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 
God doesn’t change
So those insisting that baptism saves you are ignoring that salvation from day 1 was putting your trust and faith in Jesus Christ .
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Dear Baptist/evangelical brothers and sisters in Christ,
I ask you to consider these points:
1. When God said that he would preserve his Word, what did he mean?
Did he mean that he would preserve the original papyrus and parchment upon which his Word was written? If so, then his Word has disappeared as none of the original manuscripts remain.
Did he mean that he would preserve his word in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek only? He would not preserve his Word when it was translated into all the other languages of the world?
Or did God mean that he would preserve his Word…the message/the words…the Gospel: the free gift of salvation, and the true doctrines of the Christian Faith? Would God allow his Word/his message to mankind to be so polluted by translation errors that no translation, into any other language from the three original languages, continues to convey his true words?
2. There IS no translation of the Bible, from the original ancient languages, into any language, anywhere on earth, that translates the Bible as the Baptists/evangelicals believe it should be translated.
No Bible translation on earth translates Acts 2:38 as, “Repent and believe in Jesus Christ every one of you and you will receive the Holy Ghost. Then be baptized as a public profession of your faith.”
There is no translation that translates, into any language, Acts 22:16 as, “ And now why tarriest thou? arise, believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Then be baptized.” Not a single translation in the entire world translates that verse in any way remotely resembling the manner in which Baptists believe it should be translated.
Isn’t that a problem?
And this verse, I Peter 3:21 as, “Asking Christ into your heart in a spiritual baptism, which water Baptism symbolizes, 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,”
And Mark 16:16 as, “He that believes will be saved, and then baptized, but he that does not believe will be condemned.”
Why would God allow EVERY English translation of the Bible throughout history to be mistranslated or use such confusing language as to suggest that God forgives sins in Baptism? And not only all English translations, ALL translations of the Bible have retained these “mistranslations or confusing wording”.
Do you honestly believe that God would allow his Word to be so polluted with translation errors that EVERY Bible in the world, if read in its simple, plain interpretation, would tell all the people of the world that God forgives sins in water baptism??
3. Why is there not one single piece of evidence from the early Christians that indicates that ANYONE in the 800-1,000 years after Christ believed that: Water baptism is ONLY a public profession of faith/act of obedience; sins are NOT forgiven in water baptism? Yes, you will find statements by these early Christians that salvation is by faith, but do Baptists and evangelicals really understand how a sinner obtains saving faith? THAT IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION, MY FRIENDS! Does the sinner produce faith by his own free will or does God provide faith and belief as a gift, and if God does provide faith and belief as a free gift, with no strings attached, when exactly does God give it?
4. Is it possible that: Baptist-like believers, at some point near or after 1,000 AD, were reading the Bible and came across verses that read “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” and “Call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved” and established their doctrine of Salvation/Justification first, based on these and similar verses alone, and then, looked at the issue of water baptism, and since the idea that God forgives sins in water baptism doesn’t seem to fit with the verses just mentioned, re-interpreted these verses to fit with their already established doctrine, instead of believing the “baptism verses” literally?
Is it possible that BOTH groups of verses are literally correct?? If we believe God’s Word literally, he says that he saves/forgives sins when sinners believe/call AND when they are baptized? Why not believe that God can give the free gift of salvation in both situations: when a sinner hears the Gospel and believes and when a sinner is baptized?
Should we re-interpret God’s plain, simple words just because they don’t seem to make sense to us?
Dear Baptist/evangelical brothers and sisters, your doctrine is very well thought out and very reasonable…but it is wrong. Do you really believe that God would require an education in ancient Greek or a Greek lexicon to understand what he really wants to say to you? And do you really believe that Baptist “Greek” scholars understand Greek better than the Greeks themselves? If the Greek language, correctly translated, states in the Bible that Baptism is only a public profession of faith as Baptists say, then why do the Greek Orthodox believe that the Greek Bible plainly says, in Greek, that God forgives sins in water baptism? Somebody doesn’t know their Greek!
