1 Peter 3:21 English Standard Version (ESV) Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

I have been baptized twice. As a teen I had no idea what I was doing. As an adult I knew what it meant to me. Now so many years later I find this as an additional thought. It does no change my motives or understanding. It is an additional thought.

Sometimes when we discover a truth there is a tendency to replace what we knew with a new discovery. This is not correction. My thoughts as an adult going through baptism are still valid. This expands reasoning, not replacing it.

Since I did not receive my baptism as an appeal to God for a good conscience, does that mean God did not respond? Lack of understanding on my part does not hinder God from performing His gracious good acts.

I am not even shocked by this new thought. I have read it before and it did not have the same impact on me then as it does now. It is likely that God was doing something more needful for my spiritual growth back then. Now that I am more mature, there is nothing hindering me from this discovery.

This is not a super spiritual moment. Not everything is awe inspiring. It does remind me that I do not know everything and that there is more to be discovered in scripture, even if it isn’t life changing.

Putting frosting swirls on the top of a cake does not change the taste of the cake, it just makes it look pretty.

Maybe that is the point.