Baptism and Salvation

This is an outstanding article written by Grant B. Caldwell. It is copied from the August 1971 edition of "The Gospel Teacher", volume 1, number 31, published by the church of Christ in Hilliard, Ohio.

It is not the least bit uncommon to hear someone say that baptism has nothing whatsoever to do with salvation. This seems strange to me in view of the fact that the Bible makes a statement that is just the opposite to this. In First Peter 3:21, we read, "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."

This passage says beyond any shadow of a doubt that baptism saves us. Now how or why would anyone argue with that? The simple truth of God's will is that baptism saves! Those who love the Lord and are willing to obey His truth are going to do that and show their love for Him (John 14:15).

In a futile attempt to escape the force of this passage denominational teachers have concocted a couple of quibbles regarding the passage. These will not answer the need for baptism but only serve to satiate those who are unwilling to accept the teaching of the passage.

First, some will say that this passage says that baptism is only a figure. They argue that if baptism were only a figure, it could not have anything to do with salvation. The very argument ought to answer itself. If baptism is only a figure and has nothing to do with salvation, then First Peter 3:21 could not be true because it says that it saves.

If figures have nothing to do with salvation and baptism is a figure, then how could baptism do what the passage says it does? The fact is that this particular verse does not say that baptism is a figure. Regarding the phrase "the like figure", the margin reads, "Which also in the anti-type, baptism doth now save you." The American Standard reads, "Which also after a true likeness doth now save you even baptism." And the New American Standard has it, "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you." The figure or type is the salvation of Noah and his house. And in drawing a lesson Peter is just simply saying that baptism is like that. Baptism is no figure. It saves us.

Others have seen that this argument will not work and thus have sought another answer to this passage. They say that the "filth of the flesh" here is the same as the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:19. This passage says that baptism is, "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh" thus, it is not the putting away of the works of the flesh. But even this fails to answer the need for baptism.

What these people really mean is more than putting the works of the flesh away. They will not allow baptism to put the guilt of the works of the flesh away. I would admit that the works of the flesh are not put away in baptism. That is a job for repentance. But it is the job of baptism to save us from the guilt of sin. Again however, we must note that this is not that about which the passage is speaking. The filth of the flesh here is no more or less than dirt from the body. Baptism does not cleanse one's body of physical soil. It deals with the conscience and is not for the body. Again, we sight the New American Standard. It reads, "Not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience."

Again note that if this were saying that baptism had nothing to do with removing the guilt of sin, then it would deny the simple statement made in the first of the verse. BAPTISM DOTH NOW SAVE US!

Why are people so set on the ways of error that they will not accept the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Why not accept it?