Please investigate this critical doctrine further. Do you really want to appear before our Lord in heaven one day and find out that you have been following a false doctrine invented in the sixteenth century by Swiss Ana-baptists?
God bless you!
Gary
http://www.lutherwasnotbornagain.com/2013/06/the-early-church-fathers-believed-in.html
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Gary,
I very much agree with all your points here and you have well supported these points.
Thank you and God bless your studies.
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Gary,
I liked your site. You do very well in supporting yourself. I urge you to be simply a Christian and not a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic, etc. Yet, I urge you to diligently study to know whether baptism is by sprinkling, pouring and, or immersion, and also consider the words of Christ that those who believe, repent, and are baptized are saved, which excludes those who do not yet believe or can repent.
https://godsbreath.net/2013/05/20/10-characteristics-of-the-church-of-christ/
May God bless your studies.
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So do you believe that if a man hears the Gospel preached in your church but before you can be him to the baptismal tank, he drops over of a heart attack, he will die in hell?
Can you give any evidence that ANY early Christian believed this? Baptism IS necessary for salvation. You must obey God’s command to be baptized. It isn’t a choice. It is the man who rejects or ignores the command to be baptized who may die and wake up in hell. But the man with true faith who desires baptism but is denied baptism due to death, will be saved. The Church has always taught this. God DOES make exceptions, just as he did for the thief on the cross.
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Gary, :-)
I hear you saying that you think God would allow someone to die between believing and baptism. The Ethiopian eunuch, the Philippian jailer’s household, and Saul of Tarsus were all immediately baptized, and no one died on the way. Let us consider that if a man came to believe in God, but he was a day from studying the Bible and believing in Jesus as the Christ when he died. Do you believe he is going to Hell? Please brother, let us be fair with the scenarios. Neither one of us needs to test God.
The thief on the cross may or may not have been baptized by John. Either way, the thief died before Jesus was resurrected. Jesus instituted His baptism after His resurrection (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:16).
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We are arguing over rare exceptions. Let us agree: Baptism IS necessary for salvation!
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Thank you. Amen. :-)
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I do not recall the early Christian writers now, but I do have them recorded in Ferguson’s “Early Christians Speak”.
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See “Baptist Roots Call for the Reformation of Baptist Beliefs“.
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Larry,
I knew my questions wouldn’t get adequately answered from those form the church of Christ. The questions reveal the deficiency of their position. Notice my last two questions above I haven’t cited any lexicons/dictionaries in this discussion. So your assertion is simply a cop out.
I am sorry that you refuse to believe how words are properly defined though. You quote yourself (your opinions) but then are against what the dictionaries say. In ‘Through the Looking Glass’ Humpty Dumpty said, “When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean…”. I can not think of a more succinct quote that so accurately describes the church of Christ approach to redefining the words of the Bible. Fairy tale word games have absolutely no place in Christianity.
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Marc:
I have been very glad that you have proposed many options about your belief of baptism. Not very many men that I have encountered communicated about their convictions long enough to receive the amount of response that you have. Because of your commitment to voice your opinion, many reading these posts will learn more about God’s Word on baptism than they would have ever learned from their preacher or classes in a church. I am very sorry that you have chosen to begin quoting from uninspired men, and using words from the original languages to try to support your theories. Since I have no knowledge of those languages, I also would have to accept the opinions of the translators and commentary authors that were not inspired. I truly believe that God’s has overseen translating of his word so his message cannot be distorted unless you create that distortion. I believe that the complete message in the scriptures was written so the very men that were accepting his word could understand it, in opposition to being written to an elite group of scholars or scribes that did not accept it. Since it was the common men that accepted it, I believe that common men can fully understand it in their own language. God himself supports that view through Paul’s words.
(2 Tim 3:16 NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 7 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Since you have chosen to divert the authority form God’s word to these men. I will abstain from any further communication. For there is no place that we would ever agree on this subject. I do plan to be upholding Christ’s messages on the day that I will stand in judgment before him. Rather than standing with others that have never been authorized by Christ to revile messages to men.
