Some say that baptism is a symbol of salvation, and yet 1 Peter 3:21 says something else,
[T]he forbearance of God waited in the days of Noah building a ship unto which a few, these are eight souls were saved through water. This is also an antitype, baptism now saves us, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the request of a good conscience unto God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Pet 3:20–21).
What is an antitype? The word “antitype” is from the Greek antitupos. The Greek anti meaning “corresponding, similar, or like” to tupos meaning “form, model, example, or pattern (type).” Hebrews 9:24 speaks of the physical things and services of Israel’s temple, which are antitypes of the heavenly ones. Within context, 1 Peter 3:20 speaks of the antitype of eight persons being saved through the waters of the flood. This salvation through water is a similar example to baptism, because God saves believers through water. Noah’s salvation through water is a “like figure” to salvation through water. Noah’s family being saved from evil through water is a like-model of baptism in Jesus’s name when God saves believers from evil through water.
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.‘ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added. (Acts 2:40–41; emp. added).
First Peter 3:21 specifically says in Greek that “baptism now saves us.” How? It is not the water that saves, but we are saved through water. It is written that Christ sanctifies and cleanses His Church “by the washing of water in the Word” (Eph 5:26). True believers are saved through water from a world a wickedness like Noah’s family was saved through water from a wicked world. Therefore, true believers are purified by our obedience in which we are born again.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, (1 Pet 1:22–23)
Therefore, Christians are born again by obedience and purification. Peter revealed, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Pet 1:3). Notice that we are begotten again, born again, “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”, which is what we find about being saved by baptism in 1 Peter 3:21, “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” God raises Christians when each one has died to sins. First Peter 2:24 declares, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness.” Baptism is the point of the Christian’s resurrection into the newness of life with Christ (1 Pet 3:21). Baptism is the burial of our sinful selves, which is the Gospel: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet 3:18, cf. 1 Cor 15:1–4).
Read again, “[T]hese are eight souls were saved through water. This is also an antitype, baptism now saves us” (1 Pet 3:20b–21a). The corresponding example of Noah’s salvation through water is baptism by water in Jesus’s name that saves all, who truly believe.
Also see these articles from other Christian sources:
How to Be Saved
What is the Purpose of Baptism?
Please Explain 1 Peter 3:21
Seeing God's Breath 
I did not hear the gospel until 2006. I was not baptized until 2013. I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me of my sins, save me, and be ruler of my life. I didn’t get baptized after that. I was previously baptized because I was told I had to. I did not understand it. I prayed a prayer of salvation because I was told to do so. About 4 months later, after I believed, truly believed in Jesus and what He graciously did on the cross, I know I was saved because my life WAS NOT THE SAME. Everything changed. My speech. My desires. Sin that I used to do I had a serious problem trying to do them after I was saved. This was evidence of the Holy Spirit. The Lord very heavily put on my heart that I was to be in ministry one day. I still was not baptized. The Lord spoke through me by His Spirit, allowed me to share the gospel with different people through out my high school career, then professing and believing in Jesus’ death burial and resurrection. The Lord lead me to Uganda to preach His word in the villages. STILL NOT BAPTIZED. The Lord worked miracles through His Holy Spirit in those villages. Can you honestly say that my life change, complete and utter life change was because I convinced myself?? Absolutely not. I used to activity live a homosexual lifestyle. The Lord saved me, and convicted me of my acts, even when I would fall again and again, He drew me to Himseld and held me. I repented and never turned back. It’s still a struggle, but I will never stop sinning until I am taken to His presence in Heaven. I didn’t get baptized until 2013. Do you hear of everything that happened I between 2006 and 2013?? So much! Baptism does NOT save. Calling on the name of the Lord and believing with our whole hearts that Jesus died, causing our sin to be put to death by His blood, dying, and rising again (our sin remaining DEAD in the grave) , that’s what saved me. If a man can convince himself these things of God without so called “having the Holy Spirit through baptism”, then that is plan crazy and ludicrous.
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This is why people rejected John’s baptism: Luke 7:30.
