There's Water In The Plan
by David R Pharr

The beloved evangelist Marshall Keeble had a sermon, "There's Water in the Plan," in which he showed the place and necessity of baptism. The Bible is its own interpreter and gives examples and instructions which make plain that God has made water (baptism) part of the obedience from the heart that makes one free from sin (Rom. 6:17f).

        Most denominations deny the necessity of baptism. They practice some form of it, but only as a church ordinance, not "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Many preachers want to "squeeze" the water out, but where God has put water into the plan, they will never "dry it out."


Noah, Saved by Water

    Peter wrote that Noah and his family were "saved by water" (I Pet. 3:20). Casual students might conclude from the flood story that they were saved from the water. That is only part of the story. They were saved from the water by being in the ark, but they were also saved by water in that the water of the flood separated them from the corruption of the old world and gave them a new beginning.

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Casual students might conclude from the flood story that they were saved from the water. That is only part of the story.

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     It is significant that the Bible emphasizes both God's grace and Noah's faith (Gen. 6:8; Heb. 11:7), reminding us that our salvation is only by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8f). This being the case, it especially helpful to see Peter's inspired commentary on both Noah's salvation and our own. Peter recalls:

    

". . . when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 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" (I Pet. 3:20-21).

    Noah being saved by water is a "like figure" to baptism saving us. The translation "like figure" (KJV) means "after a true likeness" (ASV). The NKJV has "antitype," which is a literal rendering of the Greek, antitupon. The point is that Noah's being saved by water was a type and baptism saving us is the gospel plan that is illustrated by it.

    We understand, of course, that this is not by some magical or miraculous effect of the water itself. He says it is "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh" (i.e., cleaning dirt off the body), but "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." The power is in Jesus, but there is water in the plan.


Israel Baptized in the Sea

    Paul also found an Old Testament event that typified baptism into Christ. Israel in Egypt had heard and believed the promise of deliverance. They had even started the journey out of bondage. But they were not free until they had gone through the Red Sea. They were not out of Egypt until they were out of Egypt, and that was after they had gone through the water! The apostle sees in this a comparison to our deliverance from sin.

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (I Cor. 10:1-2).

    The water was the dividing line. A Baptist preacher asserted that since they went through on dry ground, water was not involved. But Paul said they were "under the cloud, and all passed through the sea." Thus, they were baptized "in the cloud and in the sea." Exodus tells us that "the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left" (14:22). Water on both sides and the cloud over them, this was an immersion, a baptism.

    Their salvation from Egypt by this baptism serves, therefore, as a type ("example," vv. 6, 11) of our baptism into Christ. As then, so now, there's water in the plan.


Naaman's Seven Dips

    All realize that Naaman was not cured by some inherent power in the water of Jordan (II Kings 5). All should also see on the other hand that he would not have been cleansed of the leprosy if he had not "dipped himself seven times in Jordan."

    Water is just water. The key to its essential involvement in the plan was that his seven-fold baptism was something which had been commanded by God. Benefits do not result until commands are obeyed.

    Water baptism is as certainly a command of the gospel as was the immersions of Naaman by the instruction of Elisha. "Who can forbid water . . . And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:47-48).


The Water of Siloam

     Jesus put clay on the eyes of a man who had been blind from birth and told him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam . . . He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing" (John 9:1-7). This great miracle demonstrated the divine power of the Master. None should imagine that the water in the pool of Siloam had its own healing power. To what, then, can we attribute the wonderful result of his having washed there? We give all praise to Jesus. Yet the washing was essential; there was water in the plan. His sight was restored when-and only when-he washed according to Jesus' instructions.

    Our cleansing from sin comes when we are baptized. This is clearly demonstrated in the case of Saul, who was told, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).


Water by the Highway

    These stories are compelling illustrations of how God has used water in blessing various people. We have shown from New Testament texts how this compares to the gospel requirement of baptism. It is, however, when we move from these helpful illustrations to specific New Testament examples that we see water in the plan of salvation with undeniable certainty.

    As Philip the evangelist began his visit with the Ethiopian treasurer, he found the man reading from the book of Isaiah. He asked Philip the meaning of the passage. "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35). The verses that follow show exactly how the man responded to Philip's preaching of Jesus.

    

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing" (Acts 8:36-39).

    What is so easy to see in this conversion will be found to be typical of every conversion in the entire history of Acts. Always we find "the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26). Yes, there's water in the plan, because God put it there.

This item originally appeared at Carolina Messenger (February 2004)