A Look At 1 Peter 3:21

"Baptism now saves you."

-- 1 Peter 3:21 --

Is John losing his mind! Does he really believe that baptism by immersion in water is necessary for salvation?

Of course I do not believe this false gospel. But those who quote "baptism now saves you" adamantly believe that you must be baptized in water in order to have your sins forgiven and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, a complete misrepresentation of Acts 2:38. This is called Baptismal Regeneration.

It is really easy to take a verse out of context and use it as a standalone proof text. Many of those who do this only know a few verses that they use to backup what they believe. When confronted with the surrounding context and other passages that clearly refute their belief system, most of these people will ignore what the rest of Scripture teaches because they were raised in this system and they have no desire to learn anything beyond what their church teaches.

It is clear from 1 Peter chapter 1 that he is addressing those who are “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” who have obtained “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away,” an inheritance that is “reserved in heaven” for them, and “who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3–5).

To set the context of “baptism now saves you” we need to look at 1 Peter 3:14–21: “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Those who Peter addressed in this epistle were enduring various trials and persecutions. They unjustly suffered for the sake of righteousness. It is very easy to respond in kind when someone slanders you. Peter reminded his readers that Christ also suffered unjustly. The just died to pay for the sins of the unjust. He used the example of Noah and his family. They entered the ark (Gen. 7:13) where they safely survived the judgment of the flood waters that came upon the entire earth and destroyed all human life (Gen. 7:21–23). Correspondingly, Christ Jesus is the ark of our salvation, our shelter from the judgment of God. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps. 91:1).

We were baptized (immersed) into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12–13) and “were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13) the moment we came to faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9–10; Eph. 2:8–9). Peter emphasized that the baptism that “now saves you” is not immersion in water. During the flood, Noah and his family were on the ark, not in the water. They were saved from the judgment of the flood waters. The rest of mankind were destroyed in these waters. Likewise, those in Christ are eternally saved from God’s judgment (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; 1 John 5:11–13) “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Those who die without Christ will suffer throughout eternity in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11–15).

If Peter meant that water baptism was required for salvation, then he must have contradicted himself. While presenting the gospel of Christ to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:34–48) he said, “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (v. 43). During his sermon at Pentecost he declared, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

The question that must be answered is this: must one believe in Christ Jesus, or must one be baptized in His name to obtain forgiveness of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?

• Jesus commissioned us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). We are commanded to baptize followers of Christ (disciples), not unbelievers.

• If water baptism was required in order to obtain salvation, Paul would have clearly stated this in the gospel which he preached, “by which also you are saved” (1 Cor. 15:1–4). However, he said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void” (1 Cor. 1:17). Paul made a clear distinction between water baptism and the gospel of Christ.

• The Gentiles present during Peter’s message to the household of Cornelius received the Holy Spirit and afterwards were baptized (Acts 10:44–48).

• Thus, all one must do is believe that Christ died for his or her sins, was buried, and that He was raised from the dead on the third day. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10).

I am not downplaying the importance of believers baptism. I was baptized shortly after I came to faith in Christ as a twenty-year-old sailor in the United States Navy. Baptism is a public testimony of a spiritual reality: “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3–4).

Any gospel that adds works, including water baptism, to the finished work of Christ, is false. Unfortunately, there are many souls who believe that they received the Holy Spirit after being baptized. Paul gave this stern warning: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Gal. 1:8–9). We are not justified (declared righteous) by works but by grace through faith in Christ alone (Rom. 3:20–26; Gal. 3:11, 24–26; Eph. 2:8–9; Titus 3:4-7).

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations cited in this post are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

John Gandiello is the author of "Know Your Theology - Understand Why You Believe What You Believe."

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