In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter describes baptism as an act that "now saves us." He clarifies that it is not the physical act of cleansing the body that saves, but rather the inward spiritual significance of baptism—the "answer of a good conscience toward God." Baptism is a public declaration of faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through baptism, the believer identifies with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and in doing so, experiences the inner cleansing that only Jesus can provide. The physical water represents the washing away of sin, but the real power of baptism comes from the resurrection of Jesus. It is the resurrection of Christ that guarantees believers’ salvation, for through His victory over death, we, too, are given new life. Baptism, then, is an outward sign of an inward reality—it is the answer of a good conscience, a testimony to the world that we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and have a clean conscience before God. It is through this act of faith that we publicly acknowledge God's grace and commit to following Jesus.