This is what Jesus asked those who rejected John’s baptism: Luke 20:1-8.
This is a reason that someone may experience change before baptism: Romans 2:25-29.
Baptism in Jesus’s name is when the Holy Spirit sanctified and justified me (1 Cor 6:11). For 20 centuries, baptism is the moment of change for millions of Christians.
This is the article that you should address: GodsBreath.net/2013/03/19/when-is-a-believer-saved-by-grace/
God bless your studies.
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Scott,
So do you now see that there is zero evidence for the claim that Jesus of Nazareth walked out of his grave; only mind-boggling assumptions, second century hearsay, and huge leaps of faith (superstition)?
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Are Atheists Open-Minded?
https://godsbreath.net/2014/12/19/are-atheists-open-minded/
13 Reasons Why Atheistic “Science” is Unreliable
https://godsbreath.net/2014/10/24/atheistic-science/
Simple Biblical Evidence
https://godsbreath.net/2012/12/09/simple-biblical-evidence/
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Jesus’ message was simple: “I am the way, the truth and the life!” John explained that Jesus would be baptizing in a different way. He would not be performing ceremonial baptisms using water, but one involving the Spirit. His baptisms would be with fire to destroy the corruption caused by sin; and with the Spirit who would bring new life to all that received Him.
Paul’s message was specifically for the Gentiles who did not rely on ceremonial cleanliness. He explained to them –the Gentiles– that there is only one baptism and it is done by the Holy Spirit to join people together into one holy body –the body of Christ. Paul’s ministry did not include water baptism because the Gentiles didn’t need to end their relationship with the Mosaic Law. They needed to begin a relationship with the living God.
In Acts 16:30 the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas this crucial question: “What must I do to be saved?” What answer did these men give to this needy jailer? Did they say, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized and thou shalt be saved”? If baptism is necessary for salvation, then why is nothing said about baptism in Acts 16:31? It’s true that this man was baptized (verse 33), and yet this does not change the fact that Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” If water baptism was a condition of salvation, then this would have been the perfect place for Paul to have said so.
John 1:12-13
John 3:15
John 3:16
John 3:18
John 3:36
John 5:24
John 6:35
John 6:40
John 6:47
John 7:38-39
John 11:25-26
John 20:31
Acts 2:21
Acts 10:43
Acts 11:17
Acts 13:38-39
Acts 15:11
Acts 16:31
Acts 20:21
Romans 1:16
Romans 3:22
Romans 3:26
Romans 3:28
Romans 3:30
Romans 5:1
Romans 10:9
Romans 10:11
Romans 10:13
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
Galatians 2:16
Galatians 3:2-9
Galatians 3:14
Galatians 3:24
Galatians 3:26
Ephesians 2:8-9
2 Thessalonians 2:10
2 Thessalonians 2:12
1 Timothy 4:10
2 Timothy 3:15
Titus 3:8
1 John 5:1
1 John 5:11-13
In all of these passages FAITH is mentioned as being essential for salvation. In none of these passages is water baptism mentioned. If baptism is a necessary part or an essential part of salvation, then why is nothing said about baptism in these passages? If a man must be baptized to be saved, then why do all these verses fail to say so? For example, in Acts 10:43 why didn’t Peter say, “whosoever believeth in Him and is baptized shall receive remission (forgiveness) of sins”?
B) 1 Corinthians 1:21—“It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” God saves those who believe! God would never fail to save someone who believes.
If someone was in a bad car wreck and had minutes to live would you witness to them?
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We do agree that a baptism is the point when are raised in Christ, saved by grace, and born again (Rom 6:4-6, Eph 2:4-7, Col 2:12-13)?
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Holy Spirit baptism is the one baptism I believe saves you
Water has always been ceremonial
Cornelius was saved before baptism just like the jailer
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Baptism in Jesus’s is not ceremonial for the Great Commission. This is when one is made a disciple (Matt 28:19-20). Every Christian — scholars and professors included — that I know found that baptism in Jesus’s name is the saving baptism in the water and the Spirit (Titus 3:5-6). This is after studying every verse about baptism in context.
