The obvious meaning of 1 Peter 3:21 is that water baptism is analogous in “saving us” to how the waters of the Flood “saved” Noah. The Flood did not give Noah life, but it DID separate him from the evil world in which he lived. As Peter said in Acts 2: “And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”
Water baptism has an important place in salvation, but it isn’t in giving life. Why folks struggle with 1 Peter 3:21 is hard to understand, since Peter was pretty specific.
“Water baptism has an important place in salvation, but it isn’t in giving life.”
“baptism now saves you”. That’s not simply an analogy. Something that saves you has given you life. Grace is in baptism.
“Why folks struggle with 1 Peter 3:21 is hard to understand, since Peter was pretty specific.”
Yes, he was, “baptism now SAVES you”. Can’t be much clearer than that.