Baptism

            My eight-year-old grandson recently made the decision to be baptized and confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His birthday is in May, but he postponed his baptism in order for me to attend. He invited me to give a talk on baptism on his special day, and I am honored to accept his invitation. This is basically what I will say at his baptism tomorrow.

            Many years ago when your mother was a small girl, I arranged for my children to receive piano lessons. My friend located a teacher who was giving group piano lessons. We enrolled our children in one of her groups, and we alternated weeks in taking the children to lessons. The children entertained themselves by singing Primary sons while we made the ten-mile drive to and from lessons.

            One of their favorite songs to sing was “Baptism,” a song about the baptism of Jesus Christ. I do not know why I remember the children singing this song because I do not remember any of the other songs. This memory came back to me as I was pondering what I would say at this baptism.

             The words to this song were written by Mabel Jones Gabbott (1910-2004) with music by Crawford Gates (1921). The words and music are copyrighted, so I will not include them. However, you can find them here. 

            This children’s song tells us that Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized in the Jordan River. Jesus was immersed in the water in order to be obedient to God’s law and to enter into the kingdom of God. When we are baptized we do so in order to show obedience to Heavenly Father and to become a member of His Church. Jesus went to John to be baptized because John held the priesthood of Aaron and had the authority to perform the ordinance. Your father holds this same priesthood authority and will perform the ordinance in the same manner as did John the Baptist with Jesus.

            I know that your parents and your Primary teachers have taught you the importance of baptism. I know that they have spoken about this important decision and the covenant that you are about to make. However, I want to remind you of some of the requirements for becoming a member of the Lord’s Church.

            The first requirement is that we must reach the age of accountability. Latter-day revelation says that we must be at least eight years old in order to be baptized. This means that we are capable of knowing good from evil and in choosing the right.

            Another important requirement is a visit with the bishop to receive a recommendation for baptism and confirmation. The bishop asks some questions to determine if you are worthy of baptism and if you understand your decision and the consequences of it. He may even ask you to recite one or more of the Articles of Faith.

            Just as there are requirements to meet before being baptized, there are certain responsibilities after baptism. Hundreds of years ago there was a prophet by the name of Abinadi who went to see wicked King Noah and his priests. His job was to call the king to repentance. Abinadi had the opportunity to teach the Ten Commandments and other gospel principles to the king and the priests. The priests did not like what Abinadi was saying, and they eventually convinced King Noah to burn Abinadi at the stake.

            However, there was a young man named Alma among the priests, and he recognized that Abinadi was teaching the truth. He tried to save Abinadi by speaking up for him, but Alma was forced to flee in order to save his own life. He hid himself and started to write the words of Abinadi. We have those words in the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ because Alma wrote them.

            When Alma was finished writing, he started to teach the people even though he had to stay hidden from the king’s soldiers.  Alma was hiding near “a fountain of pure water” in a “thicket of small trees” near the boundary of the kingdom. The people who wanted to be taught came to him there. Here are some of the words that Alma taught to the people before he would baptize them. (See Alma 18:8-10.)

8 … Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life.

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

            Now those words may be a little difficult for an eight-year-old child to understand, so let’s define them. Any person who desires to join the Church needs to be willing to do the following:

1. Help other people carry their burdens: This may be as simple as helping a sibling with chores.

2. Mourn with others: This means to be sad when something bad happens to others. It may mean attending funerals, such as the funerals of Uncle Lynn and Larry.

3. Comfort those who need comforting: This means to be friendly to those who are lonely, to give a hug to someone who is sad, or to cheer someone up.

4. Stand as a witness of God all the time, wherever you go, until you die: This means that you are willing to let people know that you are a member of the Lord’s Church and that you will share the gospel with others.

            From this we know that baptism means more than being immersed in water. It means that we will keep God’s commandments, share His gospel, and do the things that He would do. In other words, we will follow the Savior and become like Him. These are some of the promises that we make when we are baptized.

Baptism Means Taking the Name of Christ

                    Baptism is one of the first steps we take to come to Christ and most often comes after we gain faith in Jesus Christ and repent of our sins.  Baptism is a covenant that we make with Christ.  When we understand the symbolism of baptism, we are more capable of understanding the eternal nature of the covenants and blessings that come because of baptism.  Through continued obedience and the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can overcome spiritual death and return to the presence of our Father in Heaven.  When we are baptized, we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and promise to remember Him in all that we do.

