God's Grace is always free. It is a gift to be received, not a prize to be earned. "Salvation is not granted to men as a result of anything they are, or do, or resolve to be, but it is the undeserved gift of heaven."

Sanctification
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

The new birth, the beginning of spiritual life for every believer. When divine life is imparted, the Holy Spirit enters the believer's body. This miracle is achieved through the hearing and believing of God's Word, by the working of the Holy Spirit and by our response to God of believing the truth.

Regeneration
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:6,7

This means "to reckon" or "to put to one's account" by a judicial act of God. God put our sins upon Christ at the cross and He put Christ's righteousness upon us as believers.

Imputation
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19

A middle-man is needed to bring together a Holy God and sinful men. This is the "daysman" for which Job longed and which Christ proved to be.

Mediation
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive
the promise of eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 9:15

You were bought with a price. Believers were once the slaves of sin and uncleanness, the curse of the Law's terrible judgment, fear of impending death, and Satan's power. Now we have been made free in Christ because He has paid the price with His own precious blood.

Redemption
...ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1 Peter 1:18-19

Through Christ's work, not that of man, God has become favorable to us and the claims of justice have been satisfied. The man who prayed the sinner's prayer cried, "God, be propitious to me."

Propitiation
...being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.
Romans 3:24-25

Baptism is a picture of salvation.  It is very important, and it follows the new birth, but does not cause it.

Baptism
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19

A divine act of a holy God whereby a sinner who believes in Christ is pronounced righteous before Him and acquited of all charges. Justification is by grace, by faith and by His blood, without works and apart from the law. Justification by works is a demonstration of the reality of faith already possessed, an outward display of faith by action, following salvation.

Justification
...knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Galatians 2:16