“Except a man be born of water…”

Q. Why would a Lutheran pastor say that a baptism held by the Mormon church might not hold true with all of Christianity?

The best place to go for the answer to this question is a Lutheran pastor.  There could be many reasons he would hold such a position, and I don’t pretend to know the ins and outs of Lutheran doctrine.  However, I will tell you about our beliefs regarding baptism, so that when you talk to the pastor you will be moderately well-informed (in case he doesn’t know the ins and outs of Mormonism).

One thing I want to make clear:  baptism is a covenant between an individual and his Heavenly Father.  It is not a covenant with the rest of Christianity.  Whether any other denomination accepts my baptism is immaterial if I know that it was authorized by God.

But which baptisms does He authorize?  I’ll get to that in a moment; first, I’d like to shed a little light on what baptism means and why we do it.

The purpose of baptism

Baptism is found among the very first principles and ordinances of the gospel:  faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and receipt of the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Baptism is a token of faith in Christ, and a sign that we have repented of our sins.  It is also a prerequisite to receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost as a daily, constant companion.

Like I mentioned above, baptism is a covenant (or contract) with God.  We promise to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, become one of His people, and to serve God and keep all of His commandments.  He promises to forgive us of our sins, to guide us through the Holy Spirit, and to give us eternal life.  After baptism, we must be faithful to the promises we made.

jesusbaptizedBaptism by water is the gateway to the straight and narrow path leading home to God.  Jesus taught, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).  Being baptized is not optional for salvation.  Even Jesus Christ, the holy and perfect Son of God, made this covenant with His Father when He was baptized by John.  Why?  Nephi, from the Book of Mormon teaches us:

“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” (2 Nephi 31:7).

Baptism must be done in the right way

How can you be sure your baptism was authorized by God?  First, it must be done in the right way.

When Jesus appeared to the people in America (in the Book of Mormon), He very first taught them who He was, followed by detailed instructions on how to properly baptize:

“Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them.  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 11:23-26).

We’ll talk more about that phrase, “Having authority given me of Jesus Christ” in the next section.

Immersion in water is a key component of baptism.  The very word “baptize” comes from the Greek word baptizein, meaning “to immerse.”  Immersion is a symbol of death and burial.  It represents both the death of our old, sinful life and the death and entombment of the Savior.  We come out of the water to symbolize resurrection and rebirth.  We have a new, clean life ahead of us.  Baptism allows us to start with a clean slate.

Another key to proper baptism is accountability.  Baptism must be administered to individuals who understand right and wrong.  They must be capable of making and keeping this important covenant with God.  Baptism of babies is not only unnecessary — because “little children are alive in Christ” (Moroni 8:12), and “of such is the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:14) — it is condemned.  Babies are whole; they are not capable of committing sin.  It is a wicked thought to say that one baby is saved and another condemned because the parents baptized the first and not the second (see Moroni 8).

Baptism must be done by authority

“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof” (Article of Faith 5).  We call this God-given authority ‘Priesthood.’  It is what allows a baptism on earth to be counted in heaven.

Not everyone holds the priesthood, though.  After the deaths of the twelve Apostles, the authority to baptize was lost for hundreds of years.

The Lord never intended for it to be lost forever.  When Joseph Smith was translating 3 Nephi 11, where it mentions, “Having authority given me of Jesus Christ…” he and his scribe, Oliver went to the banks of the Susquehanna river to ask the Lord for more information about this authority.

parson-aaronic-priesthood-2_hrAn angel appeared to them both.  He said he was John the Baptist, and laying his hands on their heads, he said, “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins…” (Doctrine & Covenants 13).

The priesthood authority for baptism has been passed down from the prophet Joseph through the laying on of hands ever since.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is today the only church with the power to authoritatively baptize anyone for the remission of sins.  This is the reason we send missionaries all over the world, including to the doors of faithful Christians.  We hope to take the preparation of the gospel they’ve received and supplement it with the restored priesthood power and revelations from a living prophet.

We make baptism available to any who desire it.  Please contact your local missionaries to set up an authorized baptism for yourself and your family.

The Restoration

The Lord follows every apostasy with a new dispensation and a restoration of authority. Here is a short film produced by the Church which shows how the current dispensation was opened through the young man, Joseph Smith.

This is the second half of the same film.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).

Heavenly Father will answer your prayers, too.  Ask Him whether Joseph Smith was a prophet.

