“God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism does also now save us…” (1 Peter 3:20-21). A like figure is a type, form, pattern, or stamp of an original. In Genesis, the 6th chapter, eight souls were saved by water as it lifted the ark up, bringing a separation between them and the wrath of God unleashed upon a sinful world. When God shut Noah and his family inside the ark, It soon became a burial, for the ark was covered by water. God caused the great deep to be broken up underneath and the windows of heaven were opened above, pouring waters upon them and every human on the earth. Within the ark, they were totally immersed in and covered up with water. Peter said this event fitly figures baptism by immersion which Paul describes in Romans 6:4 as being a burial. The water also served to separate Noah and his family. Noah built the ark according to a divine pattern, and just as the ark was invented and de- signed by God, baptism was also designed by God and not by men. God warns us in (2 Thessalonians 1:7 2-9) about another great day of wrath that is coming. All who wish to be saved are commanded to submit and obey as the eight souls did when they entered the ark.
Because of Christ we do something much simpler than build an ark: WE’RE BAPTIZED. “There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1Peter 3:21).
WE’RE BAPTIZED INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CROSS THE RED SEA: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:1- 3).
WE’RE BAPTIZED INSTEAD OF HAVING TO BE CIRCUMCISED: In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:11-13).
WE’RE BAPTIZED INSTEAD OF HAVING TO BE NAILED TO A CROSS: “…do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized in- to His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him” (Romans 6:3-9).
WE’RE BAPTIZED INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SHED OUR OWN BLOOD: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9; 1 John 2:2)
WE’RE BAPTIZED INSTEAD OF HAVING TO REENTER OUR MOTHER’S WOMB TO BE BORN AGAIN: “Jesus said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Je- sus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.” (John 3:1-).
Have you been Baptized?