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They point to these texts as teaching that according to the Bible baptism [[Salvation|saves]] us now by regeneration of the soul unto new life, as a "new creature", and that Jesus sanctifies and cleanses his church with the washing of water with the word as a [[sign]] of the cleansing of the soul by his blood, to present the whole church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. They point to the fact that Paul teaches by a [[Typology|typological]] [[analogy]] that baptism replaces [[circumcision]], which is done when a child is only eight days old, which made that baby a genuine member of the people of God, to be raised and taught the way of the Lord in truth, by the priests of the faith.<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+2%3A4-7&version=NRSVCE Malachi 2:4-7]</ref>

They point to these texts as teaching that according to the Bible baptism [[Salvation|saves]] us now by regeneration of the soul unto new life, as a "new creature", and that Jesus sanctifies and cleanses his church with the washing of water with the word as a [[sign]] of the cleansing of the soul by his blood, to present the whole church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. They point to the fact that Paul teaches by a [[Typology|typological]] [[analogy]] that baptism replaces [[circumcision]], which is done when a child is only eight days old, which made that baby a genuine member of the people of God, to be raised and taught the way of the Lord in truth, by the priests of the faith.<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+2%3A4-7&version=NRSVCE Malachi 2:4-7]</ref>

This doctrine of baptismal regeneration, which includes infant baptism, is repudiated as being totally against the teaching of the Bible. Abraham, our father in [[faith]], was converted, regenerated, forgiven and had righteousness reckoned (imputed) to him by faith (an unborn or newborn child cannot exercise faith), being circumcised in the heart by faith, apart from physical circumcision, baptism, or any other statute, or ordinance. Those who reject infant baptism as regenerative or salvific in any manner accept that the outward [[symbol]] of washing of water with the word is an [[ordinance]] to be faithfully obeyed, not a [[sacrament]], an outward testimony to faith in the salvation of God through [[Belief|believing]] in the promises of Jesus Christ alone. They obey His ordained ordinances, including baptism, because by faith in Him they '''''are''''' regenerated, not in order to '''''be''''' regenerated; and as a result of '''''having''''' a new heart, not that they might receive a new heart.<ref>See A Concise Refutation of Baptismal Regeneration, by James P. Shelley.</ref>

This doctrine of baptismal regeneration, which includes infant baptism, is repudiated as being totally against the teaching of the Bible. Abraham, our father in [[faith]], was converted, regenerated, forgiven and had righteousness reckoned (imputed) to him by faith (an unborn or newborn child cannot exercise faith), being circumcised in the heart by faith, apart from physical circumcision, baptism, or any other statute, or ordinance. Those who reject infant baptism as regenerative or salvific in any manner accept that the outward [[symbol]] of washing of water with the word is an [[ordinance]] to be faithfully obeyed, not a [[sacrament]], an outward testimony to faith in the salvation of God through [[Belief|believing]] in the promises of Jesus Christ alone. They obey His ordained ordinances, including baptism, because by faith in Him they '''''are''''' regenerated, not in order to '''''be''''' regenerated; and as a result of '''''having''''' a new heart, not that they might receive a new heart.<ref>See [https://www.bing.com/search?q=a+concise+refutation+of+baptismal+regeneration%2C+by+james+p.+shelley.&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=3f263ada36184adab3a65191ce7aba9c&cc=US&setlang=en-US&plvar=0 A Concise Refutation of Baptismal Regeneration, by James P. Shelley (bing.com)]</ref>

