Does a person need to be water baptized to be saved?

What exactly is the purpose of baptism? While some teach that water baptism is necessary for salvation, Scripture makes the opposite claim – that it is not water baptism but spiritual baptism into the resurrection of Christ that actually saves (1 Peter 3:23). Furthermore, the Apostle Paul states that Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:17) – an odd statement to make if water baptism were necessary for salvation. So, water baptism is not necessary for salvation, and much like the Lord’s Supper, it is an outward reminder of what occurred inwardly when we believed.