Note that Cornelius was saved in Jesus’s name and his household was immersed in Jesus’s name (Acts 10:43, 47-48). Spiritual gifts from the Spirit does not (Matt 7:21-23). The jailer was told that his family must believe to be saved and after they heard the Gospel they were immediately baptized when it was after midnight. Why not wait for the ceremonial periodical baptism unless it was immediately important?
Baptism in Jesus’s name is when believers receive the sanctification and justification of the Spirit (1 Cor 6:11, cf 1 Cor 1:11-13). I find neither one was saved until they died, were buried, and raised with Christ (1 Cor 15:1-4).
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To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
This verse in Acts 20:43 says exactly as it says
Nothing to with baptism
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Noah, Moses, Elijah, all were champions of faith; but even that faith was a gift of God’s grace. They had right hearts before God. They believed God’s word; they understood they were nothing without God and that they could do nothing without God. They walked in their Faith trusting, not in themselves, but in the power of His word and in His righteousness.
We are saved the same way they were
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Scripture must be interpreted so that it harmonizes. Language is often not straight forward or literal, and interpretation is required. There are passages that may seem to be saying, on the surface, that we must do something to be saved (water baptism)—such as Acts 2:38 or Mark 16:16. But if they actually meant that, Scripture would be contradictory. Any concept or statement that is contradictory cannot be true. Note for example, that Mark 16:16 does not specifically say that all who believe but are not baptized go to hell. If it did, it would contradict the “whoever” passages such as John 3:16 or Acts 10:43 (whoever believes shall be saved) and would also contradict the numerous passages that say we are not saved by works (Romans 3, Ephesians 2, Galatians 3, Titus 3, etc.). Similarly, Acts 2:38 cannot mean that water baptism is necessary for salvation because Acts 2:21 says that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The way to harmonize these concepts is to understand that works such as water baptism are things that a true saved believer will do to be obedient. But (in the case of an adult convert) such works follow salvation. Thus we are saved by a living faith (James 2). But faith expressed is still faith—and it is faith that saves us—not the works.
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Yes. We are saved by Grace through faith. This faith entails following his word which includes baptism. Otherwise you remain in your sins and do no receive the Holy Spirit.
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In the days of Noah, eight people were saved. The rest of the world perished. They were saved because they were in a location which was absolutely safe and secure. They were in the ark. Everyone outside of the ark perished. Today Jesus Christ is our Ark of safety. There is no safer place to be than “in Christ”—“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Those outside of Christ are in great danger. How did we get into Christ our Ark of safety? We were baptized into Jesus Christ the moment we were saved. God placed us into His Son, and in Him we are safe and secure forever. Water baptism is meant to be a picture of the real baptism (sometimes referred to as spiritual baptism or Spirit baptism) that took place the moment we were saved. Water baptism is meant to be a picture of this new position and new relationship we now have in Christ, having been totally identified with Him, with His Person and His work.
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I certainly agree with your application of the ark and entering into Christ. Yet, I must challenge you to read some other scriptures and apply them.
Read 1 Peter 3:20-21.
Why does Peter say through the water and apply this to saving baptism through the resurrection?
Read Matthew 28:19-20.
Did Jesus’s command baptism in His name? Was this baptism spiritual baptism?
Read Mark 16:16.
Was this same baptism by faith unto salvation?
Read Acts 2:38.
Was this baptism in Jesus’s name for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?
Read Acts 2:41 and 47.
Was this baptism when a believer was saved?
Read Acts 10:43.
Was forgiveness in Jesus’s name?
Read Acts 10:47-48.
Was baptism in Jesus’s name in water?
Read Ephesians 2:4-7 and Colossians 2:12-13.
When are believers raised alive with Christ — before or after being buried with Christ in baptism?
Read Romans 6:4-6 and 1 Corinthians 15:29.
Is a person rejecting the resurrection by refusing to be raised with Christ from baptism?
Was anyone in the Bible baptized into the Presbyterian church, Baptist, Catholic, or a generic church?
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Jesus is dead, so it doesn’t matter.
