You're correct; the sacraments aren't salvic. They are comfort. The Lord's Supper and Baptism are gifts of grace from God to His children to bring them closer to Him.
As a Protestant convert to Catholicism, the main thing that led me away from Protestantism was realizing that Protestant interpetations of the scriptures were 16th century novelties.
The early Christians likely would find more they share in common with Catholics and Eastern Orthodox than they would find in common with your local so-called "Bible Christians."
Protestant scriptural hermaneutics are simply a product of the prevailing Zeitgeist.
Baptism is not scriptural???
The Eucharist is not scriptural???
Come on, even a Calvinist can't deny the scriptural basis for these sacraments!