By: Robert Serreyn

Question? In 1 Peter 3:21 How does the like figure of baptism save us?

1Peter 3:21 -“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”.

Answer: A better question to ask would be NOT HOW, but in WHO”S EYES baptism now saves us. This is ANOTHER one of those verses that those who teach and believe in what is called baptismal regeneration try to prove that baptism saves and or is part of salvation , they ONLY read the first part of the verse and stop (to support their FALSE DOCTRINE) and NEVER continue on with the rest of the verse. The KEY TO UNDERSTANDING this scripture just like any other verse is always COMPARE other MORE CLEAR verses with the scripture verse or verses in question, Like John 3:16,36,47, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ect just name a few. Not once is there ANY MENTION of baptism for or part of salvation. To understand what is being said here lets look at the rest of the verse to get its PROPER INTERPRETATION. The First thing we read is that baptism DOES NOT put away (pay for, or take away) the filth(sins) of the flesh. The Second is that it is a answer of a good conscience toward God, in other words it takes away the GUILT we would feel that we would have for NOT OBEYING the Lord in Identify ourselves with him therefore baptism is NOTHING MORE than a public testimony which does NOT GIVE us or is part of salvation but what it is an outward testimony of what we already believe, When we are immersed under the water it shows DEATH, and BURIAL of Christ, When we are raised up out of the water it shows Christ’s RESURRECTION from the grave ALL THIS is the like figure of.

God DOES NOT REQUIRE any outward act of us, just simple belief ALONE in Jesus Christ death payment for our sins (Romans 4:5), BUT MAN REQUIRES an outward evidence of that faith (James 2:18,24). the simple comparison between Romans and James is that in Romans a person is saved in God’s EYES (salvation), in James a person is saved in Man’s EYES (personal testimony). The Bible is CLEAR on that the ONLY thing a person has to do to BE SAVED is “BELIEVE(trust in completely) ALONE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED”. – Acts 16:31

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.

Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8

Christ PAID your sins in Full – 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24

BELIEVE(Trust In Completely) on Christ ALONE for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9

“For the wages(payment) of sin is death(Eternal Torment In Hell & The Lake of Fire); But the Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord”. Romans 6:23

IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH