1 Peter 3: 21

21 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,

Eight people were saved from the flood (v. 20). This is a picture of “baptism” (our salvation from sin and judgment by the power of Christ’s resurrection).

Hence, their salvation from the flood waters is symbolic of Christ’s resurrection—and ours: the flood waters being God’s judgment on sin; and the ark of safety being our salvation from judgment through His death and resurrection.

Baptism (the symbol of our salvation) involves “an appeal to God for a good conscience”—or to have our sins removed from us. When those eight persons decided to get into the ark they were trusting God to save them. In our day, we must begin our road to salvation with an appeal to God (our prayer) that He will remove all sins and save us. That appeal is our faith that through His resurrection power we will be saved, escaping judgment.