Does Baptism Save?
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Perg,
I moved your question to Paedo-Baptism answers as I didn't want to distract from the thrust of my post about the nature of sin. I included that question "Does Baptism save?" as illustrative of something that requires a little reflection and understanding of the nature of salvation.
We can think of salvation in a few senses. I don't have time to do a study of where you might find these exact quotes in Scripture but our salvation is spoken of as past completed (you are saved or have been saved), present ongoing (you are being saved), and a future hope (you will be saved).
Christ has died for His elect to secure our faith and our salvation and provides to His elect evangelical graces that cause us to first cling to him in trutst (faith, justification, and repentance), strengthens us in our ongoing battle and purifies us (sanctification) and will ensure we are presented holy to Him as a spotless Bride.
We are united to Christ by faith but Christ has also provided for us in our sanctification. The sanctification is a process of "being saved" not in the sense of justification but in the killing of sin and the production of holiness within us. I unpack that n that other blog post about how the killing of sin and temptation works.
Christ also provides Sacraments for His Church in the work of sanctification. They are a form of evangelical grace that Christ, by His Spirit, utilizes to confirm and strengthen us, Each sacrament signifies some aspect of salvation to our senses while the Spirit seals the reality of that sign to us who are elect.
Baptism signifies union with Christ and His salvific benefits. It marks us out from the world as belonging to His Kingdom and, for the elect, seals those realities such that the Spirit makes true what is signified. It is something that strengthens us as we are able to look to the Promise of God which confirms to us by something sensible that we are saved from our sins and have the seal as an earnest of God's intent to save us to the uttermost.
Thus, baptism saves us in the sense that it conveys what it Promises and strengthens us in the process of "being saved".
I moved your question to Paedo-Baptism answers as I didn't want to distract from the thrust of my post about the nature of sin. I included that question "Does Baptism save?" as illustrative of something that requires a little reflection and understanding of the nature of salvation.
We can think of salvation in a few senses. I don't have time to do a study of where you might find these exact quotes in Scripture but our salvation is spoken of as past completed (you are saved or have been saved), present ongoing (you are being saved), and a future hope (you will be saved).
Christ has died for His elect to secure our faith and our salvation and provides to His elect evangelical graces that cause us to first cling to him in trutst (faith, justification, and repentance), strengthens us in our ongoing battle and purifies us (sanctification) and will ensure we are presented holy to Him as a spotless Bride.
We are united to Christ by faith but Christ has also provided for us in our sanctification. The sanctification is a process of "being saved" not in the sense of justification but in the killing of sin and the production of holiness within us. I unpack that n that other blog post about how the killing of sin and temptation works.
Christ also provides Sacraments for His Church in the work of sanctification. They are a form of evangelical grace that Christ, by His Spirit, utilizes to confirm and strengthen us, Each sacrament signifies some aspect of salvation to our senses while the Spirit seals the reality of that sign to us who are elect.
Baptism signifies union with Christ and His salvific benefits. It marks us out from the world as belonging to His Kingdom and, for the elect, seals those realities such that the Spirit makes true what is signified. It is something that strengthens us as we are able to look to the Promise of God which confirms to us by something sensible that we are saved from our sins and have the seal as an earnest of God's intent to save us to the uttermost.
Thus, baptism saves us in the sense that it conveys what it Promises and strengthens us in the process of "being saved".
C. M. Sheffield
Puritan Board Graduate
Ok, can you explain further?No. No, it does not.
Romans922
Puritan Board Professor
Didn’t read what Rich said, but whatever he said... 
Besides that, “21The 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:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”
Besides that, “21The 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:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”
C. M. Sheffield
Puritan Board Graduate
If by "save" you mean the sacrament working ex opere operato (the doctrine of Rome), then no it doesn't save in that sense. If however by "save" one means that the sacrament is an "effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them" (Shorter Catechism, 91.) then, Yes. It all hinges on what one means by "save" when they ask "Does baptism save?" I suspect the average person would have the former sense in view when asking the question. To which my answer would be, "No. No it does not."
