Read Part 1

As if 1 Peter 3:19 wasn’t difficult enough to understand, Peter then follows with a somewhat confusing illustration of Noah and the flood. So why does Peter use Noah to make his point? Noah was actually a great example to use because he was a popular figure in Asia Minor. In fact, Roman emperors even had his face minted on some of their coins. Additionally, the flood story was well known, which made it the perfect illustration to highlight a moment of peak wickedness and evil opposition to God in human history. Genesis 6:5 says, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

The wickedness in Noah’s generation, which motivated God’s judgment in the flood, was influenced in large part by the fallen angels (sons of God) who were seeking to further capitalize on the wicked hearts of mankind. So God to put an end to this unspeakable wickedness by flooding the earth in judgment, but he saves Noah and his family by grace. Contrary to the Bible stories that have you believing Noah was a really good person, the Bible says that Noah found favor in the eyes of God, or grace (Gen 6:8). It took 120 years of building the ark and heralding righteousness to unbelievers while enduring mockery and opposition before the first drop of rain came. And what Peter is saying is like Noah, you may have to endure suffering for righteousness’ sake while God gives opportunity for repentance and waits patiently to bring judgment, but that day of salvation will come just like it did in the day of Noah. Just as the rain finally came, so the final judgment is coming and will put an end to the opponents and evildoers who seek to harm you while you will be saved. So Peter uses this illustration as a means of encouragement to suffering Christians because the flood was just a type of the future great judgment.

But then Peter takes another strange turn and says “baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” In other words, just as the flood was water that brought death and judgment, so baptism is a submerging in water that symbolizes the death we deserve to die for sin. Then the rising out of the water is a picture of being raised to life through the water thanks to Jesus just like Noah was raised to life through the water thanks to the ark. It was grace that saved Noah before the ark, just like it was grace that saves us before our baptism. And just to make this point clear that baptism itself does not save anyone Peter reminds us that baptism is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a good conscience. Baptism’s point isn’t to cleanse you. Baptism is a public expression of an internal regeneration to spiritual life in Christ made effective through the power of Jesus’ resurrection. So being baptized is not magical, it’s not a sure ticket to heaven, and it’s not hell-fire insurance. But it is vitally important to the believer and the first step of obedience in giving your life to Jesus.

Baptism is simply a symbolic celebration of what does save, which is you placing your faith in the Person and work of Jesus. Baptism is akin to a wedding. A wedding is a celebration of a covenantal, unbreakable love between two people. And on that day, vows are made to commit to love one another unconditionally until death do you part. This is exactly what baptism is: a celebration to express your “vows” to God to commit your life to Jesus by following Him and resting in His saving work for the rest of your days. What better than to make that appeal to God for a good conscience public in baptism and then to pursue an ongoing vibrant relationship with Jesus by faith.

In the New Testament, conversion to Christianity was confirmed through baptism. Today, we confirm conversion so often through “praying the prayer” or “raising your hand.” The problem is that neither of those truly requires a public identification with Jesus, which makes it easier to masquerade as a Christian while never truly having to count the cost. A public profession of faith in baptism calls you to count the cost because in making a visible stand for Jesus, you understand that life may not get better. For some, as those to whom Peter was writing, it could get worse, however, the new believer would conclude that the benefits of following Christ infinitely outweigh the costs. So where do you stand? Have you counted the cost and committed to following Christ? Is baptism, then, the next step that you need to take in obedience to Jesus?