# Any Good Articles on 1 Peter 3:21



## Romans922 (Nov 25, 2008)

Any Good articles or blog posts on "Baptism now saves you..."?


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## larryjf (Nov 25, 2008)

The Geneva Bible has in its notes on this passage:


> for the preservation of Noah in the waters, was a figure of our baptism, not as though the material water of baptism shows us, as those waters which bare up the ark saved Noah, but because Christ with his inward virtue, which the outward baptism shadows, preserves us being washed, so that we may call upon God with a good conscience.



The last part of the verse is an important clarification in showing us that this is all through the resurrection of Christ, and not merely a washing of water.

_Baptism, 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*, (1Pe 3:21, ESV)
_

And consider how this might relate to the flood and the water "saving" Noah. What did the water save Noah from? Clearly the Ark is what saved him from the flood. It would seem to me that the water saved him from the evil generation that was being consumed by the flood.
Perhaps this is why Peter refers to a good conscience.


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## Romans922 (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks Larry. Does Andrew have any links???


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## greenbaggins (Nov 26, 2008)

The new Palmer Robertson Festschrift has the perfect article for you by Rick Phillips on this very question.


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## Romans922 (Nov 26, 2008)

Ah, I have that book, thanks.


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## Poimen (Nov 26, 2008)

Cal Beisner has an online article on baptismal regeneration, "Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?," here.

What I am posting below is his explanation of 1 Peter 3:19-21 which is included in the article:



> Beside Acts 2:38, this is the next text most strongly depended on by those in favor of the idea that baptism is necessary for salvation. The reason is obvious. This text includes the striking phrase, "an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism." In reference to baptism Paul writes, "Not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." Now the physical baptism is "the removal of filth of the flesh" (cf. Hebrews 10:22). But what actually saves is "the answer of a good conscience toward God."
> 
> This shows the close examination between this verse and Hebrews 10:22. That there is another careful distinction between outward cleansing of the body in pure water, and inward cleansing of the conscience. The same distinction is made here in II Peter 3:21, and shows that it is not the outward act which saves but the inward change which is signified by the outward act. Thus Peter refers briefly to the sign of clear conscience, the submitting to baptism, as a short way of referring to the actual thing, the clear conscience. But then for clarification he explains that it is not the sign which saves, but the thing signified: the clear conscience saves, not the physical baptism.
> 
> ...


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