A personal account and explanation from Keith, of Annapolis, Maryland.

Walking in the Newness of Life

Romans 6:4 reads, “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.”

The fourth Article of Faith states: “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

The Savior revealed the true method of baptism to the Prophet Joseph Smith, making clear that the ordinance must be performed by one having priesthood authority and that it must be done by immersion. In Doctrine and Covenants 20:73-74, we are taught, “The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water.”

The act of immersing a person in water is symbolic of that person’s sinful life being buried and their being reborn or receiving a new life—a spiritual life—a life dedicated to serving God and others. Immersion is also symbolic of the death and resurrection of the Savior. In Romans 6:3-11, we read these words, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I was born and raised as a baptist. As such, the method of baptism by immersion was not a new concept to me. I had read the New Testament gospel accounts of the baptism of Christ numerous times, and I fully understood that being baptized by immersion was indeed following the example that the Savior had set before us when he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (See Matthew 3:13-17). I also understood the symbolism that Christ’s baptism represents and teaches us. I did not have a real issue with having to be baptized again because even growing up in the Baptist church, if I transferred from a church that was a part of one sect or convention to another, re-baptism was often required before membership would be accepted. What did concern me for some time was the idea of having to be baptized by one who had proper authority. The question in my mind was “Were not those who baptized me before authorized to do so?” It took a lot of soul searching, pondering the scriptures, and prayer to finally come to terms with the matter.

I had no doubt in my mind that this is the Lord’s true Church and that becoming a member of His Church was indeed the right thing to do. I also came to the realization that if I were to become a member of the Mormon Church–His Church– I had to be willing to be obedient to the things which He has commanded and one of things which He commanded was that baptism was to be done by immersion and the ordinance must be performed by one having priesthood authority.

To help settle many of my concerns, I made a commitment to read all of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price prior to being baptized. I had already read the Bible in its entirety several times, so I was very familiar with its teachings. As I read the Book of Mormon in particular, I came across some verses in Mosiah 18 that really made me stop and think and helped me in making my decision to be baptized. In Mosiah 18:8-10 we read:

“And it came to pass that he said unto them: 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…

“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?”

I further came to realize that if I were to become a member of His Church, I had to be willing to take His name upon me and be willing to follow His example because when we are baptized we enter into a covenant with God to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, to keep His commandments, and to serve Him to the end (See Mosiah 18:8-10; D&C 20:37). Each time that we partake of the sacrament, we renew the covenant that we made at baptism (See D&C 20:77-79).

The question is asked in 2 Nephi 31:10, “Can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?” Verses 11 to 13 continue:

“And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

“And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.”

Eleven years ago in the far away land of Iceland, where I was stationed in the Navy, I made the decision to be baptized into the Mormon Church. That decision started me on a whole new path in my life. I am convinced that had the Lord not taken me out of the main stream of things and sent me to a place as far away as Iceland, I probably would not be standing before this congregation this morning. My goals and my priorities where definitely a lot different than what the Lord had in mind. After being baptized in the Mormon religion and becoming more learned of the Gospel, and because of my willingness to take upon me His name, to follow His example, and to be obedient to His commands, I have seen and continue to see blessing after blessing in my life. Many doors that I once thought would never be opened to me are now beginning to open, and I have been blessed in so many ways with new opportunities to help me grow and mature in the Gospel.

I believe the words of President Joseph F. Smith best describe how I felt after being baptized: “When I [was] baptized for the remission of my sins, the feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, of love and of light. I felt in my soul that if I had sinned—and surely I was not without sin—that it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from my sin; my heart was touched, and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as if I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There was not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul . . . this was the influence that came upon me, and I know that it was from God, and was and ever has been a living witness to me of my acceptance of the Lord” (CR, April 1898, p.66).

I leave you with my testimony that I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know the Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God. I know God lives and Jesus is the Christ. I know Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet of the Lord. I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) is the Lord’s true Church upon the earth today and that His Church is being led by a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.