[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A21&version=KJV '''1 Peter 3:21'''] in the King James Version states that baptism is "the answer of a good conscience toward God". The Greek word here translated as "answer" is  '''έπερώτημα''' ''eperotema'' <ref>[http://biblehub.com/greek/1906.htm Strong's number 1906 '''έπερώτημα''' ''eperotema'']</ref>, which means much more than a mere answer to a question. It means primarily [https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/usage/enquire-or-inquire “question,” “enquiry,” “inquiry”] as in a probing investigation or hearing and a trial by law before the examiners, the judge and the court. A true understanding according to ''[[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)#The literal sense of scripture|the literal sense of scripture]]'' is found partly in the [[Forensics|forensic]] use of the Greek word for '''question''', '''έπερώτημα''' ''eperotema'', as including, like our word “examination,” both question and answer. Substantive evidence as an "exhibit" brought before the court is presented to the judge as an answer to the charge of the guilt or innocence of the accused. In a medical examination of the patient who has been healed the doctor can see for himself that the disease is cured, as in the case of an infant cured of a deadly communicable disease, and the evidence is presented to the chief medical examiner at the head of a medical panel of judges to answer the question of the possibility of any remaining [[pathology]] which could pose a risk to the health of the patient and to the community as a whole.<ref>See for example, [https://answersafrica.com/diseases-in-africa.html Top 10 Diseases in Africa - Most Deadly (answersafrica.com)]</ref> The "answer of a good conscience" by baptism in 1 Peter 3:21 is the New Testament [[Typology|antitype]] to the Old Testament type in the book of [[Leviticus]], the examination by the Levitical priests of an Israelite healed of [[leprosy]] to establish proof of having been cleansed by God, after which the ritual of cleansing was performed.<ref>See [https://biblehub.com/leviticus/14-34.htm Leviticus 14:34 "''I put a leprous disease on...''"] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/leviticus/14-34.htm multiple commentaries on Leviticus 14:34]. <br>See also [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+24%3A8&version=NRSVCE Deuteronomy 24:8] as a parallel to [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A15&version=NRSVCE Hebrews 12:15], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A17&version=NRSVCE 13:17] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A23&version=NRSVCE John 20:23], <br>also the whole context of [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+13-14&version=NRSVCE Leviticus 13–14.]</ref>

[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A21&version=KJV '''1 Peter 3:21'''] in the King James Version states that baptism is "the answer of a good conscience toward God". The Greek word here translated as "answer" is  '''έπερώτημα''' ''eperotema'' <ref>[http://biblehub.com/greek/1906.htm Strong's number 1906 '''έπερώτημα''' ''eperotema'']</ref>, which means much more than a mere answer to a question. It means primarily [https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/usage/enquire-or-inquire “question,” “enquiry,” “inquiry”] as in a probing investigation or hearing and a trial by law before the examiners, the judge and the court. A true understanding according to ''[[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)#The literal sense of scripture|the literal sense of scripture]]'' is found partly in the [[Forensics|forensic]] use of the Greek word for '''question''', '''έπερώτημα''' ''eperotema'', as including, like our word “examination,” both question and answer. Substantive evidence as an "exhibit" brought before the court is presented to the judge as an answer to the charge of the guilt or innocence of the accused. In a medical examination of the patient who has been healed the doctor can see for himself that the disease is cured, as in the case of an infant cured of a deadly communicable disease, and the evidence is presented to the chief medical examiner at the head of a medical panel of judges to answer the question of the possibility of any remaining [[pathology]] which could pose a risk to the health of the patient and to the community as a whole.<ref>See for example, [https://answersafrica.com/diseases-in-africa.html Top 10 Diseases in Africa - Most Deadly (answersafrica.com)]</ref> The "answer of a good conscience" by baptism in 1 Peter 3:21 is the New Testament [[Typology|antitype]] to the Old Testament type in the book of [[Leviticus]], the examination by the Levitical priests of an Israelite healed of [[leprosy]] to establish proof of having been cleansed by God, after which the ritual of cleansing was performed.<ref>See [https://biblehub.com/leviticus/14-34.htm Leviticus 14:34 "''I put a leprous disease on...''"] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/leviticus/14-34.htm multiple commentaries on Leviticus 14:34]. <br>See also [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+24%3A8&version=NRSVCE Deuteronomy 24:8] as a parallel to [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A15&version=NRSVCE Hebrews 12:15], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A17&version=NRSVCE 13:17] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A23&version=NRSVCE John 20:23], <br>also the whole context of [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+13-14&version=NRSVCE Leviticus 13–14.]</ref>