For the sake of keeping you from scoring a run I hope you don’t mind if I comment.
There was the baptism of John, and the Baptism of the HS, but at the moment I’m speaking concerning the “baptism” Peter talks about in 1 Pet 3.
“Baptize,” in the Greek simply means “immersion.”Mark 1:8
8 “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 3:16
16 John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.So John’s baptism “immerses” people into water.
I don’t think anyone would argue that John’s baptism is the same sacramental baptism Christ instituted. (or that either was the same as Jesus’ baptism)
John’s baptism of Jesus was to reveal to humanity that Jesus came to fulfill the law, through the new and eternal covenant. At John’s ritual washing of Jesus, the Father reveals the Son and the Holy Spirit descends upon the Son, who is the true "Lamb of God’ who takes away the sins of the world.
I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’ (John 1:31-33)
Jesus’ baptism was a royal anointing of the Son of David (Jesus) conferred by a Levite (John the Baptist) to reveal Christ to Israel, as it was foreshadowed when the Son of David (Solomon) was anointed by the Levitical priest Zadok. (typology)
**Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” (1 Kings 1:39) **
Then we have Christ, who was baptized with the water ”to fulfill all righteous, using the word “baptize” with a meaning other than being immersed into water:Mark 10:38-39
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.
50 “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!Does Jesus mean that He’s going to experience water baptism? No, but the baptism of the Cross and suffering for sin.
Jesus had already recieved baptism in Mark 1:9 and Luke 3:21, which was in the water and the Spirit, which descended upon Him in the form of a dove.
You’re point is well recieved though. There is also a baptism by blood. The Church has always taught that baptism is a normative, not an absolute necessity.
We also have the baptism of those in the wilderness into Moses:1 Corinthians 10:1-2
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;
2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;Does that mean Moses baptized all of the children of Israel while they were in flight from the Pharaoh? Obviously not, their baptism into Moses indicates their oneness, their relationship, their solidarity with Moses as their deliverer sent from God (a type of Christ).
Notice as well that the people ”passed through the sea.”
The parting of the Red Sea was a miraculous events that actually saved people. They were saved through water. This Old Testament imagery is used to describe New Covenant baptism.
That’s the same thing Peter says concerning Noah and his—they were ”brought safely through the water.”
What does Peter say next?
He says, ”Correspondingly,” (Gk. antitupos, or antitype, which is a symbol or pattern of a something).
So Peter says, ”an antitype of that, baptism now saves you (not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God from a good conscience) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Did Jesus’ baptism in Mk 10 and Lk 12 remove dirt from Him? No, because it was not water baptism.
Did the baptism of Moses remove dirt from the Israelites? No, because it was not water baptism.
Does the baptism Peter speaks of remove dirt from the body? No, because it’s not water baptism.
Pay attention to the context. Noah and his family were saved by being in the ark, as those who are Christ’s are saved by being in Him—the ark brought them through the water.
In Peter’s context, the water is not what saves, water is the instrument God uses to destroy every living thing, except for those He placed in the ark.
So too, Christ (the ark) safely delivers through their perils (the water in Peter’s context) those God places in Him.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet 3:21)
This verse demonstrates that baptism is salvific (it saves us), and deals with the interior life of the person (purifying the conscience), and not the external life (removing dirt from the body).
let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. (Heb 10:22)
The point is, baptism has more than one meaning, and Peter’s meaning of baptism in this passage is not water baptism.
Of course baptism has more that one meaning, but Peter’s meaning of baptism in this passage
is water baptism. Look at the parallel between Heb. 10:22 and 1 Peter 3:21:
- draw near to the sanctuary (heaven) / now saves us. 2. sprinkled clean, washed with pure water / saved through water, baptism. 3. from an evil conscience (interior) / for a clear conscience (interior).
He’s concerned about the baptism because He was instructed ”to make disciples…baptizing them…” and that’s what occurred. Cornelius and his were believing disciples who had received the Spirit, and then Peter baptized them.
Redemption and the forgiveness of sins is through Christ’s blood, not through baptism (Acts 2:38; Eph 1:7, etc.).
That is what baptism is! Spiritual death and rebirth in Christ!
Whoever believes AND is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16)
Of course there is symbolism, but the sacrament of baptism achieves what it symbolizes. A spiritual death and rebirth in Christ.
The flood waters symbolize and are an agent of death and rebirth- death to an “old world of sin” and rebirth to a “new world of grace.” Fleeing Egypt through the waters of the Red Sea symbolize and are an agent of death and rebirth- death to an “old world of slavery” and rebirth to a “new world of freedom.”
Water is used in baptism just as it is used in the above Scripture: as a death-birth symbol and agent.
Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned (Rom 5:12)
In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. (Rom 5:18)
Through the sacrament of Baptism, the risen Jesus unites us to himself and shares with us the new life he won by his death and resurrection. Thus, the sacrament achieves what it symbolize: a spiritual death and rebirth in Christ.
