Difficult passages are difficult! Theories, ideas, speculation! Give me 15 minutes of your time! The careful study of difficult passages will include word studies to identify repeated words and phrases, study of the context including the message of the original author and the application for the original recipients. When Peter writes about how to live in the midst of suffering -- focused "in the spirit" rather than "in the flesh" -- he uses the example of Christ who ultimately announced victory in his resurrection, even though he suffered and died in the flesh. Even baptism makes sense in the context!