I Peter 3:20-21 to disobeying ones, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared (in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through water); which figure now also saves us, baptism; not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
In this passage Peter compares the saving of Noah and his family by water during the flood to our being saved by being baptized in water.
According to Acts 2:38, we are to be baptized “for the remission of sins.” To have our sins remitted is to be released from the guilt or penalty of sin. Remission of our sins is possible because Jesus paid the penalty by His death on the cross.
Matthew 3:13-16 Then Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. But John restrained Him, saying, I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? And answering Jesus said to him, Allow it now, for it is becoming to us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed Him. And Jesus, when He had been baptized, went up immediately out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him.
Some say, “I don’t need to be baptized.” But here we see the Jesus Christ Himself was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Who are we to say that we do not need to be baptized if He, who was perfect, was baptized?
Acts 22:16 And now what do you intend? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
This verse records the instruction of Ananias to Saul of Tarsus. Saul became the apostle Paul, the man who wrote much of the New Testament.
Here we also find the baptism washes away our sins.
Acts 4:10-12 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in this name does this man stand before you whole. This is the Stone which you builders have counted worthless, and He has become the Head of the Corner. And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Remember that in Matthew 28:19 we saw that we were to be baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost? What was that name? Verse 12 states that the only name by which we can be saved is the name of Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:3-5 Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been joined together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection;
This passage shows the actual role baptism plays in our salvation. It allows us access into His death and therefore into His resurrection. Notice that we will be raised in the likeness of His resurrection only if we have first been planted in the likeness of His death.
Galatians 3:27 For as many as were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ.
Saying that we have “put on Christ” is another way of saying that we have taken on His name or have been joined to His family.
The verses of scripture above show that baptism in Jesus’ name is essential to our salvation.