Baptism is a symbolic re-enactment of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  It symbolizes (1) submission to Christ, (2) a willingness to live God's way and (3) identification with God's covenant people.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  Romans 10:9

"Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins."  Acts 2:38

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  2 Corinthians 5:17

"We all fall short of the goodness of God.  Although we may do good things, nothing we can do measures up to His standards of righteousness.  God's remedy was to send His son to be our substitute, bearing the penalty for evil in our place.  Jesus Christ's death on the cross was a gift of love from God.  Accepting Jesus's death as payment for our sin is the only way we can meet God's standard.  When we accept Christ's sacrifice, God the Father accepts and adopts us as His children."   -Blackaby