I will pray for and solicit prayers form others that read these messages that God will open our understanding in such a way that his word will prevail in our lives. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this subject with you.
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1 John 3:24 and 4:13 do refer to the Holy Spirit’s indwelling:
a. NIDNTT: And in the Johannine writings as elsewhere the Spirit is also detectable by the effects of his coming (Jn. 3:8), so much so that the immediacy of the Spirit’s indwelling is one of the tests of life in 1 Jn. (3:24; 4:13) (3:703, Spirit – J.D.G. Dunn).
b. TDNT: In 1 Jn. pneuma is first used along primitive Christian lines for the distinguishing mark of the great turning-point. The new thing made known thereby, however, is no longer just the eschaton which has now come; it is the abiding of Christ in believers, 3:24; 4:13 (6:448, pneuma – Schweizer).
c. Vine: The word rendered “gave” is in the aorist tense, pointing to the definite occasion upon which the Holy Spirit was given. He is received by the believer at the moment when he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit is there and the seal of God’s work in the heart of the believer, and the earnest, or pledge, of his future inheritance: “in whom (that is, Christ) having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:13, 14) (The Epistle of John: Light, Love, Light, W.E. Vine, page 69).
Thanks for your opinion but I’ll stick with how words are properly defined.
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1. Why couldn’t “water” in John 3:5 refer to the Holy Spirit?
2. Why isn’t there any difference between the “cleansing” (katharizw) in Acts 15:9 and the “cleanising” (katharizw) in Ephesians 5:26?
3. Where is your proof that “believe” in Acts 15:7 does not salvation has taken place?
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It is very inconsistent for you to say that I have been lead by men and that I should have consulted the Scriptures instead. Even if you say that you don’t base your position on any man or men you do go by what you assume the Scriptures teach…and you are a man.
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Proof that Cornelius and the Gentiles with him were saved before their water baptism
a. In Acts 15:7 the word “believe” is used by Peter in describing the response of Cornelius and the other Gentiles after hearing the word of the gospel. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise belief is understood as saving faith. If you insist that this kind of belief as used in Acts 15:7 is not saving faith then it is incumbent upon you to demonstrate your position as to why it isn’t especially in light of the fact that God, the heartknower, bore witness to their belief by giving them the Holy Spirit.
b. Anyone that has been “given” (didwmi) the Holy Spirit is saved (1 John 3:24; 4:13). The Gentiles were “given” (didwmi) the Holy Spirit before they were water baptized (Acts 11:17; 15:8) thus proving they were saved before they were water baptized..
c. There is no difference between the “cleansing” (katharizw) in Acts 15:9 and the “cleanising” (katharizw) in Ephesians 5:26. The fact that the Gentiles were said to be “cleansed’ (Acts 15:9) before there water baptism proves they were saved before their water baptism.
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Is Christ a picture of the Ark or not?
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In terms of Paul, he like those in Acts 2:38, were saved upon their water baptism. There is not one clear cut case that any Gentile was commanded to be water baptized in the name of the Lord for the forgiveness of sins.
Furthermore, the text doesn’t actually say in Acts 9:17 that Paul at that very moment was filled with the Holy Spirit. Why couldn’t he have been filled with the Holy Spirit after he was water baptized?
TDNT: The endowment of the Spirit promised in 9:17 seems quite obviously to have been fulfilled by the baptism of v.18 (6:413, pneuma – Schweizer).
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Why couldn’t “water” in John 3:5 refer to the Holy Spirit?
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Marc,
Your whole position hinges on receiving the Spirit. First John 3:24 and 4:13 does not is referring to the indwelling of God by His Spirit, and not to the receiving of the Spirit as the Gentiles received in Acts 10. You presume too much.
