On Baptismal regeneration

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: 1 Peter 3:21

Robert L. Sumner: 

“In this passage in 1 Peter 3, there are three important observations to note.  First, baptism is a figure.  The record says, ‘the like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us.’ 
When I was baptized, my baptism was a figure – a picture, if you please – of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  It was my testimony of my faith in His death, His burial and His resurrection for my eternal salvation.  Baptism is a figure of what saves us. 
Second – and this is what those who teach salvation by water baptism like to omit – ‘Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.’  You see, baptism does not put away our sins.  No, no!  It cannot do that, the Bible says.  The ‘filth of the flesh’ is not washed away in or by any baptismal water. 
Then, third, note that baptism is described as ‘the answer of a good conscience toward God.’  Baptism is the answer of a good conscience!  The only way a man can have a good conscience is to be saved.  Hebrews 9:14 tells us that a conscience is purged from dead works by ‘the blood of Christ.’  If a man has a good conscience, it is only because he has been cleansed from his sin by the blood of Jesus Christ.  First Peter 3:21 is simply saying that if one has been saved by the blood of Christ, he ought to be baptized, setting forth in a figure the ground of his salvation: the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.”

Robert L. Sumner (1922-2016), Does the Bible Teach That Water Baptism Is a Necessary Requirement for Salvation?, Biblical Evangelism Press; 1970.  This is also in a chapter in Biblical Essays by Robert L. Sumner, Biblical Evangelism; 2013. 

B. H. Carroll:

“On I Peter 3:21 I make this point on the picture of baptism: ‘Baptism doth now save us.’ Baptism doth now save us in a figure; baptism doth now save us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That is the figure, but baptism does not put away the impurity of the carnal nature – does not put away the filth of the flesh. These are the four points: (1) Baptism saves us in a figure. (2) That figure is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (3) Paul says, ‘You have been planted in the likeness of his death, so ye shall be in the likeness of his resurrection.’ Wherever you see a baptism you see a burial and a resurrection. This is not a real salvation, but a pictorial one – a figure of salvation, and baptism does save us that way, and nobody will deny it. (4) The answer of a good conscience toward God. And the force of this last is: (a) The conscience is bad before it is cleansed, (b) How made good? Hebrew 9:14: ‘By the blood of Christ.’ (c) The place of a good conscience – 1 Timothy 1:5 explains.”

B. H. Carroll (1843-1914), An Interpretation of the English Bible, Volume 12, Acts, Broadman Press; 1948, p. 98.