THE COVENANT OF BAPTISM

 

 

We read of the most glorious confirmation of Christ’s Sonship at the time of His baptism. Matthew records the Father’s voice saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17) whilst Mark and Luke testified of a more intimate communion: “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). We know though through the record of John the Baptist, of which we have only eleven verses, so far, in Doctrine and Covenants Section 93, that Matthew’s account is the right one (v15). We also know that Mark and Luke could not have stood on the banks of River Jordan witnessing the baptism as Mark was not one of Christ’s original disciples and Luke was a convert post crucifixion. 

 

Nephi tells us that Christ was baptised to enter into the covenant of obedience (2 Nephi 31:7). This, in my mind, does not only mean keeping the commandments but that He covenanted that He would do the Father’s will for Him, meaning the Atonement. When Alma Senior baptised one of his first converts, Helam, at the waters of Mormon, he took the baptismal covenant to the next level. He said: 'Helam, I baptise thee....as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead..' (Mosiah 18:12,13). Not, until you decide to no longer follow Him, but for the remainder of your life. This the Saviour did explicitly and valiantly as He hung on the cross to the very end. This is the ultimate meaning of ‘covenant’, something that should not be broken even at the peril of one’s life.  And this is the integrity of the man we call our Saviour and our God who succumbed to death whilst honouring His covenant. 

 

I don’t know why Mark’s and Luke’s accounts differed from Matthew’s and Baptist’s in the Father’s attestation of His Son but I rather like it. I imagine the Father would say: “I see You, You who have no need to do this and need not covenant that You will obey me, and submit to the crucible of your life that is before You, YOU are my beloved Son…….

 

 

I wish to gift you my heart

Eternal Father of mine;

I wish to glorify Thy name

Through endless moments of time.

I wish to worship you each day that I greet,

I wish to honour you with each breath that I breathe.

Then one day soon when I kneel at your throne

And bring you my deeds from my earthly home;

Accept them with mercy,

Consider them bliss,

And greet me joyfully

With an holy kiss.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Father and Son by Danny Hahlbohm)