                    Modern-day scriptures clearly identify the purposes of baptism. Some of those scriptures follow:

"Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the holy commandment, for the remission of sins" (Doctrine and Covenants 49:13).  The purpose given is to have our sins "erased" or taken from us.

"But … thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying:  After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 2 Nephi 31:14).  The purpose given is to show our willingness to keep all of Heavenly Father's commandments.

"No one can be received into the church of Christ unless he has arrived unto the years of accountability before God, and is capable of repentance" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:71).  In other revelations, the Lord explained that the "years of accountability" is eight years of age.  Children are not baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until they are old enough to know the difference between good and evil.  All children who die before the age of eight years are automatically taken back into the presence of God.

"Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter.  For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

"And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ….

"And now … I would ask if all is done?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father:  Ye shall have eternal life" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 2 Nephi 31:17-20).  The purpose given is to get on the path and begin the journey to eternal life."

"And whoso doeth this shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the hands of the elders of the church" (Doctrine and Covenants 49:14).  The purpose given is to be ready and worthy to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In light of the above scriptures, I think it is fair to ask this question:   Why did Jesus - who did not sin - need baptism?  We are very fortunate because Nephi, an ancient American prophet, answered this question very clearly.

"And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?

"Know ye not that he was holy?  But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.

"Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.

"And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 2 Nephi 31:6-9).  The reason given is that even Jesus Christ needed to be baptized in order to show obedience to Heavenly Father.  In doing so, Jesus set an example of what all of us must do in order to enter the kingdom of God.

A symbol is an object or action that represents something else.  In Romans 6:3, the Apostle Paul spoke of baptism as a symbol:  "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?"

What did Paul mean when he said that we are "baptized into [Christ's] death"?  The word baptism comes from a Greek word that means to dip or immerse (Bible Dictionary, 'Baptism," 618).  The act of immersion - being momentarily buried under water - represents the death and burial of a person's sinfulness.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to repent of our sins and to be forgiven.

The Apostle Paul continued his explanation:  "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:  that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (Romans 6:4-5).

This scripture brings another very fair question:  How is baptism "in the likeness of [Christ's] resurrection"? The act of coming out from under the water represents a birth into a new life, just as the resurrected Jesus Christ rose from the tomb.  A newly baptized person is free of sin and possesses a new opportunity to grow closer to God.

Jesus Christ discussed baptism with a man named Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 and told him:  "…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

"Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

When Nicodemus asked how a person could be born of water, Jesus Christ explained that a person is "born of water" when he/she is baptized by immersion.  Christ also explained that a person is "born of the Spirit" when he/she receives the Holy Ghost after their baptism.

A newly baptized and converted man testified:  "I came from a broken home.  We had no religion, and I was not taught any particular moral values.  My life was meaningless, empty, and full of conflict.  I committed many sins.  Then the gospel came into my life.  I accepted the Savior wholeheartedly.  I began to believe in Him and to turn away from my former ways.  I was baptized, and I received the marvelous gift of the Holy Ghost.  Brothers and Sisters, for years and years I felt as if I were `dead' inside and now for the first time in life, I feel `alive'" (in My Errand from the Lord [Melchizedek Priesthood study guide, 1976], 161).

In April 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith received instructions through revelation about organizing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This revelation also gave instructions for the people who wanted to be baptized as members of the Church.

"And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism - All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:37). 

This verse contains the baptismal covenant, an agreement between the Lord and the person being baptized.  With this covenant, we promise to obey God's commandments, and He promises to bless us according to our obedience.  People covenant to

1) humble himself/herself before God, 2) repent of their sins, 3) be willing to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ,

4) be willing to serve the Lord, 5) show by their works that they have received the Spirit of Christ.

                    What does it mean to take upon ourselves the name of Christ?  A basic answer is that we take upon ourselves the name of Christ when we follow His example.  Alma, an prophet in the Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ taught his people how they could take upon themselves the name of Christ.  Alma was converted through the teachings of Abinadi and then proceeded to teach the gospel to others.  In order to help the people prepare to be baptized, he reviewed the duties they would be expected to do as members of the Church.

                    "And it came to pass that he said unto them:  Behold, here are the waters of Mormon … and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;

                    "Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -

                    "Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?"  (See Mosiah 18:8-10.)

