Peter, the Rock upon which the Church has been built, tells us that Noah’s Ark passing through the waters of the Great Flood was a symbol of baptism.

And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21; NASB). 

Beautiful comparison. Very nice, but what else is Peter saying here? Noah’s adventure was a salvation experience for him and his family, and so is baptism for us. Just as the Ark saved a family through water, baptism now saves us.

Now baptism saves is exactly what the three words in the original Greek say here (nun sotzo baptisma), but no one dares to say this in a Evangelical churches these days. We could have said it from the start of the Church up to the beginning of the 20th century, but today this expression is flat out contradicted in most Bible-teaching churches. I quoted this verse one day in 2018 in Kentucky as I conversed with the man who built the Ark Encounter Museum, Ken Hamm. Upon hearing it, he was deeply disturbed and cut off our conversation abruptly.

Mr. Hamm became upset because I pointed out that this, the only verse in the New Testament that explains the meaning of the Ark, was nowhere to be found in his museum—a museum filled with thousands of Bible verses. The man responsible for investing more than $100 million dollars in a museum about the Ark could not bear to hear the one and only New Testament verse that explains the meaning of the Ark. This is a serious and grave scenario, but the reason for Mr. Hamm’s aversion to 1 Peter 3:21 is clear: Mr. Hamm needs to please Evangelicals who are trained to say “baptism doesn’t save.”

Mr. Hamm dismissed me, but he can’t dismiss 1 Peter 3:21. It will remain in the Bible forever. We deeply appreciate Mr. Hamm’s work promoting the science behind Noah’s Ark, but are disappointed by his refusal to discuss a Bible verse. Mr. Hamm accepts Flood science, but rejects Flood meaning: that baptism saves. In a museum with Bible passages around every corner, the one that explains the meaning of the Ark is nowhere to be found. Let’s remind ourselves of what it says:

… God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the Ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of [an appeal to God for -- NASB and LEB)] a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ… (1 Peter 3:20-21)

The passage says baptism now saves you. There should be no shame stating openly that baptism saves because it’s what the Bible says. So why do the majority of preachers say the opposite? How many times have you heard pastors preach “baptism doesn’t save”? Contradicting the Scriptures is a dangerous thing to do, incurring the judgment of God.

Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it… (Deuteronomy 4:2)

Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar (Proverbs 30:6).

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll (Revelation 22:18).