Baptism is a public celebration to celebrate salvation, an internal event. (simply put)
Baptism is not necessary for salvation.
Would the attitude to refuse to be baptized be a bar to salvation, then? How about a refusal to repent?
The public practice of baptismal ceremonies is a modern invention. Early converts were baptized immediately upon receiving the Gospel, like an emergency medical procedure for the critically ill, in the setting in which they were found, whether public or private (the believing eunuch that Phillip baptized in on the road.)
Baptism is not necessary for salvation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And neither is faith.
(You see - as you get to cherry-pick and ignore scriptures that say baptism is necessary - I get to do the same with faith. Or repentence. Or confessing. Or whatever.)