If one considers the ministerial student/licentiate/candidate someone other than "the average person," then I'd resign the point rather than contest it.
However, we really should reflect for a moment, to ponder the fairly obvious issue raised. Which is: this question draws explicitly on unambiguously biblical language; and not just taken out and borrowed in a systematic fashion, but uses the actual syntax of a particular verse, and one that explicitly treats of the topic baptism.
Instead of the immediate, reflex response, "No No," wouldn't it be more fitting to initially acknowledge that the Bible does indeed say that very thing, perhaps then quoting 1Pet.3:21? Having shown recognition that the Scripture teaches something on this order, the respondent might well offer some qualifiers, first from the text and immediate context, and then expanding on the broader theological themes that relate. We should give positive statements on affirmations the Bible makes, offering a cogent explanation of what it does mean, and not barely rejecting or emphasizing what it does not (or cannot) mean without an explanation.
Rich's primary point (in his OP from the original thread) is precisely oriented to this issue. If the knee-jerk answer to whatever the question is, is essentially reactionary and reductionist, and indexed to a particular theological foil, then it strikes me as the wrong answer. Was a parishioner reading his Bible, stumbled on 1Pet.3:21, and felt it challenging an aspect of your teaching? Has a young believer been interacting with RCC apologists online, and had this verse thrown at him? If this Q. is suddenly whizzing toward you, the right response (seems to me) begins something like, "Why do you ask?" or "I suppose it depends on what you mean by that."
Von
Puritan Board Sophomore
Yes, but in the light of Rev Buchanan's answer, Scripture does not speak directly on any of these topics (relating to salvation) as it does on Baptism in 1 Peter 3:21.
My point is that it's unwise to reply to a prima facie (if naïve) reading of words of Scripture, with words whose prima facie meaning is: "Scripture is wrong here." That kind of reply is a reaction, most likely driven by feeling the need to not say something that might sound Romish (for example).
Rich might say: one ends up reducing his theology on the whole subject of salvation--a kind of "tunnel vision," that is actually harmful to the defense of the faith. Obviously I agree with that evaluation, and I see it in other places as well. The "enemy" could be the liberals, the enthusiasts, or the cults, in addition to Rome.
The answer is not to surrender a piece of theological ground without a contest, on the supposition that the hill they seem willing to die on is not worth one drop of my blood. Or (going the opposite way): they can't be allowed any legitimacy; so rather than admit they are half-right; we'll draw a new hard line that marks this-we'll-defend territory.
Rich might say: one ends up reducing his theology on the whole subject of salvation--a kind of "tunnel vision," that is actually harmful to the defense of the faith. Obviously I agree with that evaluation, and I see it in other places as well. The "enemy" could be the liberals, the enthusiasts, or the cults, in addition to Rome.
The answer is not to surrender a piece of theological ground without a contest, on the supposition that the hill they seem willing to die on is not worth one drop of my blood. Or (going the opposite way): they can't be allowed any legitimacy; so rather than admit they are half-right; we'll draw a new hard line that marks this-we'll-defend territory.
Baptism into Jesus Christ results in faith and salvation (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:25-27; 1 Peter 3:18-22) . Baptism by water symbolizes/physicalizes that baptism by Christ. The first baptism actualizes salvation, the second illustrates it. The first makes history, the latter tells it.
Simply put, does baptism save? The first one does, the second doesn't.
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Scott Bushey
Puritanboard Commissioner
Ch 28 of the WCF
I. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in his Church until the end of the world.
VI. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God’s own will, in his appointed time.
The rite and elements are not empty; there is a efficacy, not tied to the moment, but, they can be if God so wills.
I. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in his Church until the end of the world.
VI. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God’s own will, in his appointed time.
The rite and elements are not empty; there is a efficacy, not tied to the moment, but, they can be if God so wills.
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