A believer’s baptism is a public declaration that one repents from the dead works of sin and has faith toward God – that is, believes in the forgiveness of sin, salvation, sanctification and redemption made available in Christ, as we see in 1 Corinthians 1:30: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” Both Jesus and Peter said that baptism with this kind of faith toward God saves us, in 1 Peter 3:21: “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:” On the Day of Pentecost, Peter ended his sermon by saying in Acts 2:40: “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” 
Baptism is a public declaration of the “repentance from dead works” and “faith toward God,” which we have discussed comprehensively here. Jesus said in Mark 16:16: “The one who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but the one who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
Baptism Public Declaration Verses
A believer’s baptism is also a public declaration of transference of kingdoms. The apostle Paul explains to the disciples in Colossae in Colossians 1:13-14: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”
By extension, believers are transferred from the “kingdom of the world” to the “kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” as we read in Revelation 11:15: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
This is why the early Christians were martyred for pledging allegiance to Christ by declaring that Jesus, and not Caesar, was Lord, in Acts 17:7 “Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.”
This transference of kingdoms is pictured in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy and Joshua) with the Israelites crossing over the Jordan River to the Promised Land. So, as John was baptizing in John 1:28 “beyond Jordan” (east), believers who “cross over the Jordan” through baptism, are saved from “this perverse generation” and the kingdom of Satan and are transferred into the kingdom of Christ. See also John 3:26 and 10:40.
- John 1:28: “These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.”
- John 3:26: “And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.”
- John 10:40: “And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.”
We see another corresponding picture in the Old Testament with Noah’s ark saving his family from the flood. It is only in this sense in 1 Peter 3:21 that Peter meant “baptism doth also now save us),” for it was the same Peter who declared to the Jewish religious leaders in Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other.”
- 1 Peter 3:21: “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:”
- Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Nothing can take away our sins except the blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Therefore we are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. See John 1:29: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
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