To continue with my study and summary of the Myths of Christianity that the Book of Mormon Refutes (see myth #1 here, myth #2 here, myth #3 here, myth #4 here), this next myth is related to the last myth that the practice of baptism began during New Testament times and all those who lived before Christ were lost. The Book of Mormon refutes the practices of baptism without immersion and the proper authority. Most of the Christian world is ambiguous about the need for baptism not to mention the proper form of baptism or questions of authority to baptize. Many believe that baptism is ceremonial and that there are no specific requirements related to the practice. Those who perform baptism believe that the sincere feelings of their heart are the evidence of their authority to do so, but the essential nature of baptism in the Plan of Salvation should prompt follower of Christ to seek more certain knowledge of the proper observance of the ordinance.
Jesus was clear about the essential nature of baptism when he taught Nicodeamus that "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," (John 3:5) and Peter said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38) Thus, the Bible establishes baptism as necessary for salvation in the Kingdom of God, but it also explains the necessity of a two part baptism, a baptism of water and fire (spirit), and testifies that this ordinance of baptism is not complete until both have been administered by one having authority.
One of the clearest teachings of this in the New Testament is found in Acts chapter 19. While Paul was traveling to Ephesus he came across some believers who claimed to be baptized Disciples of Christ and Paul questioned them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" The believers told Paul they were completely unaware of the Holy Ghost. This response revealed to Paul that they had not been formally taught the baptism of Christ and that their baptism had not been given by the proper authority and therefore was not a valid ordinance. Paul proceeds to teach these believing people about the need for proper baptism and "when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them." We learn from this encounter that this essential ordinances of baptism by water and fire in the name of Christ and through the laying on of hands must be performed by one having authority to baptize and give the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
There is some detail given in the New Testament about the baptism of immersion and the receiving of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by one in authority, but many specifics are missing. Baptism by immersion was the practice of the apostles as Paul taught the symbols of the proper ordinance when he said, "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." (Romans 6:4-6) In Acts chapter 8 this baptism and receiving of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, the complete ordinance of baptism, is performed by Peter and John through the authority and power of the priesthood they held as they "laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
With these New Testament teaching establishing baptism by immersion and the receiving of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands by one with authority, how is it that there is such confusion within the Christian world about the necessity of baptism for salvation, its proper administration, and the necessity of authority from God in the administering of this sacred and essential ordinance? The practice of baptism varies widely among Christian sects today, from practically non-existent, to multiple baptisms by immersion as a symbolic recommitment to Christ, if you make a study of the practice of baptism in the Christian world you will see very little that resembles the baptism described by the apostles in the New Testament. The most wide spread form of baptism in Christian tradition for over a thousand years was the baptism of infants by sprinkling with no ordinance for the receiving of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. One thing all of this confusion should communicate to Christians seeking baptism for salvation, more is needed than what remains in the New Testament after hundreds of years of imperfect translations. The Book of Mormon provides what is needed.
The Book of Mormon prophets recorded the ordinance of baptism as given to them from Christ. Christ taught:
"And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water." (3 Nephi 11:25-26)
Simple enough, right? But when Joseph Smith translated the passages of the Book of Mormon related to baptism by the proper authority, Joseph desired to be baptized in the proper way and by the proper authority. Knowing that he did not have the authority, and having been told that the true church and the power thereof was absent from the world, Joseph sought this baptism in the same way in which he sought to know which Church he should join.
Joseph went into the woods with his scribe Oliver Cowdry and they knelt in humble prayer and asked the Lord to reveal to them how they could be baptized. As an answer to their prayers they received a heavenly visitation from John the Baptist who conferred upon them the priesthood of Aaron by the laying on of hands and taught them the ordinance of baptism by that authority. Being in possession of the proper authority and knowing clearly the proper administration of baptism, Joseph and Oliver baptized each other that day in the Susquehanna River.
The receiving of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands required a higher priesthood, the Melchizedek priesthood, which Joseph and Oliver received by the heavenly visitation of Peter, James, and John later that same month who conferred upon them this higher priesthood by the laying on of hands. It was essentially a year later, April 6th 1930, which the church was formally organized under the authority of the priesthood and the revelatory direction of Christ. (For further detail on the restoration of the priesthood and the church read here.) Joseph Smith received a revelation establishing the authorized form of baptism directly from Christ and recorded it in the Doctrine and Covenants:
"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" (D&C 20:73–74).
With very little variation, the revelation received by Joseph Smith and the baptism ordinance described in the Book of Mormon are essentially the same. The Book of Mormon and the commensurate restoration, not only refute the false traditions of baptism is the Christian world but add clarity to the New Testament references related to the authority to baptize and confirm the Gift of the Holy Ghost and membership in Christ's kingdom by the laying on of hands by one with that authority. Christ was clear about the necessity of priesthood "keys" in establishing his church and officiating in his ordinances. In Matthew 16:18-19 Christ teaches:
"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
In order for the ordinance of baptism to be binding on earth and in heaven, and in order for it to have the saving power as an ordinance of the atonement, it must be given in the proper way and under the proper authority. The way in which the Book of Mormon compliments the New Testament in establishing the ordinance of baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which ordinances Christ said was necessary to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, is truly a marvelous thing. The Book of Mormon is a record translated only once by the gift and power of God, and as such has retained in purity the plain and precious parts of Christ's gospel that are able to lead us home to him.
In addition to the proper form and authority of baptism, the Book of Mormon contains the most expansive sermons on the ordinance of baptism and the covenants that followers of Christ make as they enter the waters of baptism.
"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." (Mosiah 18:8-10)
"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this straight and narrow path, 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 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." (2 Nephi 31:19-20)
These scriptural passages of the Book of Mormon which describe our covenant relationship with Christ are the most powerful of any book of scripture. The Book of Mormon also contains many references to the Holy Ghost and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, but further clarity on this second part of the ordinance of water and fire that Christ taught was given in the revelations to Joseph Smith recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants.
"After a person is baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one or more Melchizedek Priesthood holders lay their hands on the person’s head and, in a sacred priesthood ordinance, confirm him or her a member of the Church. As part of this ordinance, called confirmation, the person is given the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"The gift of the Holy Ghost is different from the influence of the Holy Ghost. Before baptism, a person can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost from time to time and through that influence can receive a testimony of the truth. After receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, a person has the right to the constant companionship of that member of the Godhead if he or she keeps the commandments.
(Read more about the Holy Ghost and the confirmation of the Gift of the Holy Ghost here.)
It is such a tremendous blessing to be a member of the restored church and to have partaken of this holy ordinance by one having the authority to bind this ordinance and covenant upon me in life and death. The blessings that I have seen flow into my life because of this are so vast that it would require another essay to discuss them all. I am grateful to have a testimony and a witness of the truth of the Book of Mormon, of the mission of the prophet Joseph Smith to restore these things once again in our times, and to experience the power of this ordinance in my life every day. Just one more extraordinary blessing that has flowed into my life because of the Book of Mormon.
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