A SAVING ORDINANCE

 

I witnessed the baptism of my grandson this weekend. Each time I hear a talk about baptism on such an occasion, my blood pressure rises, because it confirms to me how little we understand this saving priesthood ordinance in the Church, despite the fact that we have the Book of Mormon which makes it so plan to our understanding. Here is what Elder Renlund said in his conference talk last year:

“As an eight-year-old, I had mistakenly presumed that the water of baptism washed away sins. Not so. In the years since my baptism, I have learned that sins are cleansed by the power of Jesus Christ through His atoning sacrifice as we make and keep the baptismal covenant. Then, through the gift of repentance, we can remain clean. I have also learned that the sacrament brings a powerful virtuous cycle into our lives, enabling us to retain a remission of our sins.” (Elder Renlund, Jesus Christ is the Treasure, General Conference 2023)

Over and over I hear that baptism washes our sins away. I guess the misunderstanding comes from the fact that we use water to wash things clean. Baptism by immersion does not do the same. The baptismal water symbolizes new birth. When we are born physically we emerge from the water of the womb and when we are born spiritually we emerge from the water of baptism. By this immersion we accept a new life in Christ and make a covenant of obedience (Romans 6:4).

-        If water washed away sins, Jesus would never have been baptized because He was sinless. What He did by being baptized is make a covenant of obedience with the Father (2 Nephi 31:7).

-        If water washed away sins, we would not be baptizing children at 8 years of age. Children under that age are not accountable and are therefore considered sinless. Hence, there are no sins to be washed away. They are baptized at 8 years of age to make a covenant of obedience  because they are henceforth accountable.

-        It is not ‘baptism by immersion for forgiveness of sins’. It is ‘baptism by immersion for remission of sins’. The water does not have power to forgive sins, only ‘the power of Jesus Christ through His atoning sacrifice’ does, as Elder Renlund stated.

The idea of purification by the waters of baptism is suggested in Acts 22:16. I am certain that Paul, while recounting his conversion story, did not expound on all that the ordinance of baptism entails. Once again, the Book of Mormon brings the second part of this ordinance to light: “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 (2 Nephi 31:17).

What does a remission of sins mean? When we enter the covenant of baptism, our sins are then put into remission until the day of forgiveness which comes through sanctification by the Holy Ghost, made possible because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is akin to having cancer and receiving treatment which puts the cancer into remission. The cancer can always return just as our sins can if they are not kept in remission. Elder Renlund stated this in his aforementioned talk: “….the treasured blessings of the sacrament are available to us each time we attend sacrament meeting. We are promised that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion if we approach the sacrament the way a new convert approaches baptism and confirmation, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and a determination to live up to that baptismal covenant. The Holy Ghost blesses us with His sanctifying power so that we can always retain a remission of our sins, week in and week out.”

Imagine what an important role the sacrament has! It makes the power of the Atonement active in our lives constantly. I am grateful for the privilege of the saving ordinance of baptism. When I was baptized at 18 years of age, I understood very little of this doctrine but I will never forget rising out of the baptismal water filled with such gratitude that I burst into tears. It’s something I should remember much more often….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: To Fulfill All Righteousness by Liz Lemon Swindle)

UNTIL DEATH

 

I am constantly amazed at the way the Book of Mormon clarifies the doctrines of Christ and it amazes me equally how often some of us miss these clarifications. One ordinance in the Church that often gets misunderstood is baptism. I have for many years in the past, like many others no doubt, partaken the sacrament each Sunday with the idea that if I do so I will walk away from the chapel 'clean' as on the day of my baptism. This is of course false. There is only one purpose to our weekly partaking of the sacrament and that is to renew our baptismal covenant of obedience.

The New Testament teaches us that baptism is important, but to me, the reasons why, are quite vague. The idea of purification by baptism as suggested in Acts 22:15-16 stands more as a symbol than a reason, probably because we associate water with cleanliness. The act of baptismal cleanliness is not due to immersion in water but the purifying power of the Holy Ghost for the redemption of sins, which follows (2 Nephi 31:17), but that’s a subject for another post. Paul also symbolises baptism with burial and resurrection in Romans 6:3,4. The greatest symbolism of baptism is, however, re-birth. Just as we are born physically coming forth out of the water of the womb, we are born spiritually in Christ coming forth out of the water of baptism.

Book of Mormon is clear on this fact: baptism's first and foremost objective is to make a covenant of obedience with God.  If the act of baptising was to wash away sins, Jesus being without sin would not need to be baptised. The obvious reaction to this is: He was baptised to be an example to us. But an example of what? This is where the Book of Mormon excels in clarification. Nephi makes it clear that Jesus' willingness to 'fulfill all righteousness' was not to exemplify washing away of sin but to make a covenant of obedience (Matthew 3:15; 2 Nephi 31:5,6,7). In other words, at the time of His baptism, Jesus was making a covenant with the Father that He would be obedient, and in the process, making an example for us to do the same. And, indeed, the renewal of this covenant of obedience is what we hear in our sacramental prayers every Sunday (Moroni 4,5)

When Alma who had fled from King Noah with a small band of followers preached to them the covenant of obedience by the waters of Mormon, the people were so overcome with joy that they committed to baptism there and then (Mosiah 18:10,11). Alma's first baptism was a man called Helam. The words he used as he baptised Helam took the baptismal covenant to a new level. He said: Helam, I baptise thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead...." (Mosiah 18:13). This is serious stuff. Especially considering that anciently covenants were not broken even at the point of death.

Nehi makes it clear that enduring to the end is an essential component of baptism, one on which the whole concept of salvation hangs (2 Nephi 31:16). But there is another reason. Nephi says we must endure "in following the example of the Son' (2 Nephi 31:16). The Saviour endured to the end in every sense of the word. Not just to the end of His life, but to the end of His 'death'. You will recall that His suffering began in the Garden of Gethsemane where His mental anguish caused Him to bleed 'at every pore' (D&C 19:18). This suffering returned to Him when He was upon the cross enduring the physical break-down of His body (see Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p 661 and Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p 141). Did Jesus have the power to come down from the cross? Absolutely. But He chose to endure to the end, when all the mankind was redeemed and every soul accounted for, when He could say "it is finished' (JST Matthew 27:54, John 19:30). His death was His moment of choice. All things suffered, all things endured. Obedience made possible. Until death.

How noble You were

When You stepped

Through the water’s gate;

I bequest to You my earthly deeds

And fly to You

With my arms of faith. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art by Chris Brazelton)

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)