1 Peter 3:21

There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

            If we look at the phrase, “baptism now saves us”; there is no way to deny that the purpose of baptism is to save us from our sins. This Scripture tells us in no uncertain terms that “baptism now saves us”. But the rest of verse 21 gives us more information about the process of salvation during baptism.

            If we stopped with just the first part of the verse we could capture people and dip them into the water and they would be saved. We could save whole villages of people just by capturing them and forcing them to be baptized.

            But there’s more to baptism than just the physical act. There is something that has to go on in the “heart” as well. Baptism is the result of a repentant heart or “the answer of a good conscience toward God”.

            There is nothing magical about the water to “remove the filth of the flesh”.  In order for Baptism to have the power to save there must also be “the answer of a good conscience toward God”.