The main point here is that water is only a symbol and has NO POWER to cleanse us from sins. It’s just water.
1 Peter 3:21 “And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, NOT BY REMOVING DIRT FROM YOUR BODY, but AS A RESPONSE TO GOD FROM A CLEAN CONSCIENCE. IT IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.”
The worldwide flood during Noah’s times was a symbol of water baptism. God removed wickedness from the face of the earth, in a physical sense, but soon people showed there were still wicked. It wasn’t until the resurrection of Jesus Christ and HIS HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM, which comes LATER, that the conscience can be cleaned of sins; in a spiritual sense.
This means water baptism MUST BE DONE, but it doesn’t “take away sins;” it only prepares the way for the Holy Spirit Baptism. Water baptism should only be done by a person who has repented of their sins to be forgiven. In their hearts, they are done sinning. If someone has no intentions of repenting/doesn’t believe it’s possible; their water baptism is pointless—THE WAY IS STILL BLOCKED BY THEIR SINS.
Matthew 3:2-3 “REPENT OF YOUR SINS AND TURN TO GOD, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” The prophet Isaiah was speaking about JOHN when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD’S COMING! CLEAR THE ROAD FOR HIM!’”
John 3:27-28 “JOHN replied, “No one can receive anything UNLESS GOD GIVES IT FROM HEAVEN. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I AM ONLY HERE TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR HIM.’”
NO ONE CAN RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT—UNLESS GOD GIVES IT FROM HEAVEN! The water baptism is “the Baptism of John,” not the “the Holy Spirit Baptism.” (the link below explains it in more detail)
ONLY JESUS CHRIST HAS THE POWER TO CLEAN CONSCIENCE AND REMOVE SINFUL NATURE. This is possible because He overcame sin and death by His victory when He rose to life on the 3rd day. By that, He proved to be MORE POWERFUL than sin and death. No one else proved to be that powerful because no one else is God. There’s only one.
A clean conscience is the evidence that God took away all our sins. A person with a clean conscience, KEEPS IT CLEAN. Committing sins again would defile their conscience again.
1 Timothy 1:19 “CLING TO YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST, AND KEEP YOUR CONSCIENCE CLEAR. For some people have DELIBERATELY VIOLATED THEIR CONSCIENCES; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.”
A dirty conscience makes a person feel guilty and ashamed. It’s a sign forgiveness didn’t take place; a person has not repented, doesn’t believe, believes in wrong ideas, or holds onto grudges. Some have gone so far into sins that they no longer have a conscience (they don’t know right from wrong).
1 Timothy 4:1–2 “Now THE HOLY SPIRIT TELLS US CLEARLY that in the last times some will turn away from THE TRUE FAITH; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and THEIR CONSCIENCES ARE DEAD.”
Hebrews 10:19–22 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. By his death, JESUS OPENED A NEW AND LIFE-GIVING WAY THROUGH THE CURTAIN INTO THE MOST HOLY PLACE. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, LET US GO RIGHT INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH SINCERE HEARTS FULLY TRUSTING HIM. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with CHRIST’S BLOOD TO MAKE US CLEAN, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”
Learn more: Baptisms