Do You Have to Be Baptized to Be Saved?

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1 Peter 3 .21 says, Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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This is one of those proof texts some will use to say that baptism is necessary for salvation. After all, it's right there.

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Baptism now saves you. While Peter does make a connection between baptism and salvation, in no way is he saying that water has salvific properties.

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Water does nothing except wash away dirt. It's not about what baptism does, but what it represents, an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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To be sure that's what Peter is saying, look at the story of him baptizing Cornelius in Acts 10. After Peter preached the gospel, the

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Holy Spirit of the Lord came upon all who heard it. Then Peter declared, can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people who have received the

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Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus. And there you have it.

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Baptism was the sign of their belief. It was not the cause of their salvation. Hang on, I take that back.

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They were saved by baptism, a baptism of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist baptized with water, but he said there was one coming after him who baptized with the

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Holy Spirit. Water baptism is the outward symbol of that inward change, signifying that we've been buried in our sins and risen to new life in Christ.

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Jesus commanded to baptize and be baptized. It is a command we must obey just as we're to love our neighbor.

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water baptism is a work, a sign of our faith, not the cause of it when we understand the text.