The Bible clearly tells us that it is our belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God that gets us to Heaven. The Bible also teaches that water baptism is for those who have decided to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ.It is the next symbolic step that says to the world, "I am going to live my life to honor Jesus Christ". Baptism is simply the outward, symbolic act of that decision. A good analogy is a wedding ring. It isn't the ring that means you're married; it is the commitment made before the ring that determines a marriage. The ring is just a symbol of a decision that has already been made.