I believe water baptism is symbolic. It depends on the person being baptized. If they take seriously or not. Going under water is dying to the old self. Coming up out of the water is the new self a believer.
I think that evil/calamity is brought on as punishment for some.
"I will punish those who live in Egypt with the sword, famine and plague, as I punished Jerusalem" (Jer. 44:13).
And the Heart
"...the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen. 8:21).
"For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander" (Mt. 15:19).
I believe there will always be a battle between the flesh and the spirit.
"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17).
Love/Agape and Pray Always!