Jesus was a good man, but he is dead. Stop arguing over “magic water” and other superstitious nonsense and start being a loving, decent human being.
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Who is arguing:
“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Tim 2:23-26).
If Jesus is dead, then:
“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (1 Cor 15:13-18).
“Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’ Do not be deceived:’Evil company corrupts good habits.’ Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (1 Cor 15:29-34).
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The point is that there is no evidence that Jesus rose from the dead other than mind-boggling assumptions, second century hearsay, and huge leaps of faith. There is no more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than that Mohammad rode a winged horse to Jerusalem.
These stories are both ancient superstitions, and nothing more.
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Polycarp, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Mathetes, Papias, and Hermas are a few late first-century and early second-century writers who show this mistaken position as bunk.
Papias, who was an associate of John, the apostles, and Polycarp, recorded how the four Gospels were written by their named writers (6).
See, your assertions are lies. Who told you this?
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Would you please recite the evidence for the following:
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(1) Papias received his info from apostolic Christians who are witnesses of the Apostles. (2) There is no clear indication that the presbyter is the Apostle John. The Gospel of John was received as from the John who wrote John as he describes himself as an apostle. From the Gospel of John, we know that the Gospel of John was accepted among the early Christians. (3) Mark referred to himself in his Gospel as many of the Apostles do. Mark’s Gospel bears his name. Only a prejudice person would pick up a book attributed to someone they know little about and assert without evidence that the author’s name was not true and ascribed by editors. (4) Your description of the Gospels is not accurate to the text.
Your whole premise is to question whether numerous early churches passed down the Gospels to the early church writers. Yet, only bias would reject what all the witnesses hold to being true.
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In response to your points:
#1. Assumption.
#2. Assumption: “The Gospel of John is the Gospel of John, son of Zebedee, because I assume that some unknown early Christians said it was.”
#3. Mark refers to himself in his Gospel??? Where? Where does it say in the Gospel according to Mark that John Mark is the author?
#4. “Only a prejudice person would pick up a book attributed to someone they know little about and assert without evidence that the author’s name was not true and ascribed by editors.” This is silly, Scott. THOUSANDS of documents written in the first two centuries were forgeries: books with famous authors who were not written by those famous authors. You are being naively gullible.
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“Your whole premise is to question whether numerous early churches passed down the Gospels to the early church writers. Yet, only bias would reject what all the witnesses hold to being true.”
What witnesses, Scott?? Please name them. Which first century churches declared the four Gospels to be authored by the same persons that Irenaeus, over 100 years later, declares them to be written by?
Bottom line: Assumption, after assumption, after gullible assumption. This is NOT evidence, Scott. You would never accept this kind of flimsy information for any other historical assertion of fact, so ask yourself, why you are willing to accept it to base your entire life upon?
You believe it because you so desperately WANT to believe it. If you want to believe this supernatural tale based on nothing but assumptions, that is your right. But don’t try to tell the rest of us that you hold the absolute truth without good evidence.
Your ancient, supernatural tall tale is not more provable than those of the Muslims, Hindus, and Mormons.
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No. They were baptized into Christ church which was established around 33AD. Any church established the original in 33 AD is a denomination which is an offspring of the original. These denominational churches have added to and taken from Christ word. The book of Revelation chat 22 and verses 18-19 tells us not to add to not take away from the word of God yet denominations do this. This is extremely sinful and these churches are not Christ churchs. We are told that there is one faith- church, one baptism, one God. Can’t give the location at this time but some faiths try to say that there is more than one baptism. There is one and this is the only way to forgiveness of sins.
We have to hear the true word spoken, believe the true word, ask for forgiveness of sins, acknowledge that Christ is the son of God then be baptized for the remission of sins then we get into Christ or put on Christ,- receive the Holy spirit. This has nothing to do with speaking in tongues.
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Donald, I understand your position. I plead with you to challenge yourself and reconsider for the sake of Christ. I will consider your position.
Is not water baptism in Jesus’s name the baptism of the Great Commission, Pentecost, and Cornelius’s house (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 2:38, & 10:47-48)?
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