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The bible doesn't explicitely state any relation between baptism and salvation.
Some of the verses do, though, allude to the fact that by being baptized
(after accepting Christ) you will recieve the Holy Spirit.
From the verses given in this study, I must conclude that baptism is
not essential for receiving eternal life. We have seen examples of
people receiving eternal life who weren't baptized[Luke 23:39-43].
Most would not argue that someone can become a Christian on their deathbed
and go to heaven without being baptized. God made the same covenant
with all of us, so if one could be saved without baptism, we can all be
saved without baptism.
Baptism symbolizes being born again. Before we were born we were
in water in our mother's stomach. To return to the water and to emerge
from it is to be born again. Thus baptism is a symbol of our birth
into Christianity. It symbolizes burying your old life and beginning
a new one. It also symbolizes our belief in the death and ressurection
of Christ.
Your natural birth was of flesh and water [John 3:5-6]; when you become
a Christian you are born of
the Holy Spirit [John 3:5-6]; therefore, you are "born again".
It follows then that you are baptized into Christianity not any particular
church or denomination.
Personal note: I do encourage all Christians to be baptized.
Baptism: Scriptures
Acts 2:38-41
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that
are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save
yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same
day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
(KJV)
Acts 11:15-18
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at
the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed
baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us,
who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand
God?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified
God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto
life.
(KJV)
Acts 16:31-34
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were
in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes;
and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before
them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
(KJV)
Col 2:6-16
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in
him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have
been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality
and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without
hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision
of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,
which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of
them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect
of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
(KJV)
1 Pet 3:18-22
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened
by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of
God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein
few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not
the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels
and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
(KJV)
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