In the Catholic faith, canonization is the official recognition that someone is a saint and was so even prior to the

official recognition. A process is followed to allow the church to determine who is a saint.

Mormons (the nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) do not follow this process. The term saint is used in the official name of the church and denotes, as used in the Bible, a community of people who followed God. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism states that Paul used the term to refer to baptized members of Christ’s church, utilizing the Greek word hagios, which can also mean set apart or holy. Paul uses this term in Philippians 1:1

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

The term saints, as used by Mormons, mean that we are members of Jesus Christ‘s own church. We are baptized in His name and have taken His name on ourselves. As Saints, we have a

special responsibility to live according to His teachings and to represent Him well.

Quentin L. Cook, a high-ranking church official said:

What does it mean to be a Saint? In the Lord’s Church, the members are Latter-day Saints, and they attempt to emulate the Savior, follow His teachings, and receive saving ordinances in order to live in the celestial kingdom with God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. The Savior said, “This is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do.

It is not easy to be a Latter-day Saint. It was not meant to be easy. The ultimate goal of living in the presence of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is a privilege almost beyond comprehension.

Quentin L. Cook, “Are You a Saint?,” Liahona, Nov 2003, 95-96

For M

ormons, being a Saint is not something reserved for a few, but something every church member can and should do. Everyone has the same opportunity to serve God and to return to Him someday through the gift of the atonement of Christ. What does this mean in terms of everyday life?

Church leaders have counseled members to be in the world, but not of it. Mormons no longer need to live in separate communities in order to protect their lives, and so they live out in the world. Although they live in the world, working, going to school, and playing, they need not emulate the world. They know the standards God holds them to and they work hard to live them even when it means sacrifice. For a teenager, it means dressing fashionably, but modestly, holding herself or himself to a high moral standard while dating, and foregoing parties that might involve inappropriate behavior. For a child, it might be having the courage to tell a teacher she can’t participate in the tea party at school during Japanese Culture Day, because she doesn’t drink tea. For an adult, it might mean telling the boss he is sorry, but he can’t do what he was assigned to do because it is illegal-even though it might mean the loss of a job or promotion, and even if everyone else is doing it.

Church leaders have also counseled members to avoid worshipping any other God. Today, that generally means to avoid making anything more important than God and Jesus Christ, including fame, money, or popularity. For many in today’s world, the focus is on gaining material things. People spend tremendous hours not just earning what they need to have a reasonably nice life, but to have an expensive home, the latest fashions, and the most prestigious car. To do this, many of them must sacrifice other things, such as church attendance or integrity. To do this is to put the god of wealth before the only true God and Jesus Christ, their Savior. Wealth is often the “golden calf” of today’s world.

Another way members of God’s church honor Him and live up to their title of Saints is to respect and care for their families. Today, family life is often treated as a secondary activity in life. Mormons consider families to be God’s gift to them and to be a critical part of eternity, since Mormons also believe family life continues into the eternities. When your family will continue into death, it is well worth the sacrifices necessary to build a wonderful family. Mormons are taught to spend time with their spouses and children in meaningful ways. Some of this family time is outlined by the church-family scripture study and prayer, Family Home Evening, and Family Councils. Others are created by parents who work hard to find ways to strengthen their families and influence their children. These include setting aside time each day to talk, memorable outings, and shared volunteer work.

Mormons stay focused on God and Jesus Christ by attending church every Sunday. They attend as a family and even babies and small children attend the basic worship service, known as Sacrament Meeting, with their families. After that, they separate into groups for classes. This church attendance takes three hours. However, Mormons, unlike people in many other religions, consider the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy to be a literal one. The entire day is required to be devoted to spiritual pursuits. Once church ends, members return home and do only those tasks which are essential, including simple meal preparations and care of young children. On Saturday, they make preparations by cleaning the house, shopping, and preparing whatever needs to be done to keep the Sabbath Day focused on God. They read scriptures, work on church assignments, write in their journals, and find other ways to draw close to God. This time of spiritual focus each week allows them to face another week in the world with strength to withstand the worldly temptations and challenges and builds their relationship with the Savior.

