You site 1 Pet 3:21, but v20 must be read in order to get the clear meaning. It speaks about baptism for a good conscience that’s (repentance) but it’s the Resurrection of Jesus that saves.
JL: Baptism is not repentance what did Peter say when asked. “what must we do brothers”, repent, be baptized for remission of sins, receive the Holy Spirit.
**How is our conscience purged? **
Hb9:14 How much more shall the BLOOD OF CHRIST, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE from dead works to serve the living God?]
**How does baptism now save us? **
[1Pt3:21 and this water symbolizes BAPTISM that NOW SAVES YOU also—not the removal of dirt from the body but THE PLEDGE OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE toward God. It saves you BY THE RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ,]
**How do we have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience? **[Hb10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE, and our bodies WAHSED WITH PURE WATER.] The pure water would be the Holy Spirit.
Read the following John 3:16,36; 5:24; Acts 16:31; Rom 1:17 ;4:5 they say nothing about baptism.
JL: You are correct those scriptures do not say anything about baptism. You will also notice they say nothing about REPENTING, being baptized for remission of sins, or receiving the Holy Spirit, loving others, doing God’s will etc. That’s why we need the entire Holy Bible instead of just a Holy Leaflet. Problem with your theory it does not take into account all the other scriptures, such as [James 2:17 In the same way, FAITH BY ITSELF, if it is not accompanied by action, IS DEAD. James 2:26 AS the BODY WITHOUT the SPIRIT IS DEAD, so FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS IS DEAD.] You can’t just pull out statements without the rest of scripture.
Mark 16:16, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Nowhere does it say,” whoever is not baptized will be condemned.”
JL: Correct it doesn’t say that. Note what Mk16:16 says, Whoever believes AND IS baptized WILL BE saved. It does not say whoever believes IS saved nor does it imply baptism is only a symbol of repentance.
One must believe followed by baptism for repentance” Do you agree? ED O.
JL: Baptism is not repentance but comes after repentance. Peter tells us in [Acts2:38 Then PETER SAID unto them, REPENT, and BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR the REMISSION OF SINS, and ye shall RECEIVE the gift of THE HOLY GHOST.] An adult must believe have faith, (spiritual CONCEPTION), repent (trun from sin to God), AFTER repentance, be baptized for remission of sins, receive the Holy Spirit This is when we are BORN AGAIN of water and the Spirit as Christ tells us in Jn3:3-5. Thru water baptism one is DELIVERED a new bouncing child of God.
Also notice in [Acts2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For THE PROMISE IS UNTO YOU, AND TO YOUR CHILDREN, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.] The word for children is teknon. Teknon would be children from infant to adult, We see the same word teknon (children) used in Act21:21 in reference to circumcision, we know infants were circumcised at 8 days old.
[Act21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought NOT TO CIRCUMCISE THEIR CHILDREN, neither to walk after the customs.
Gn17:14 And THE UNCIRCUMCISED MAN CHILD whose flesh of his foreskin is NOT CIRCUMCISED, that soul SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE; he hath broken my covenant.] Circumcision is a forshadowing of baptism. Baptism fulfills, circumsicion and brings an infant or person into the covenant people of God, otherwise they are cut off from their people.
When an adult Gentile converted to Judaism he had to believe, repent, be circumcised. Yet infants were brought into the people of God, old covenant on the merits of it’s parents or guardians faith, just as in the new covenant. Circumcision was an outward sign only it did not give grace or the indwelling Holy Spirit as baptism does.
Cornelius and company got saved by hearing the gospel being preached to them by Peter then later, they got baptized a turning to God.
JL: Cornelius and household were given the gift of speaking in tongues, which does not mean they were, as you say SAVED, although technically that is true. In the OT a donkey was given the gift to speak, that does not mean he was saved and had the indwelling Holy Spirit, [2Pt2:16 But he was REBUKED for his wrongdoing BY A DONKEY—a beast without speech—WHO SPOKE WITH A MAN’S VOICE and restrained the prophet’s madness.] The donkey spoke by the action of the Holy Spirit.
The holy Spirit fell on them it did not indwell them. Indwelling comes by water baptism after their sins are washed away. The gift of speaking in tongues was given so Peter and those Jewish Christians with him would know God accepts uncircumcised Gentiles, [Acts11:9 "The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘DO NOT CALL anything IMPURE that GOD HAS MADE CLEAN.’ 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.]
Peter recognized this from the vision he had before the men came from Cornelius to get him. That vision and speaking in tongues is why they were not first circumcised and then baptized, as God told Peter in the vision, DO NOT CALL ANYTHING IMPURE THAT GOD HAS MADE CLEAN.
The Infants of beleivers are clean, acceptable so who can forbid water that they be baptized. Children of unbeleiver’s are called unclean. [1Cor7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: ELSE were YOUR CHILDREN UNCLEAN; but NOW ARE THEY HOLY.] They are holy because of the faith of the believer and acceptable to God for baptism on the merits of the faith of the parent.
Lk18:15 And THEY BROUGHT UNTO HIM ALSO INFANTS, that he would touch them: but when HIS DISCIPLES saw it, they REBUKED THEM. 16 But JESUS called them unto him, and SAID, SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME, and FORBID THEM NOT: for of SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD.] They are without sin, of such is the kingdom. We are not born into the kingdom EXCEPT by water and Spirit as Christ tells us, we must be born angain to enter the kingdom. If such as little children are of the kingdom they need to be brought into that kingdom.