Fasting

Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer

Doctrine and Covenants 59:13

Usually, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints abstain from two consecutive meals on the first Sunday of every month (yesterday). fasting-empty-plateThat Sunday church service is designated for witnessing or bearing testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ by the members of the congregation. Besides abstaining from food and drink and attending testimony meeting, a true fast also consists of giving a fast offering to care for those in need. The offering, the sum of money that would have been spent on the two skipped meals, is given to the Bishop for any members who are struggling.

The scientific community has caught up with the religious practice and has proven that fasting helps prevent heart disease, speeds up metabolism, gives us more energy and helps our digestive organs run better by giving them a little bit of a break. The LDS church does not recommend fasting too often or for an extended amount of time. A 24 hour fast once a month is what is recommended.

Two prominent reasons for fasting are to improve physical conditions and spiritual development. President Heber J. Grant describes some of the physical blessings of fasting by writing, “Let me promise you here today that if the Latter-day Saints will honestly and conscientiously from this day forth, as a people, keep the monthly fast and pay into the hands of their bishops the actual amount that they would have spent for food for the two meals from which they have refrained . . . we would have all the money necessary to take care of all the idle and all the poor” (Gospel Standards, comp. G. Homer Durham (1941), 123).

money-on-a-plateIsaiah notes the spiritual benefits and lists them in the 58th chapter of his book. When we obey the law of the fast he says, “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward [or rearguard]. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; though shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.” We are promised better health, protection, that we will be closer to the Spirit of the Lord and that the Lord will hear and answer our prayers.

Fasting is regularly employed when trying to discover answers to our questions. In The Book of Mormon the prophet Alma testifies of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the goodness of God and the reality of the Plan of Salvation to the people living in the land called Zarahemla. As he concludes his teachings he proclaims, “Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit” (Alma 5:45-46).

Growing up in an LDS home, skipping breakfast before church was expected on the first Sunday of the month, but it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I finally recognized what I could accomplish if I actually fasted and prayed. When I decided that I really wanted to know of the truthfulness of the gospel for myself, I fasted and prayed a couple of times a month to gain the witness that God exists, that He knows who I am, that The Bible is correct, that The Book of Mormon is a true account of Jesus Christ’s ministry in America, that Joseph Smith restored the original church back to the Earth and that the current prophet Thomas Spencer Monson is truly called by God to lead us at this time. Prayers alone were not enough. I know that the answers I received and still receive are possible because fasting and prayer help me to be closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

girl-praying

Because I have had those experiences in the past, I feel comfortable fasting and praying when I need more guidance in my life now. I often fast and pray for help during stressful times in the school year, at times when I have to make serious choices about my future and especially times when I recognize the need to change my attitudes and habits (all too often). Changes in character are some of the hardest changes to make, but through the strength I receive when I fast and pray I know that I need to and that I can cut away some of my flaws.

hungryWhen I lived in Uganda last summer I fasted for a number of reasons. I went there to do humanitarian work and “change the world!” I wanted Heavenly Father to show me what I could do that would make the most meaningful impact on the people I worked with. Thinking I could change things or fix problems was incredibly prideful, but I really wanted to make a difference. The biggest difference, of course, was with myself. The scriptures tell us to feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the naked, etc., but I have never seen such practical application in my life. Everyone I knew in the U.S.A. had at least five pairs of shoes, plenty of food in the pantry and access to medical attention, but in Lugazi? No. It was while I was walking up and down dirt roads, having little kids who wore the same shirt everyday run up in their bare feet and grab my hands that I realized why we are asked to fast. Not everyone can have the experience I did in East Africa, but fasting gives people everywhere that little taste of discomfort that is so common around the world. It helps us to realize that there is so much work for us to do while Christ is away.

rejoicing

For me, the most important thing about fasting is that we follow Christ’s example of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, satisfying the afflicted, becoming closer to our Father in Heaven, and learning to understand the answers we are given. That is how we should act toward each other and toward Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When we do those things, fasting really is a cause for rejoicing.

Book of Mormon Evidence

Q. How do Mormons (who are very intelligent, well educated as a group) reconcile themselves to the fact that there are no historical evidences of the peoples in the Book of Mormon? -Sherry

Sherry, thank you for considering us intelligent! Your comments are welcome here any time!

