The "keep reading" part clarifies the preceding words. In
1 Peter 3:21, Peter tells us that baptism now saves you, yet when Peter uses this phrase,
he continues in the same sentence to explain exactly what he means by it. He said that baptism now saves you-
not the removal of dirt from the flesh (that is, not as an outward, physical act which washes dirt from the body--that is not what saves you),
"but an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (that is, as an inward, spiritual transaction between God and the individual, a transaction that is
symbolized by the outward ceremony of water baptism).
Just as the eight people in the ark were "saved THROUGH water" as they were IN THE ARK. They were not literally saved "by" the water.
Hebrews 11:7 is clear on this point (..built an
ARK for the
SAVING of his household). *The context reveals that ONLY the righteous (Noah and his family) were DRY and therefore SAFE. In contrast,
only the wicked in Noah's day came in contact with the water and they all perished.
So, by Peter saying, "not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Peter guards against saving power to the physical ceremony in H20. I don't embrace salvation by works.
There is the “figurative” device called “trope,” which means the attribution of that which is “real” to that which is only a symbol, an emblem, or a representation. Christ said, “This is my body” when He took the bread. When He took the cup, He said, “This is my blood.” Now of course, His body was still His body, and His blood was still in His body. He was using “trope” attributing the reality to the emblem. Since it is not possible for an external ordinance to do an internal work on the heart, baptism cannot do these things except in the “trope” sense. Salvation is signified but not procured in water baptism. The remission of sins has three applications. Literally, by the blood of Christ, (Matthew 26:28; Revelation 1:5) experientially, by faith in Christ, (Acts 10:43; 26:18) ceremonially, by baptism. (Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21)
False religion turns symbols and shadows of our salvation into the substance and the source.