Before we move off Noah and baptism, I want to note a couple more points: (A) Peter said the flood “water is a picture of baptism” (I Peter 3:21a, NLT), but that (B) “Only eight people were saved” (I Peter 3:20b).
There were countless people in those flood waters, yet they all drowned. Not a one was saved, except for Noah and his family inside the ark. Yet Peter tells us that the “water is a picture of baptism.” How is this possible?
Because those who had put their faith in God and had walked through “the door” (John 10:7 and 9), which represented Christ Jesus, were the only ones saved by and through those waters. None of those outside the ark were saved (see Genesis 7:22-23). Jesus Himself taught us: “Those who come in through Me will be saved” (John 10:9b).
Jesus is the One and Only Way to Heaven. He plainly tells us: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep… is a thief and a robber” (John 10:1, NASB). And of course, we know from Psalm 100:3b that “the sheep” represent believers: “We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.”
And if that’s not a good enough picture of what’s going on here, Jesus says in John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep.” The plan always was for Jesus “to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45b and Matthew 20:28b).
Look back at John 10:9. Jesus says “Those who come in.” Not only did “the door” represent Christ, but the ark represented His Kingdom. A lot people passed through the waters that Peter says were “a picture of baptism,” but “Only eight people were saved.” Noah’s family. Those who had put their faith in the One True God.
A day is coming when the opportunity to be saved will end. Christ will return for His Bride and those who aren’t His will be left behind. Jesus describes it like this:
“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26-27).
Don’t assume your salvation. Your church membership didn’t give it to you. Your baptism didn’t. The statement has been made that there’s 18 inches between heaven and hell – the distance between having head knowledge and heart knowledge. Knowing Jesus Christ intellectually doesn’t mean knowing Him as Lord and Savior. As James 2:19 puts it: “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” See, the demons’ belief is head knowledge, which certainly doesn’t save them.
James goes on to say the proof is in the lifestyle. Everyone messes up, but when serving and honoring Jesus Christ is rarely a part of your life, the Bible says you don’t really know Him.
In other words, “faith without works” (James 2:18b, HCSB) isn’t really faith at all. “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds?” (James 2:18b, NLT).
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