Page 97 - SoulWinning Crash Course

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:"

Campbellites will selectively quote "baptism doth...now save us" and call it
a day. But they should read more carefully. The passage can be explained
granting either kind of baptism.

INTERPRETATION #1:

If the "baptism" in verse 21 is water-baptism, and
if "like" means "similar," there are two figures being compared. Notice the

word "whereunto." Water-baptism (verse 21) is a figure which "saves" us
(in typology) "unto" the similar "figure" in verse 20, as opposed to the
baptism of the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8), which saves us...

1. "unto" God, because we are "reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20),

2. "unto" heaven, because we have "Salvation to our God" (Revelation

7:10),

3. and forever, because Jesus saves us "to the uttermost" (Hebrews 7:25).

INTERPRETATION #2:

The "baptism" in verse 21 is Spirit-baptism. Noah and his family were
saved "by water" in the sense that 1. Water props up floating objects and

hence held up the floating ark (Genesis 7:17 "And the flood was forty days
upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it
was lift up above the earth."), and 2. The flood water destroyed the
wickedest part of humanity only, so God could spare Noah and his family,
rather than destroying everybody, and hence the flood water itself is a figure
of the destruction of our sins in hell where Jesus brought them while His
dead body laid in the tomb, which is reminiscent of a coffin, which is what

the ark looked like.