What Testimony Your Holy Apostles Have Given in their Epistles

1. That it signifies the burying of sins, and the resurrection into a new life.

Romans 6, verses 3 and 4, "Do you not know, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." [n93-1]

NOTE. To the preceding belongs also the passage, Titus 3, verse 5, where baptism is called, "the washing of regeneration," and Ephesians 5, verse 26, "the washing of water by the word."

2. That through faith we become children of God, and through baptism put on Christ. ** [n93-2]

Galatians 3, verses 26 and 27: "For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

3. That as the ark with eight souls was preserved in the water, so also believing baptized Christians are preserved or saved in baptism through the answer of a good conscience.

First Peter 3, verses 20 and 21: "When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.*** Baptism, which is the like figure to this, now also saves us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God)." [n93-3]