"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 3: 21). (MAAS ch. 4)
Or, as the New American Standard puts it, "baptism now saves you." But is taking that phrase out of its context really proof that it is baptism which saves us? Is that what this scripture is really saying? Even in the King James Version we know better. It reads:
"18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." 1 Peter 3:18-22 KJV
Think about it. Was Noah "saved by water," as this seems to say? Did a flood save Noah? Even in the KJV translation we can see that Noah was not saved "by" the ability of water to save them. Who was doing the saving? It was God, who warned them and gave them time to build the ark, who saved them (obviously, because they obeyed Him). As the KJV says, "God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." But the words "by water" would have been better translated as "through water," as is done in other versions.
So, understanding that God saved Noah through the waters of the flood, or by means of the water of the flood, the phrases "corresponding to that, baptism now saves you," would imply that God is still doing the saving through the waters of baptism. This is completely born out because Peter goes on to say, "(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:" Which tells us that what saves us is not the setting-aside (putting away) of the moral depravity (filth of the flesh) --- that is, a baptism of repentance of past sins, like John's baptism, is not what saves us. But a baptism of obedience to God from, or resulting in, a good conscience, will, by the same power God used to raise Jesus from the dead, save us through baptism. It should be clear that baptism, by itself, has no power to save anyone. It is God, working through baptism, who forgives our sins. Baptism, by itself, does not wash away our sins. Even Acts 22:16 which reads, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." KJV, does not end with "wash away thy sins," but adds "calling on the name of the Lord," indicating that Saul is obeying Jesus by being baptized in His name, calling on Him (for forgiveness); indicating that it is the power of Jesus or God doing the forgiving (Mt 9:6, Mk 11:25-26, Jn 5:25-29, Col 2:12-13, 1 Jn 1:9)
Another interesting side-note about this passage is the phrase "corresponding to that," NASU or "the like figure."KJV. The Greek word used here is antitupon, meaning corresponding, or antitype; this is from the root words anti, against or opposite, and tupos, a die(as struck) or stamp. So, the image we get is that baptism is the act of striking the die, leaving the image of salvation, Jesus, on our souls. As [God saved] eight souls through water, antitupon [God saves you] through baptism.
All right. Given that it is the power and grace of God which saves us, and not any power "naturally" occurring in the water of baptism, Is it at all possible for God to save someone who was not baptized into Jesus before dying? What does the Bible say?
First of all, what about the people under the law of Moses, who lived before Christianity?
We read in 1 Corinthians 10:1-5, "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; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.
Now it explicitly says "All were baptized into Moses." It does not say that they were baptized into Christ. Since, according to Hebrews 3:3, Christ is so much greater than Moses, if they had been baptized into Christ, the baptism into Christ would have superseded the baptism into Moses. But that is not what the scripture says. Instead, it says they were all baptized into Moses. Therefore, they were not physically baptized into Christ, but into Moses. And then it says "with most of them God was not well-pleased." This implies that with some of them, God was well pleased, and from this we understand that some of them were saved.
As the writer goes on to say in Hebrews 3:17-4:3: And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. 4:1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest ..."
So, from this we understand that it requires the opposite of this example to please God; that is, we should not sin, we should be obedient, we should believe, we should have faith. And some few of the children of Israel did have faith, as it is written in Hebrews chapter 11, concluding with: "39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect."
And what is it that was promised, that they did not receive? Peter tells us in Acts 2:38, "38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." The promise is that Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to live within us. This gift usually comes in conjunction with baptism into his name. Since, therefore, this promise was not given to any of the Patriarchs or to those under the law of Moses according to Hebrews chapter 11, we can say with confidence that none of these Old Testament examples were physically baptized into Jesus Christ. And yet, they are saved by faith, according to scripture.
Secondly, what about people who have never heard of Jesus or God?
When Paul writes in Romans 10:17-18, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world,'" he is quoting the first part of Psalms 19 which says (paraphrased), "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. [yet] Their sound goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world."
When he writes this, he is echoing what he said in Romans 1:19-21, "because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."
NASU
In saying this, Paul is telling us that everyone, whether or not they have the law, whether or not they have heard the gospel of the kingdom of God, the gospel of Jesus, everyone can know the basic truth about God: "Love the Lord your God ... Love your neighbor as yourself," and "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." As he says in Romans 2:5-16, "in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." NASU
And in Romans 3:25, "This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;"
And (skipping over Paul's argument that it is the children of faith, not of keeping laws, who are justified by God,) he concludes in Romans 9:14-18 by saying, "What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." NASU
What shall we say to this? Can we, who are not God, demand that God may not save someone whom we deem unworthy just because they have not participated in the symbolic death of baptism; but have only participated in the actual separation of their bodies from the possibility of sin through actual physical death? Who are we to put ourselves in the place of God, the judge of the living and the dead?
Finally, what does scripture say about those who have died without knowing Jesus?
When Paul writes in Philippians 2:10-11, "so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." NASU, the phrase "under the earth" is a reference to Hades (Greek), aka Sheol (Hebrew), the place of the dead.
And Peter mentions this in 1 Peter 3:18-20, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah," NASU When he says "the spirits now in prison" he is obviously speaking of the dead, since the example he uses is of those who died during the flood in the time of Noah.
And Peter continues this thought in 1 Peter 4:5-6 when he says, "but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God." NASU
So, at judgment day, everyone, living or dead, will have heard the good news of Jesus Christ, and will have been given the choice to follow Him. This, however, is not something everyone believes (or even has to believe, to be saved). All of us are somewhat ignorant about life after death, often believing only in the existence of a Heaven and Hell rather than in a Paradise/Hades place where the dead await judgement. But if we accept what little the Bible says about a Hades/Sheol place where the dead are, and the allusion (not illusion) the Bible makes about Jesus, in the spirit, preaching the gospel to the dead, then we don't have to worry about those we love, who have tried to live good lives, but died without being baptized, or without knowing Jesus. They will hear from Him themselves, free from the deceptions of this world.
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