Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:3–5 (RSV)
The grammar checker I use for my writing will complain that there are too many passive verbs in this passage of St. Paul's letter to the Romans. "Have been baptized," "were buried," "have been united," all are passive, in that we are not the ones acting.
St. Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, has it right. When we are baptized, we bring absolutely nothing to the waters. The sacraments remind us that it is God who brings salvation to us. There is no moment when we become partners with God where He accepts our efforts as part of salvation.
We were baptized into Jesus' death. We contributed to His death by our sin. We did that with reckless abandon. God the Father takes our rebellion, our sin, to the cross upon which hung His only Son.
Jesus carries us into death so that we might be made alive in Him. The Father's glory has raised Jesus from the dead. Our baptism joins us to the death and resurrection of our Lord.
We can only receive the mercy the Father gives through His Son. Thus the waters of Baptism and the promise of new life all flow from God.