Bible Truth FAQs
THE ROLE OF WATER
True gospel preachers have for many years been ridiculed by an unbelieving world who, in ignorance of the scriptures, label them "water Salvationists." This is because they preach repentance and immersion in water for the remission of sins.
In I Pet. 3:20-21 the inspired word tells us that the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was a-preparing, wherein eight souls were saved by water. Here the Holy Scriptures uses the expression "saved by water." The passage continues, "… the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us." Here the inspired word says baptism saves us. Notice it does not say baptism alone saves us, but this passage should cause all sober-minded people to realize that baptism has to do with salvation.
Now, no true gospel preacher has ever claimed there is any merit in the water. The merit is in the blood of Christ, which is contacted in the act of baptism. His blood was shed in his death, and baptism is into his death (Rom. 6:3). Some will accept God's plan through obedience, but many will ridicule it. When men gladly receive the word (Acts 2:41), they are baptized.
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