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Water Baptism’s Connection with SalvationThe Watchtower—1972 | November 15
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4. Why, as illustrated in the case of the Jews under the Mosaic Law covenant, is a good conscience a thing that we have to make a request for to God?
4 A thing corresponding to this is what occurs with those who become the baptized disciples of Jesus Christ. A good conscience toward God is not something that we are born with or that we work out for ourselves on our own terms by works of self-righteousness. The Jews tried gaining a good conscience toward Jehovah God by striving for perfection in doing the works commanded in the Mosaic Law covenant with their nation, but they failed. That is why, annually, every Atonement Day (Tishri 10), they had to have propitiatory sacrifices offered for them by Israel’s high priest, to restore their good conscience toward God. Hence a good conscience is something for which we have to make a request to Jehovah God.
5. (a) How do we make request to God for a good conscience, and get it? (b) Up till then, whose will were we working out?
5 That is why Peter, when stating what baptism involves, says: “Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience.” (1 Pet. 3:21) How, then, do we make a request to God for that good conscience? We do this by doing like Noah, dedicating ourselves, before passing through the water. Like Noah we dedicate ourselves to Jehovah God to do his will and from then on proceed to do it. And since this has to do with becoming associated with Jehovah’s new covenant of which Jesus Christ is the Mediator, we must do as the people of Israel at Mount Sinai did before being taken into the Mosaic Law covenant, dedicating themselves to God with the words: “All that Jehovah has spoken we are willing to do.” (Ex. 19:8; 24:7, 8) Up till then we “worked out the will of the nations” and lived “for the desires of men”; but now we dedicate ourselves to live “for God’s will.” (1 Pet. 4:1-3, 19) This results in our getting a good conscience, for when we know that we are doing God’s will we enjoy a good conscience.
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Water Baptism’s Connection with SalvationThe Watchtower—1972 | November 15
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10. (a) In order that we might be saved, for what must we present ourselves? (b) Why is it “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” that such baptism is also now saving us?
10 Consequently we can now appreciate that if we want to be saved we must present ourselves for water baptism, in imitation of Jesus Christ and in obedience to his command. (Matt. 28:19, 20) Nothing could be more plainly stated, in 1 Peter 3:21, namely: “That which corresponds to this is also now saving you, namely, baptism, . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” We must believe with our hearts that God resurrected him from the dead. A resurrected Jesus Christ is necessary to our salvation, for only a resurrected Son of God could act as God’s High Priest in offering to God in heaven the value of his lifeblood that was poured out for us to get forgiveness of sins and a resulting good conscience. He is necessary to God’s giving us a good conscience in answer to our request.—1 Pet. 3:22.
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