               According to Alma, in order to "come into the fold of God, and … be called his people", we must 1) "bear one another's burdens", 2) "mourn with those that mourn", 3) "comfort those that stand in need of comfort", and 4) "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places".

                    We "bear one another's burdens" when we help them during their trials and adversities.  We "mourn with those that mourn" when we share their grief - death of loved ones, miscarriages, loss of job, etc.  We stand as witnesses of God when we 1) defend the name of Deity and do not allow it to be taken in vain, 2) are willing to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, 3) sustain and support priesthood and auxiliary leaders, and 4) choose the right thing to do whether or not we are being watched.

                    Alma listed promises along with the requirements; by observing the requirements of membership we can:  1) "be redeemed of God", 2) "be numbered with those of the first resurrection, 3) "have eternal life", and 4) receive "his Spirit more abundantly upon you". 

                    The baptismal covenant is so important that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have the opportunity to renew it each week by partaking of the sacrament.  Baptism is more than just being immersed in the water.  The covenants we make and the blessings we can receive are eternal.  I testify that keeping our baptismal covenants brings joy in this life and hope for eternal life.

                             

              

                                                                          

                                            

                       

Baptism

We must learn and obey certain principles and ordinances in order to be a true follower of Christ. Principles are truth, and ordinances are rites or ceremonies. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repentance are the first two principles of the gospel. The first ordinance of the gospel is baptism. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism bring forgiveness for sins through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

There are several reasons for the ordinance of baptism: 1) To show obedience. Jesus was baptized even though He was sinless. 2) To become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. 3) To receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 4) To enter the Celestial Kingdom.

The proper mode of baptism was revealed to Joseph Smith by the Lord. Jesus told him that a person with proper priesthood authority to baptize "shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism …. Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:73-74). Immersion is a requirement and is symbolic of death, burial, and resurrection. A newly baptized individual starts a new way of life. Baptism by immersion under proper priesthood authority is the only acceptable means of baptism.

Every person who is eight years old or older and is accountable or responsible for his or her actions needs to be baptized. Little children younger than eight are not capable of sinning and do not require baptism. People who are mentally incapable of knowing right and wrong do not need baptism.

When we are baptized we make covenants with God that we will: 1) Come into the fold of God; 2) Bear one another's burdens; 3) Stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places; 4) Serve God and keep His commandments. When we keep the covenants made at baptism, the Lord promises to: 1) Forgive our sins; 2) Pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon us; 3) Give us daily guidance and the help of the Holy Ghost; 4) Let us come forth in the First Resurrection; 5) Give us eternal life. (See Acts 2:38; Mosiah 18:7-17; Doctrine and Covenants 20:77; 49:13.)

Baptism is called a new birth because it brings a new way of life. Baptism is a great blessing because it gives us a new start on our journey towards eternal life.

Baptism

We must learn and obey certain principles and ordinances in order to be a true follower of Christ. Principles are truth, and ordinances are rites or ceremonies. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repentance are the first two principles of the gospel. The first ordinance of the gospel is baptism. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism bring forgiveness for sins through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. There are several reasons for the ordinance of baptism: 1) To show obedience. Jesus was baptized even though He was sinless. 2) To become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. 3) To receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 4) To enter the Celestial Kingdom. The proper mode of baptism was revealed to Joseph Smith by the Lord. Jesus told him that a person with proper priesthood authority to baptize "shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism …. Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:73-74). Immersion is a requirement and is symbolic of death, burial, and resurrection. A newly baptized individual starts a new way of life. Baptism by immersion under proper priesthood authority is the only acceptable means of baptism. Every person who is eight years old or older and is accountable or responsible for his or her actions needs to be baptized. Little children younger than eight are not capable of sinning and do not require baptism. People who are mentally incapable of knowing right and wrong do not need baptism. When we are baptized we make covenants with God that we will: 1) Come into the fold of God; 2) Bear one another's burdens; 3) Stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places; 4) Serve God and keep His commandments. When we keep the covenants made at baptism, the Lord promises to: 1) Forgive our sins; 2) Pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon us; 3) Give us daily guidance and the help of the Holy Ghost; 4) Let us come forth in the First Resurrection; 5) Give us eternal life. (See Acts 2:38; Mosiah 18:7-17; Doctrine and Covenants 20:77; 49:13.) Baptism is called a new birth because it brings a new way of life. Baptism is a great blessing because it gives us a new start on our journey towards eternal life.