“IS WATER BAPTISM THE ANSWER OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE?”

(1 Peter 3:18-21,22)

Inspite of cleaning your shoes after walking through a pig pen… the smell still lingers!

Inspite of a saved Baptist denying that water baptism is not required for salvation, the practice still exists post salvation … although still not needed to stay saved! Why?

Their last bastion of defence rests in Peter … not Paul! … where Christians are to be followers of Paul, not Peter
(1 Corinthians 11:1) … and where Christians do not water baptize (1 Corinthians 1:17) … where the Peter context is not water baptism … even though at first glance it seems it is … but Spirit baptism!

To be absolutely clear, Peter does not speak of water baptism … but the opposite! The verses are as follows … 

18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The LIKE FIGURE whereunto even baptism (not water but Spirit) doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh (actual water), but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” (1 Peter 3:18-21,22)

The like figure refers to Spirit baptism by God putting us into the death of Christ.

Peter’s parallel example of water baptism is placed into the context of Spirit baptism … with the bookends of verse 18 … being quickened by the Spirit and verse 21 … the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

A good conscience is the purged conscience by Christ’s blood … and that could not be obtained by animal blood (Hebrews 1:3; 10:2).

Now having gotten a good conscience, what should we do? Get water baptised? NO.

The answer of a good conscience is a willingness to live honestly “…good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.” (Hebrews 13:18) … NOT GET WATER BAPTISED!

The analogy is eight souls were saved by water and the like figure is that Christians are saved by Spirit baptism … not water baptism which only puts away the filth of the flesh.

And the answer of the Baptist is … wait for it … “Well, inspite of the evidence against water baptism … I still believe we need to water baptize people!”

 Dear Oh, Dear Oh, Dearie me!

What’s the phrase?Heaven help us!” 

Harley Hitchcock

This website’s front page is:
www.AustralianBibleMinistries.com




QUESTION:IF PAUL STOPPED WATER BAPTIZING WHY DO CHURCHES CONTINUE TO DO IT?


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