In baptism meaning is critical. Orthodox scholars deny that baptism means salvation. That is, baptism is not equivalent to salvation, as if the act saves. But they do not deny that it points towards salvation via a sacramental union with the washing of the body and the washing away of our sins through faith in Christ’s blood(y baptism). The salvation that we have in Christ is pictured in a variety of ways in baptism.
We might say that baptism is an identification with the people of God, and so part of its meaning has to do with associating with the church, which is Christ’s body. Baptism is a way of picturing our participation with Christ, and so union with Christ (or being clothed with Christ as Paul puts it; Gal 3:27) is part of the meaning. Baptism is done out of obedience, and so gratitude and submission to a heavenly Father are part of its meaning. As Christ was baptize in public, a public profession of faith (see the appendix in my Waters of Creation book on Timothy’s baptism) is part of its meaning. Also, since we have been made priestly brothers with Christ, our baptism into the priesthood is another way of describing this familial association that we have with Christ. Going down into the water and coming up alive is a picture of death and resurrection, the very things that we have obtained by grace through Christ.
In other words, baptism meaning is varied and nuanced, rich and deep. I suppose one could spend a lifetime thinking about it, which is what we are supposed to do as we remember throughout our lives the day we were baptized (I’ve always wondered how infants are able to do that). But always remember, baptism is a picture of Christ’s grace, and through your confession of The Faith and subsequent baptism into it, this grace nourishes and strengthens a weak and fragile faith throughout your life.
is a good example of this. 
