Not complicated for me-
Water baptism is: An illustration.
Water baptism, like other ordinances of the Bible, involves symbolism. For example, the animal sacrifices depicted the death of Christ on the cross. Circumcision depicted the removal of the sinful nature (Colossians 2:11). In each ordinance, there is an outward physical ritual, and also an underlying spiritual reality of which the ritual is but a shadow or type.
In the Old Testament, it sometimes appeared that these rituals had certain saving merit, in themselves. However, that was never the case…
Hebrews 10:4 – For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Romans 2:28-29 – For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
Whenever saving merit was ascribed to these ordinances, it was to be understood that it was the underlying spiritual reality which was really meant, and not the ritual itself.
Many of the Jews did not understand this. The Pharisees, for example, thought they could be made perfect through the ordinances themselves, and this was the basis for their self-righteous confidence, piety and arrogance. Many of them relentlessly persecuted Christ and His apostles for teaching that the ordinances did not possess saving merit.
These ordinances did not possess some magical power to invoke the spiritual reality they symbolized.
The Old Testament Jews did not actually receive a new dose of forgiveness from God each time they brought an animal to be sacrificed. Rather, each sacrifice served as a retelling of the gospel—a reminder that we are sinful and cannot save ourselves—that we need a Redeemer who will lay down His life for us, bearing our sins.
Likewise, when a child was circumcised, this did not actually remove his sinful heart. It only served as a picture of the great work which God performs when He takes away our sinful heart.
Water baptism, as an outward ordinance, involves cleansing with water. It is symbolic of the Holy Spirit's inner work of cleansing the soul. Just like the Old Testament ordinances, this New Testament ordinance is simply a picture of a great work of God in saving us from sin and judgment. The outward cleansing does not accomplish inward cleansing any more than circumcision did. It is a picture, ordained by God, and that is all it is.
When Hebrews 10:20 speaks of "a new and living way," it does not mean that the Old Testament ordinances have been replaced by the New Testament ordinance of water baptism. There would be nothing "new" or "living" about such a salvation—it would be the old Pharisaical paradigm of a magical ritual we can perform to save ourselves.
Jesus Christ is "the new and living way." He is a real, living person (rituals, such as water baptism, have no inherent life to themselves). Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Thus, He alone is the "living way," and His sacrificial death is a new way, because it departs from the legalistic pattern of ordinances which we must observe to be saved. Salvation is something which He has accomplished.
Sometimes, the Bible seems to ascribe saving merit to water baptism. Paul was told to "… Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name." (Acts 22:16). Are we to assume that Paul could actually wash away his sins by taking a bath? Or, are we to understand that water baptism is only a picture of something which God has done for us—by the sacrifice of Christ and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit—when we "call on His name"?
When you claim that the physical ordinance itself has magical powers of spiritual cleansing, you fall into the same trap of ritualism and self-justification that the legalistic Pharisees stumbled into. We must be careful to view the outward ceremony only as a picture of God's mighty work of salvation, and avoid the errors of the Pharisees.
But I have this feeling it is a waste of time.
J.