Powerful Water

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,   but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. - 1 Peter 3:21-22

Just before this selection, Peter has spoken about Noah and the ark. He has drawn a parallel between the flood that wiped the earth clean and the salvation offered in Jesus. God saved Noah and his family from the flood by way of the ark. It was a boat built to ride out the storm and re-establish the creative order.

The vessel that saved Noah was a gigantic boat. The vessel that saves us is the Son of God, Jesus. As Jesus saves us, we are included in eternity as the Spirit resides in us. He calls us to return to His side, seek the lost, and invite all to return to God. While our existence on this planet can feel like a storm at times, the Lord has restored us to Him, through Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift, not from works, so that no one can boast.” Faith in Jesus Christ is what has provided for our salvation. Faith is the cornerstone of the beautiful act of salvation. Peter seems to be saying that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead saves us. It is this faith in the resurrection of Jesus which we publicly express when being baptized. A baptism without faith is simply just a bath. An ark without a flood is simply a boat run aground. Faith is the key to salvation. Water is the medium the Lord uses to show His salvific work.

So, place your faith in Jesus, first and foremost. Make him Lord of all. Surely you will see that baptism is the next logical step of obedience and worship. Then, go and make disciples of all nations.

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Matt