The water of baptism is typified by the water through which Noah and his family were delivered out of the old generation of the flood-judged world into a new environment produced by the judgment of the flood. In 1 Peter 3:20 the Greek words translated “were brought safely through” mean to “arrive safe into a place of security through difficulty or danger” as in Acts 27:44 (Darby). The Greek words rendered “by water” literally mean through water. Water was the medium through which the saving was accomplished. The ark saved Noah and his family from God’s judgment, the destruction of the world by the flood. But the water saved them from the corrupted generation and separated them unto a new age, just as the water of the Red Sea did to the children of Israel (Exo. 14:22, 29; 1 Cor. 10:1-2) and the water of baptism to the New Testament believers.
First Peter 3:21 says, “Which figure also now saves you, baptism, not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the appeal of a good conscience unto God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” This verse does not teach baptismal salvation, and we do not hold the belief that the waters of baptism put away the filth of the flesh. The words “which figure” refer to the water in the preceding verse, which is a figure of the water of baptism. This indicates that Noah and his family’s being in the ark and passing through the flood was a type of our going through baptism. The water of the flood delivered them out of the old manner of life into a new environment. In like manner, the water of baptism delivers us out of the vain manner of life into a manner of life in resurrection.
Baptism itself does not and cannot put away the filth of our flesh—the dirt of our fallen nature and defilement of fleshly lust. The erroneous teaching concerning baptismal salvation based upon this verse and Mark 16:16 and Acts 22:16 is corrected here. Baptism is only a figure. Its reality is Christ in resurrection as the life-giving Spirit, who applies to us all that Christ has passed through in His crucifixion and resurrection, making these things real in our daily life.
First Peter 3:21 indicates that baptism is the appeal of a good conscience unto God. The Greek word rendered “appeal” is eperotema, a question, an inquiry. Its meaning is very much disputed. The right meaning of the phrase seems to be, as Alford said, “the seeking after God of a good and pure conscience,” which governs the proper Christian life. This kind of question, asking for something, may be considered an appeal or demand. Peter’s thought here may be that baptism is the appeal to God of the baptized one for a good conscience unto God. Such a conscience has no more offense, but rather is full of peace and confidence that the baptized one has been baptized into the Triune God and organically united with Him.
When we are baptized, we, as baptized ones, appeal to God for a good and pure conscience. After we have been baptized and rise up out of the water, we have a conscience that is good and pure, a conscience without condemnation. All our sins, offenses, transgressions, and trespasses have been forgiven, and all the problems that estranged our life and our being have been buried in the water. This means that through baptism we have a clearance of our sinful past. Because of this clearance, we can have a good and pure conscience.
We would emphasize the fact that baptism itself does not put away the filth of the flesh. However, baptism does enable us to have the assurance to appeal to God for a good and pure conscience. Then, after we have been baptized, God answers us by indicating that we now have a conscience that is good and pure.