Baptism

the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward
God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
What does baptism correspond to? Is it the flood? Or, is it the ark? What was
it that saved Noah and his family? Was it the water or the ark? Obviously, it
was the Ark. Noah built and entered the ark by faith and was saved (Heb.
11:7). The waters destroyed the unbelievers. (2 Pet. 2:5; 3:6). It was the Ark
that saved. Noah entered the ark by faith. Baptism here evidently refers to the
Ark, not to the waters. That is why the rest of the verse says, "not the removal
of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God" as
referred in Col. 2:11-12.
Again it is not evident that the baptism referred to here refers to water
baptism. Mathew Henry explains it as follows:
Noah's salvation in the ark upon the water, which carried him above the
floods, set forth the salvation of all true believers. That temporal salvation by
the ark was a type of the eternal salvation of believers by baptism of the Holy
Spirit. To prevent mistakes, the apostle declares what he means by saving
baptism; not the outward ceremony of washing with water, which, in itself,
does no more than put away the filth of the flesh, but that baptism, of which
the baptismal water formed the sign. Not the outward ordinance, but when a
man, by the regeneration of the Spirit was enabled to repent and profess faith,
and purpose a new life, uprightly, and as in the presence of God. Let us
beware that we rest not upon outward forms. Let us learn to look on the
ordinances of God spiritually, and to inquire after the spiritual effect and
working of them on our consciences. We would willingly have all religion
reduced to outward things. But many who were baptized, and constantly
attended the ordinances, have remained without Christ, died in their sins, and
are now past recovery. Rest not then till the Spirit of Christ and the blood of
Christ cleanse you. In rising from the death Jesus assured us of this
purification and peace.
Titus 3:5, "he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but
because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and
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