ANSWER: Salvation does not come by Baptism: Baptism does not make you a Christian The channel of God’s saving grace is found in Ephesians 2:8“ For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
We are NOT saved by works. ~Ephesians 2:9“ . . . Not of Works, lest any man should boast.”
Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”.
Ephesians 5:26; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” Our sins are “washed away by the washing of the WORD OF GOD and the HOLY GHOST. Let’s remember this: One thief was saved whilst dying on the cross, he received Jesus Christ as Saviour and he was assured of heaven by Jesus Christ without Baptism. Read Luke 23:32-33, 39-43.
Therefore being justified by FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1. Having peace with God is a sign of God’s forgiveness upon our life and a new hope of eternal life here on earth and in the life beyond. This is obtained by GRACE through FAITH in God.
From the Word of God, we can conclude that baptism plays no part in our salvation. However, a person is Scripturally baptized AFTER salvation, not before it.