Acts 10:43 says that literally word-for-word in the precise word order, “To this One [Jesus Christ], all the prophets testify the release of sin through His name to everyone believing unto Him.” When is the release of sin in His name? “Who is able to stop the water that these are not to be baptized, who received the Holy Spirit also as us? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. At that time, they requested him to abide some days” (Acts 10:47-48). Why not just put off baptism to another time? Why are believers immediately baptized? Why do they ask for baptism when they’ve only been taught Jesus (Acts 8)? Even the Samaritans and proselytes like the Ethiopian eunuch heard the preaching of Jesus and concluded that baptism in water in Jesus’ name was an action that had to be accomplished right then. You would separate these from Gentiles or from the Jews?
The washing, the justification, and the sanctification all happen at the same time. Again another verbal translation, “And you were these [sinners], but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). When was there both washing and the Spirit in the name of Jesus? Certainly, you know that we are baptized in the name of Jesus.
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As for being born of the water and the Spirit,
“The Holy Spirit had a place in Jesus’ one baptism in water. Jesus said that His baptism was in the name of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). Corinthians were baptized in the name of Christ (1 Cor. 1:13, 15). First Corinthians 6:11, ‘And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.’ This is the baptism into the one body by one Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13), which is the Church (Eph. 1:22-23, Col. 1:18). In the baptism in Jesus’ name, the Spirit sanctifies and justifies (1 Cor. 6:11) as Titus 3:5, ‘not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit’, which agrees with your reference to John 3:5, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ The Spirit is at work in baptism with water in Jesus’ name. It is Jesus that washes us with water (Eph. 5:26). The blood and the water meet in baptism (Heb. 10:19-22, cf. John 19:34, 1 John 5:6ff).”
Salvation and Baptism in Water or of the Spirit? The answer is both the water and the Spirit. Christ washes us by water (Eph. 5:26).
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Marc:
In several of my last posts I showed that Jesus made a statement in (John 3:5 NIV) Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
In your response, you asked; “Please provide evidence that the mention of “water” must mean Christian water baptism in the name/authority of the Lord Jesus (John 3:5)”.
I am going to guess that you believe that the statement, “born of water” that Jesus speaks of here has no relationship with any of the examples or messages of the actions that were taught by the apostles and early Christians. Forgive me and correct me if what I portray is not what your goal is. For I see your goal is to promote that man can be saved prior to being immersed in baptism. You identify the conversion of Cornelius and his family portraying that they were saved by receiving the Spirit prior to baptism. This is one out of eight accounts written in the scriptures portraying conversions of sinners, it is the only one that could give the impression that the hearers were saved prior to water baptism. All of the others followed the pattern that was explained in scripture that they were given the Spirit after baptism. In one of the preceding posts, I explained that event in detail, including how it followed and fulfilled the message of Jesus in John 3:5.
Now, let’s discuss your question. First, I must inform you that the title “Christian water baptism” is not found in scripture. Water baptism in the scriptures was only applied to those that were not saved yet. I will challenge you here to show where any saved person was baptized in scripture. I know that you will disagree because you have been not understood what the purpose of baptism is. You have been lead by men (as you consult Mr. A. Robertson and others for a definition of baptism). You truly should have consulted the scriptures instead. There you will never find baptism described as a picture of something. Actually, the very verses that you mention, you must distort to portray that way. Notice again exactly what they say, without applying your view.
(1 Pet 3:20 NIV) who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
(1 Pet 3:21 NIV) and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Notice, the statement; “were saved through water, and this water symbolizes” the (water) in the second part of this statement refers to the water in the first. There is no statement here that says that baptism is the “symbol”, but the statement “baptism that now saves you also” is in total harmony with all other scriptures about baptism.
One of the strongest vices that Satan has left now is to abort the birth of a new life in Christ by convincing men that baptism is not a vital obedience to the message of Christ.
You question, vital and I direct your attention to the true purpose of baptism, that Satan the master deceiver does not want you to know. I cannot cover all of the messages in scripture that portray this concept, I will though ask you and anyone that reads this to do searches on the subject of baptism, not in commentaries but the scriptures themselves, and I am assured that you will surprise your self with your findings. The scriptures that contain the most powerful message about the purpose of baptism are. You will notice that this is Paul’s account of his conversion.