Mormons don’t designate certain people as having attained Sainthood. Instead, each person works hard to be a true Saint-a follower of the Savior.

The topic of limbo has been controversial within the Catholic Church‘s history. It refers to those who died without baptism, but without having committed serious sins. Because Catholic tradition does not allow any ability to receive baptism once death has occurred, it is believed that infants who die without baptism may not see God face to face. Instead, they live an eternity of happiness, but without the greatest gift God offers man. They do not consider this punishment, since the child will be happy. They teach that this is necessitated because of the doctrine of original sin, originating from the Fall of Adam.

Mormon beliefs differ strongly in this area. Mormons teach that people are accountable only for their own sins, and not for the choices made by Adam or anyone else. Mormons teach God is just, and a just God does not hold people responsible for situations beyond their control.

The fall does have an effect on us. Because of it, we’re all subject to death, both spiritual and physical. Spiritual death is the separation of us from God. Unlike Adam and Eve in the Garden, we do not have direct access to God’s personal presence. Justice requires us to pay a price for the Fall, but justice also requires us to have a way to escape its eternal consequences. For this reason, God sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sins. Grace, which occurred through the atonement, allows us to be resurrected and to live forever, regardless of our choices on earth. To access the full blessings of the atonement, we must repent of our sins and work to live the teachings of Christ.

Mormon beliefs do not require infants to suffer any penalty for dying before they can choose baptism. They are completely covered by the atonement of Jesus Christ.

An ancient Book of Mormon prophet, Moroni, spoke out very strongly and passionately about this subject:

And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach-repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children. And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins.

But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism! Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.” (Moroni 8:9-15)

The Bible teaches that baptism is performed for the remission of sin. However, sin requires the sinner to be accountable, meaning he is old enough, and mentally capable of, understanding that he has done something wrong.  An infant cannot sin because he’s incapable of understanding right from wrong. Since he can’t sin, he has no need of baptism and is covered by the Savior’s atonement.

Mormon beliefs state that children are not accountable until the age of eight, and even then, are accountable only for what they know. A parent who knowingly requires a child to do something contrary to God’s teachings will pay the price, not the child if he had no control over the decision or lacked the knowledge to make the right choice.

Mormons do not baptize children until they are eight years old. Since they can’t sin, infant baptism is unnecessary. They have no sins of which to be cleansed. In addition, Mormons follow the example of Jesus Christ, who was baptized by immersion. This means they are taken completely under the water for a moment and then brought back out, in a symbolic remembrance of the death and resurrection of the Savior. Clearly, an infant cannot be immersed. Because baptism is also a time when the person being baptized makes covenants with God, he must be old enough to voluntarily make such covenants and to understand what he covenanted, since he will be held accountable for them.

If a child dies before his eighth birthday, he is admitted to God’s presence, and in time, will grow to adulthood, when he can receive all the ordinances and privileges of every other child of God.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is merciful and just. Only by withholding the need for baptism until one can understand the purpose of it, and by cancelling any penalties for what a person cannot control, can God’s mercy and justice be carried out.

In Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, he stipulates that Christ’s true church should have “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”; the particular form of baptism he is referring to is baptism by immersion. How do we know this? Well, we can infer that Paul’s instructions held a particular regard for baptism by immersion, mainly because it is the only form of baptism the gospels tell us about and the only form Christ himself participated in and subsequently approved of. Let’s take a look at Matthew 3:16 which recounts the event, and indicates immersion specifically:

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.”(Emphasis added)

Because Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, and “went up straightaway out of the water”, we know that John was performing his baptisms by immersion. 1 Peter 2:21 instructs “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps”. This scripture, in conjunction with John 3:5, inform the sinner that in order to receive re-birth and salvation they must first be baptized, in the same manner that the Savior received the ordinance. Romans 6:3-5 further clarifies the point, giving specific instruction on how baptism is to be performed:

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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.” (Emphasis added)

