NIV:
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through whom[d] also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge[e] of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Or in the KJV:
20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Note that “....baptism that now saves you also....” is different than “...baptism, which saves you now...” The latter allowing emphasis on the now.
You will also note that the “...answer of a good conscience towards God)... requires REPENTANCE.
Note that I am not arguing AGAINST baptism. In Mark 16:16 (16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.) Jesus makes it very clear that belief + baptism = salvation. But if one does not believe then Jesus makes it very clear that person shall not be saved.
What does that belief mean or require:
1) That there is a God
2) That God is the one, only and true (perfect) God
3) That God being perfect, can not accept or tolerate sin and will judge and separate those that sin from himself
4) That God made man with the right of self awareness and self determination
5) That Man sinned against God and chose a sinful nature
6) That unless that sin is atoned for, the punishment for that sin is eternal separation from God (see#3)
7) That God in his grace and mercy created Jesus to pay for and atone for our sins so that we may be saved
8) That Jesus came and died, rose again and paid for our sins
9) That I am a sinner and my past life was lived in sin.
Now here is the tipping point, the point where belief turns to action, the “repentance point”.
10) That I no longer wish to live in sin and that I will accept Jesus and his teachings to govern my life so that I might be saved and in doing so, I will turn away from my formal sinful self and follow the Jesus. And as an act of obedience to the new Lord of my life, I will outwardly show this by being baptized in his name.
A failure to believe or faith in any of those 10 foundational items seriously jeopardizes the “believe” part of Mark 16:16. As to my prior point, children that do not yet believe, or anyone for that matter, are not in alignment with Jesus teachings.
Dedicating a child to God is a good idea. Parents do this all the time and it is a great way for the parents to publicly commit to raising a child in Christ.
God has given parents the authority, right, and responsibility to speak in their child’s name. This principle is illustrated in John 9, when the Pharisees questioned the parents of the man born blind.
The money quote is verse 23: “Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.”
This shows the common understanding that prior to the man’s coming of age, the parents would answer in his name. But since their child was a grown man, he was responsible for himself, and his own answers.