace. No one ought ever to put his trust in the water of baptism. The rite of sprinkling with water is a sign and a seal of spiritual washing in the blood of Christ, which when appropriated by faith in Christ brings the true spiritual cleansing of the blood of Christ. Baptism often has the meaning of that which baptism signifies and seals (Rom. 6:3-9; Col. 2:12-13).

Peter defines in a striking way the positive significance of baptism. While Scripture usually defines the positive significance of baptism as deliverance through the blood of Christ from sin and death into the blessedness of fellowship with God, the text defines the spiritual meaning of baptism as “the answer of a good conscience toward God.” This definition of the significance of baptism is unusual, but interesting and important. Two elements of the translation in the Authorized Version will help us to understand this. The Greek word translated as “answer” is better translated as “question,” “interrogation,” or “quest.” Quest is the idea here, for Peter writes of a search or quest of a good conscience. The second matter of translation is the word “toward.” The Greek preposition is more literally translated as “into.” This is important because the preposition is the same as that used in the formula for baptism: baptizing them *into* the name of the Father (Matt. 28:19).

“Of a good conscience” means that the *conscience* itself is making the quest; the conscience wants an answer to a question it has. [NOTE: The subjective genitive is the same as in the expression “the speech of Mr. Bateman,” meaning the speech he gave.] The conscience is God’s testimony in a man’s consciousness of his judgment of all a man does, whether his deeds are good or bad. A child of God has a good conscience because it is a reflection of his consciousness that he is an elect of God, regenerated and saved, and an heir to life everlasting. His conscience testifies that he is approved of God, a testimony that comes by faith in Christ as the one who has offered his own body as the sacrifice for sin.

The wicked never have nor can have a good conscience, for they are depraved and ungodly, and their consciences testify of their sin and guilt and God’s disapproval and judgment on them.

A good conscience is a gift of grace and not to be taken lightly. It alone can bring joy and peace, while a bad conscience results in fear and unhappiness.

The quest of a good conscience is the search of the conscience to find peace and joy. The quest is certain to be a part of the life of a child of God, because his conscience testifies that he is still a sinner, wicked and corrupt, with a growing mountain of guilt. If the reality of his life were permitted to take over his conscience, it would be troubled and upset, and he would be afraid and distressed. In his quest for a good conscience, therefore, he has nowhere to go but to the cross of Jesus Christ. When he clings by faith to that cross and lays hold on the perfect sacrifice of Christ, his conscience is washed in the blood of Christ, and he knows peace and forgiveness through the obedience of the Son of God. This is the object of his quest. A child of God cannot live with a bad conscience, for the favor of his God is more precious to him than life itself. When he has a good conscience, all is well. When his conscience condemns him, he is miserable.

Fellowship with God is the fruit of a good conscience. This is expressed in the text in the words, a good conscience “toward [into] God.” This is signified and sealed in baptism. The text looks at baptism from the subjective perspective of what baptism objectively signifies and seals. Baptism signifies and seals the washing away of sins in the blood of Christ. Subjectively, when the believer appropriates to himself the truth signified in baptism, the result is a good conscience and fellowship with God, as he basks in the sunshine of God’s favor. Baptism is a sacrament that signifies and seals the truth of the gospel. Faith lays hold on that truth, personally and subjectively. In the midst of the sin and death in which we now live, the conscience of the believer reaches out in longing for that blessedness.

A good conscience is absolutely necessary to endure the persecution of the wicked. When we by faith lay hold on the blood of Christ signified in baptism, we know we belong to Christ, represent his cause, and will be victorious with him. Then we are comforted when we suffer persecution for well-doing. The victory of Christ sealed in baptism is ours

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"By the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (3:21)

The phrase “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” modifies “baptism doth also now save us.” Baptism saves us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not through the sign of baptism itself are we are saved, but through the work of Christ signified and sealed in baptism. 

Christ was, so to speak, baptized when he suffered the pains and torments of hell on the cross and died, was buried and arose. This reality of Christ’s work was the reason he insisted on being baptized by John in the Jordan River, after John had at first refused to baptize him. He had to fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 3:13-17). He had to have the washing away of sins—not his own sins, but the sins of his people so that he might atone for them.

He did not pass through the waters of baptism alone. Christ was not baptized in his death and resurrection as an individual. He suffered, died, and arose as the head of his people. He took them along. He had to do this, for he had no personal need of righteousness for himself; he was the sinless one, perfectly righteous in all his deeds. Paul describes us as being baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom. 6:2-11).

It is not important whether we make the genitive “of Jesus Christ” a subjective or an objective genitive. In the former case, the meaning is that Christ arose from the dead by his own power as the Son of God. In the latter case, the meaning is that God raised Christ from the dead. Both are true. The resurrection of Christ is the seal of God on Christ’s perfect work of atonement. He was raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25).

The conclusion is that through the shedding of his blood, Christ accomplished the perfect work of salvation. This work was typified in the Old Testament in the flood. Noah, saved by water, was delivered from the wicked world of which he was apart and was given a new creation as his inheritance. So Christ, who bore our sins, passed through the suffering of hell for our sins, so that he might rise again and inherit the blessedness of his exaltation in the highest heaven. Baptism is a sign and seal that with Christ and through his perfect work, we are delivered from our sin and brought into the glory of heaven and fellowship with God. As the believer seeks by faith the perfect work of Christ, his conscience seeks the blessedness of God’s favor, something that is his only through Christ’s great work. The fruit is fellowship with God in the age to come.

 

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(II)

Anon.

Water Baptism is not an instrument for salvation. It is our Baptism into the Body of Christ—aka Regeneration, by being made alive together with Christ—is what saves us by giving us a clear conscience.

Just as those who perished in the flood, at the time of Noah by being disobedient, even when the Spirit of Christ preached to them, and those who were saved were saved from that Water through the Ark, so too we are saved from perishing, by the Resurrected Christ with a pledge of clear conscience.

And Peter, in order to prevent us from confusing that baptism with water baptism, clarified that he is not referring to the one that cleans the filth from the body.

What is a bit amusing is that when Peter, in the same letter, in the first chapter, addressed the same folks, and said these things about how they were saved, there is no water mentioned there. And now you start imagining that the baptism in 1 peter 3:21 is referring to water baptism.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

 

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(III)

More to come! (DV)