It Is In The Word

1 Peter 3

18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

19 So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—20 those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I wanted to keep this passage in its context so I could simply say that it amazes me how people can claim that baptism has nothing to do with salvation. Peter gives a perfect explanation as to the saving properties of baptism: not water removing dirt from the body, but a response to God from a clean conscience, effective because of the resurrection of Christ. For those who claim to be followers of Christ yet deny that baptism is essential to salvation, I simply say: read the Word, and stop lying about what God wants from His people!