This needs to be properly interpreted. The thought should be completed: 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:
What is it that saves us? Paul said "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved..." and believing on Him includes believing on His death, burial, and resurrection (as the finished work of Christ) which saves us. Here His resurrection is mentioned. But baptism is connected with "the answer of a good conscience toward God".
In what sense does this apply? (1) those who repent (turn from their sins and idols) now have a good conscience toward God (instead of a guilty conscience). Furthermore, (2) those who obey Christ in Christian baptism also have a good conscience, in that they did exactly what Christ commanded.
If water baptism could save anyone, then the shed blood of Christ would not have been necessary. Even John the Baptist -- who preached about repentance and baptism -- was required to speak of the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world.
Furthermore, since Peter connects this to the deliverance of eight souls from the Flood of Noah's day, we need to ask ourselves this question: "Was it the Ark which saved Noah and his family or was it the flood waters?" and the answer is obvious. The Ark is a type of Christ, and those who are "in Christ" are saved from the wrath of God.
There are many baptisms in the OT as well as John's baptism in the NT. They are not the same.
Baptism in Jesus name + faith is when Jesus saves us.
That doesn't remove the necessary for Christ's sacrificial death.
The Council of Trent identified five different causes of our initial Justification:
1. the final cause indeed is the glory of God and of Jesus Christ, and life everlasting;
2. the efficient cause is a merciful God who washes and sanctifies gratuitously, signing, and anointing with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance;
3. the meritorious cause is His most beloved only-begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were enemies, for the exceeding charity wherewith he loved us, merited Justification for us by His most holy Passion on the wood of the cross, and made satisfaction for us unto God the Father;
4. the instrumental cause is the sacrament of baptism, which is the sacrament of faith, without which (faith) no man was ever justified
5. the alone formal cause is the justice of God
The shed blood of Christ is no. 3 - the meritorious cause. By his Passion and death Christ merited salvation for us.
Baptism is no. 4 - the instrumental cause - how & when that which Christ merited is applied to us.
Furthermore, since Peter connects this to the deliverance of eight souls from the Flood of Noah's day, we need to ask ourselves this question: "Was it the Ark which saved Noah and his family or was it the flood waters?" and the answer is obvious. The Ark is a type of Christ, and those who are "in Christ" are saved from the wrath of God.
I would not agree that Peter was referring to the ark as saving Noah and his family. That does not tie up with the rest of his sentence -
"not the putting away of the filth of the flesh" and "the answer of a good conscience toward God"
Sure, Those in the ark were saved from the water but that is not the comparison that Peter was making. They were not saved
from water but
through water (RSV, NIV, NAB, HCSB) or
by water (KJV). The word tranlated in most Bible as through is Strong 1223 "
A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through....."
The water was the
means by which they were saved so Peter is therefore not referring to their salvation from the flood but a different salvation in which water was the means, the channel.
Immediately before God tells Noah to build the Ark he explains what he is doing:
“In the eyes of God the earth was corrupt and full of lawlessness. When God saw how corrupt the earth had become, since all mortals led depraved lives on earth, he said to Noah: “I have decided to put an end to all mortals on earth; the earth is full of lawlessness because of them. So I will destroy them and all life on earth.” (Gen 6:11-13)
The water (the flood) destroyed the world with all it’s sin and iniquity. It was this that those in the Ark were saved from by means of water.
And as in other examples in the OT the pre-figuring was physical, in the NT the anti-type (baptism) is spiritual.
And it saves us in a similar way, by clearing out the sin and iniquity in us. As Peter goes on to say it is an appeal to God for a clear conscience - because our sins are forgiven.
It is this same Peter that said at Pentecost
Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. (Acts 2:38)
And Paul recounts about his own baptism
Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptised and your sins washed away, calling upon his name. (Acts 22:16).
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