As the years go by, opponents to "baptism for the forgiveness of sins" will come up with any thing to thwart obedience to God's Will. They even scoff about "water salvation." Over the years, debates on salvation have been shadowed by the derision over the expression "water salvation." "You believe in water salvation." ha. ha. ha. Their retort is "Faith only!"

The only place in the New Testament that says anything about "faith only" is James 2 and there it states that such is "dead". The acceptable "faith" is the obedient one from the Bible: Romans 10:17.

1 Peter 3: 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

First, Noah and 7 souls were saved by (or, dia, through) water (v. 20).

"Water Salvation"? Actually obedience to God's instructions matched the coming horrific worldwide destruction by water. The command, “Build a ship.” The built ship would be the only means of saving Noah if there was water. The Revised, in margin, “were brought safely through water.”

"Water salvation" in these passages does not mean "water salvation only". Noah was saved by water but look at the other factors.   Genesis 6:8f, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations." "Noah walked with God." Noah was saved by building the ark and obeying God in other respects (he's called a righteous man and preacher- 2 Peter 2:5); he prepared the ark from God's instructions.

Likewise, "water salvation" in the New Testament baptism must be coordinated by other saving factors: believing, repenting, confessing, obeying the gospel. God had to do His part through His Son Jesus in shedding the blood that saves (Rev. 1:5) and raising Jesus from the dead.

Second, in verse 21 "in like figure even baptism doth also now save us".

1 Peter 3: 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Other translations:

“And baptism, of which this is an image, now gives you salvation, “ (BBE)

“And baptism, which this foreshadowed, now saves you--” (TCNT)

“Baptism, the counterpart of that, now saves you” (MNT)

“And, corresponding to that figure, the water of baptism now saves you-,” (WNT)

“(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh”

This is not a cleansing of the body (a bath): As someone has suggested, “It is a ceremonial cleansing perhaps reminiscent to the one done by the priests at the Temple's Laver before entering into service.”

(AFV) “ —not the removal of the filth of the flesh,”

(ASV & Cepher & DRB & EMTV & RV) “ not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,”

(BBE) “ not by washing clean the flesh”

(CEV) “But baptism is more than just washing your body”

(ERV) “Baptism is not the washing of dirt from the body.”

"but is the answer of a good conscience toward God"

(ASV) "but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God,"

(BBE) “but by making you free from the sense of sin before God”

(DBY) “but the demand as before God of a good conscience”

(RSV) “but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience”

(TCNT) “but the search of a clear conscience after God”

“by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

(BBE) “ through the coming again of Jesus Christ from the dead;”

(ASV) "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"

(CEV) “because Jesus Christ was raised from death.”

(ERV) “It saves you because Jesus Christ was raised from death.”

(ISV) “based on the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah”

Baptism without the resurrection of Jesus, without His being made alive by the Spirit, is vain and would indeed only be a bath.

Romans 1 :4 “and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

With that authority behind it, baptism saves us!

The Ethiopian eunuch asked, “What hinders me from being baptized?" (Acts 8).

Philip, the evangelist, said, "If you believe then you may."

What did the eunuch answer? He declared that he believed in the power behind the resurrected Christ. He believed in Jesus as the Son of God.

Following this Biblical pattern, we ask the candidate for baptism: " Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?" If you don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead, you are wasting your time going into the water.