(Acts 22:6 NIV) “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.
9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’
11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
As we read this account, notice that there was a direct communication from the Lord that talked to Saul. Saul communicated back with total recognition and submission to the Lord, obeying his instructions. Notice, Acts 9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
While in Damascus we will consult the account in Acts 9:8 for a better description of his activities.
8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
What do you imagine that he was doing during that time? What do you think you would have been doing? Well the scriptures tell.
Acts 9:10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
Verse 11 says that he was praying. Now what would you suppose that you would be praying for if you were in his shoes? Don’t you believe that you would be asking the Lord to forgive you for all the havoc, slaughter of Christians (murder) etc; that you have committed? Would you ask for him to save you, would you ask him to give you another chance and that you would serve him all of the rest of your life, what would you not be willing to give up for another chance to serve him?
Notice the message that Ananias was instructed by the Lord to say to Saul.
Acts 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord–Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here–has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
Did you notice that, “filled with the Holy Spirit”, preceded verse 18 “He got up and was baptized,”
Now for the rest of the Paul’s story.
Acts 22:12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
All of his prior communications with the Lord, all the prayers to the Lord, all his promises to the Lord (like we would have made) did not relieve him of the obligation to obey the last command. According to the Lord none of the prior actions had removed his sins from him, he had not been forgiven, he had not been added to the church or the kingdom, remember what separated God from man in the garden was sin, and until those were washed away by baptism as stated by the Lord’s message through Ananias. God and/or Jesus could not exist where there is sin! Remember again the words of Jesus, (John 3:5 NIV) Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. This is the born again process being borne of water that Jesus has spoken of. I ask you again will you stand with Jesus at the judgment, or will you find yourself standing where you did not plan to be?
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I pray that others will read these words and be helped.
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1 Peter 3:21
a. Robertson: The saving by baptism in which Peter here mentions is only symbolic (a metaphor or picture as in Romans 6:2-6) (Word Pictures in the New Testament).
b. When the text reads that “baptism now saves you” this is what water baptism simply pictures. For the ark is a type of Christ while the flood represents or corresponds to the waters of baptism. Before the waters of the flood came they were already sealed in the ark. Likewise, before one is water baptized one is already sealed in Christ (Ephesians 1:13). To be “in Christ” is the spiritual condition of a saved person.
c. The ark and Christ compared:
1. Before the waters of the flood came they were already sealed in the ark (Luke 17:27). Likewise, before one is water baptized today they are already sealed in Christ (Ephesians 1:13).
2. The ark was provided before the cataclysm so was Christ (Revelation 13:8).
3. The ark provided deliverance to Noah while Christ provides deliverance to us (Colossians 1:13).
4. There was only one ark and there is only one Savior (Acts 4:12).
5. God revealed the ark to Noah and God reveals Christ to us (2 Corinthians 4:6).
6. God waited patiently for those to come into the ark and He waits patiently for people to receive Christ (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9).
7. There was a limited amount of time to enter the ark (Genesis 7:11-13) just as there is a limited amount of time to receive salvation in Christ (2 Corinthians 6:2).
8. The ark was made of wood (Genesis 6:14). Christ was the root out of parched ground (Isaiah 53:2) and a branch (Isaiah 11:1).
9. The ark was to have a “cover/pitch” (kopher) inside and out (Genesis 6:14). It had no value without this covering. This same word “kaphar” (verb form) is used to describe the atonement because of the blood of Christ (Leviticus 17:11).
10. Inside the ark one was saved from God’s wrath – the same with Christ (John 3:36).
11. Only a few people were saved in the ark (Genesis 7:7) while only a few people will be saved in Christ (Matthew 7:13, 14).
12. The ark had only one door and God shut it (Genesis 7:16). Christ is the only door (John 10:9) and we are shut or sealed in Him (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).
Christ is the Ark of salvation!
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I asked you to do something earlier and you didn’t do it so I will ask again…….
Please provide evidence that the mention of “water” must mean Christian water baptism in the name/authority of the Lord Jesus (John 3:5).
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