On the Day of Atonement, two goats were used: one was for a sacrifice and the other the "scapegoat." The sins of the people were ceremonially placed upon the scapegoat and it was carried out into the wilderness away from the camp of Israel.

When the High Priest had finished touching the goat which had on it the sins of the people, he was to "bathe his body with water in His holy place" (Lev. 16:24). Another priest had taken the scapegoat out and released it; but before he could reenter the camp he had to "wash his clothes and bathe his body with water" (v. 26). And the Levite who carried out the remains of the bloody atonement sacrifice, before he could come back into the camp, had to "wash his clothes and bathe his body with water" (v. 28).

Our point is that under the Old Law, the washing of water for purification played a prominent part in God's plan. Water also plays an important part in the New Testament, yet many people are disturbed about this and some insist upon leaving water out of God's plan. We want to see, according to Scripture, where God has put water and the importance that God's word attaches to it.

We are not trying to prove "water salvation" because we no more believe in water-alone salvation that we believe in faith-alone salvation. 1 Peter 3:21, "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." There is no saving power in the physical properties of water. The physical properties of water are used for washing ("the removal of dirt from the flesh"), but Peter says that baptism now saves you... so if not physical, then there must be important spiritual significance in the water - specifically that baptism saves! We all agree that one is saved by God's power, but the question is, "How does God exercise this power?" Where did God put the water?

1. God put water between Noah and salvation from the flood. We emphasize first the importance of Noah's faith (Heb. 11:7), that it was a faith that built the ark. Noah was not saved by faith alone, but because his faith moved him to obey God. Noah was a righteous man (Gen. 6:9), one who did all that God commanded (Gen. 6:22).

2. God put water between Israel and bondage. There is no doubt that Israel was saved by faith. "By faith they passed through the Red Sea" (Heb. 11:29). The same water that drowned Pharaoh's army saved them from bondage. Israel's faith was not a faith without works. Their faith saved them because it was strong enough to motivate their crossing of the sea (Ex. 14:29-31). Their crossing is in the New Testament called a "baptism" (1 Cor. 10:1). It is apparent that God put water between bondage and freedom... between the faith of Israel and the ungodliness of Egypt.

3. God put water between Naaman and his cleansing. God's message was "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you and you shall be clean" (2 Kings 5:10). It is only after Naaman "went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God" that "he was clean" (v. 14.).

4. God placed water between a blind man and his seeing. He was told "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. And so he went away and washed, and came back seeing" (John 9:7). Could he have been healed without it? Yes! Was he? No! Why not? Because Jesus told him to "Go, wash." Is it not apparent that our Lord tested his faith by the command?

5. God put water between Saul and the washing away of his sins. The Lord told him to "rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do" (Acts 9:6). In the city, Ananias said, "And now why do you delay? Rise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name" (Acts 22:16). It was God that put the waters of baptism between Saul and the washing away of his sins.

6. God has put water between the sinner and Christ, the Savior. 1 Peter 3:21, "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Jesus said, (Mark 16:16) "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned." Jesus put the water of baptism between man's faith and his being saved.

Acts 2:38, "And Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Again, God put the water of baptism between repentance and the forgiveness of your sins.

- The Preceptor, Sept. 2011