We learn from the epistle to the Romans, that baptism by immersion is meant to be symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; being “planted” under water symbolizes being buried in the ground as if one were dead, and being lifted up out of the water symbolizes breaking the bonds of death in order to receive a resurrection, or perfect union, of body and spirit. Verse 5 above, tells us that if we are “planted together in the likeness” of Christ’s death, then we can expect to take part in the resurrection, as did the Son of God. So what happens if someone dies without being symbolically buried in the waters of baptism and in the same manner raised up to a “newness of life”? The answer to that question would be the inverse of the statement in verse 5, which declares irrevocably that the person in question will not receive the blessings of baptism. Additional evidence can be found in the account of Phillip and the eunuch (Acts 8:36-39):

“And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”

This account given in the Acts is a telling one, not only because of what it says, but more so because of what it doesn’t say. If performing baptism by sprinkling water upon the forehead of a convert was a viable method, then all Phillip would have had to do was take a handful of the “certain water” and douse the eunuch. Bearing in mind that they were traveling by chariot, as opposed to leisurely taking a stroll, they instead descend into the water- against all rational thought- where Phillip can baptize the eunuch by immersion. Obviously this particular form of baptism was important enough to be carried out by Phillip in its exactness- even in such an unusual circumstance.

Why do Mormons practice baptism by immersion exclusively? Because it is the only form of baptism documented in the gospels and more importantly the only form in which the Savior participated, approved of and admonished his apostles to perform amongst the early saints. By practicing this one form of the ordinance, the LDS church is fulfilling the guidelines laid down by the Apostle Paul, regarding the Lord’s true Church.

- Alex C.

Personal Response by Alex Capanna

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) does not teach or practice infant baptism, basing its disapproval of the practice upon the foundation of modern day revelation, as well as, doctrine taught in the Bible and the Book of Mormon; as an aside, the evidence for the LDS position as found in the Book of Mormon, is always supported by the Bible and I have included those validating Biblical references. Moroni 8:10-11 states:

“Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach-repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children. And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins.”(1) (Emphasis added)

As the prophet Moroni states, baptism is required of those seeking repentance from sin, and the Latter-day Saints maintain that children are born into the world without sin and are not to be held accountable until the age of eight (the age at which most LDS children are baptized), on two accounts. The first is a paramount doctrine of the church, so much so that it was included as the second of thirteen articles of LDS faith:

“We believe that men will be punished [held accountable] for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.”(2)

In other words, Latter-day Saints abjure the doctrines of original sin and original guilt, and approach the concept of infant baptism within that context. A citation of LDS scripture that invalidates the afore mentioned doctrines, can be found in Moses 6:54 which teaches:

“Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world.” (Emphasis added)

In support of this scripture are the words of the Apostle Paul to the Romans:

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [The Lord] shall many be made righteous.”(3)

Secondly, the church teaches that it is crucial that someone be cognoscente of the commandments, have a general understanding of right and wrong, and be- at the very least- teachable about the concept of accountability for one’s actions, prior to baptism; all of which are traits not typically associated with younger children, especially infants. Support for this position comes to us from the words of Paul to the Romans, once again:

“For where no law is, there is no transgression.”(4)

It goes without saying, that newborn children are neither aware of the law nor do they possess the cognitive ability to a choose sin over righteousness, and according to Paul, are therefore without “transgression”. Another aspect to this argument is that the Lord petitioned his apostles and prospective members of the early church, to “believe and be baptized”(5). An infant cannot express a belief in anything, let alone faith in a Savior who atoned for sins they haven’t even committed yet.

So, in conclusion, based on the evidences shown above, the LDS Church has determined that infants are not born into this world guilty of Adam’s or anyone’s sin, and that their inability to comprehend the laws and commandments of the Gospel, leave them without need of a baptism “unto a remission of sins”(6) until they are age eight or older.

- Alex C.

(1) Moroni 8:10-11, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
(2) Articles of Faith, article 2
(3) Romans 5:19
(4) Romans 4:15, (Ibid.)
(5) Mark 16:15-16, Romans 10:14
(6) Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3