Water baptism puts you in water, Christs death has nothing to do with a physical act. Water baptism (the NT symbol for being cleansed) can no more wash you than the physical act of Circumcision (the OT symbol for cleansing) can.
Your right, the blood of Christ cleanses us, that is done in the baptism of the spirit, Which if this does not happen before baptism in water, is useless.
God says baptism saves (1Peter 3:21), so to say it does not save makes Him out to be a liar, and the Bible out to be a liar- because it says "Let every man be a liar and God be right." You agree that only Christ's blood washes away sin, but it does you no good if you don't come into contact with it- which baptism puts you into contact with it. Baptism is also the only way the Bible says we get into Christ- which is important since only those in Christ will be saved.
There is no verse that says 'baptism of the Spirit puts you in Christ', but there is scripture about water baptism putting you in Christ, and saving you. Having the Holy Spirit, whether before or after baptism, does not save you. The only thing that saves you is
contact with Christ's blood- which baptism accomplishes.
Baptism is how we
obey the gospel- which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We die to ourself, burial our sinful self in the watery grave of baptism, and are raised to newness of life. The Bible says "With flames of fire He will take vengeance on those who know not God, and who
obey not the gospel of His Son."