God has used water as His dividing line between blessing and not blessing many times throughout Old Testament history. Why He chose water to be a dividing point is not revealed, however, there is a New Testament teaching - baptism for the remission of sins - which is the anti-type of this use of water in the Old Testament. An anti-type is the reality or true thing which has been represented by something typical or symbolic. God’s use of water in the Old Testament as a dividing line between blessing and not blessing may have been to prepare those who were familiar with His word for His New Testament teaching concerning baptism.

Consider the case of Noah and the flood. Because of the wickedness of the world, God was sorry that He had made man (Gen. 6:6). He decided to destroy man and all living things from the face of the earth (Gen. 6:7). However, Noah found grace in the eyes of God for he was a just man, blameless in his generation, and he walked with God. Notice the words of God to Noah, "And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die [emp. rb]. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark--you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you [emp. rb]; they shall be male and female" (Genesis 6:17-19 NKJV). Notice, those who were not in the ark would die, those in the ark would live. Consider the inspired words of Peter 1500 years later, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us-- baptism [emp. rb](not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him" (1 Peter 3:18_22 NKJV). Notice Peter wrote that Noah and his family were saved "through water" ("by water" KJV) and that baptism is the anti-type of his being saved by water. In other words, God’s saving Noah by water was symbolic of His intent to save all mankind through baptism.

Lest one get dunked and believe he or she is saved, we must be aware that God has reveled in His word that there are some things required of us which precede baptism. One must come to faith in Christ. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved..." (Mark 16:16). One must turn from sins. "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:38). One must acknowledge to whom he gives allegiance. Paul wrote, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10 NKJV). Each one of these actions is necessary for our salvation.

God chose water was the dividing line between life and death for Noah and He has chosen water baptism as the dividing live between life and death for us. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21 NKJV).

[To Be Continued]