Modern prophets have always encouraged us to “get all of the education that you can.” The Perpetual Education Fund is in its seventh year, providing school loans to men and women in poor areas across the globe, and there are many Mormons in every professional career path from doctors, engineers, and scientists to CEOs, attorneys, and public servants. We do believe in the scientific method and most of us are very capable of holding our own in logical discussions.

And yet we still believe the Book of Mormon is the translated word of God.

An arch is held up by a strong keystone at the top.You are very wise to bring this up, Sherry, because the Book of Mormon is the proverbial keystone in the archway of our religion. If it is a true document with miraculous origins, then Joseph Smith was a prophet and this Church represents the best thing to happen to humanity in thousands of years. If the book was merely dreamed up by Smith, then he was a fraud and got away with one of the biggest, most successful hoaxes ever imagined. The whole Church would crumble. It becomes even more important when we consider that this book is verifiable.

I’m also glad you asked because there actually is evidence. A large pile of it. It isn’t publicized by the Church because archeology cannot change hearts and bring people to repent. If your testimony of the Church is based on something as tentative and changing as science, your faith in Christ will waver with every new discovery. In the late 1800’s some of the Book of Mormon’s references to animals and metals were laughably inconsistent with then-current scientific knowledge. In recent decades, more scientific discoveries have actually turned each of these accusations into stronger proof that the book could not have been written by Joseph Smith.

I don’t want to get into it all here, but I’ll list a few examples and let you look at Jeff Lindsay’s website for a larger, more detailed collection of Book of Mormon evidence.

  • The journey that Lehi took from Jerusalem to Bountiful is well-documented.The early chapters in the Book of Mormon map out a route from Jerusalem, along the Red Sea to a city called Nahom, ending in a lush coastal location where a boat was built to sail to America. The city NHM and the paradise valley are still there today, and exist in exactly the locations on the Arabian peninsula the Book of Mormon describes. Joseph Smith had no access to such information.
  • Many leading researchers place Book of Mormon lands in Mesoamerica, just below the Yucatan peninsula. Evidence supporting this claim includes: temples, large cities, volcanic activity at around 33 AD, fortifications for war, multiple city markets, fighting wars in winter months, and many more.
  • The use of cement buildings, steel swords, buried stone boxes, and metal plates all used to seem anachronistic in the ancient world, but recent findings have turned up evidence of all these elements.
  • An ancient Middle-Eastern poetic structure called chiasmus was discovered in the Book of Mormon. The concept of chiasmus was virtually unknown in most scholarly circles in Joseph Smith’s time, and if he did somehow know to include these poems, he didn’t seem to realize what powerful evidence they were, failing to make any mention of them to his detractors as evidence of authenticity. No one in the Church knew about them until 1967.
  • Jacob 5 gives an amazingly detailed (and accurate) account of proper olive tree maintenance (as an allegory for the gathering of Israel). Joseph Smith had no experience with ancient olive tree cultivation, nor were there available any sources on the topic.

As I mentioned earlier, all of this is interesting and good, but will not likely cause a person to devote his or her life to discipleship with Jesus Christ, which is the book’s true goal. Science is not the only path to knowledge. It is just the most objective path, and that is why it is valuable. Still, there are some things that can only be understood through personal experience (see D&C 79:116-117). We can learn many important things through the scientific method, but God does not wait for science to catch up on the most vital truths. Millions of non-Mormons have been learning this book is true for 178 years, even when the scientific evidence of the day seemed to be against them. The learning method is the same today as it was then (see Moroni 10:3-5):

  1. Read the book
  2. Remember how merciful God has been to you
  3. Ponder the message in your heart and mind
  4. Ask God if it is true
  5. Listen for the answer through the Holy Ghost

You can know, too. And you can stand with us as a member of this family of intelligent, faith-filled people.

Remember!

A large part of faith in Jesus Christ is assurance that he is there and always has been there for us. This means remembering.

It’s an uphill battle, remembering. Not only are dark forces working to weaken our mental agility with mind-numbing TV fare and internet sites, but our own mortal brains purposefully forget things every night in our sleep! I bet it takes you a few seconds to recall what you had for breakfast yesterday, let alone the quietly-answered prayer from the Holy Ghost you felt two years ago. Against such odds, what hope do we have?

Keeping a journal is a great way to remember.

You can try to develop a photographic memory. Or, you can write things down. I encourage the latter. A journal is an amazing memory-extending device, like a flash drive for your brain. You might wonder about the connection between journal-keeping and worshiping God, but it is a perfectly natural relationship. In fact, most of my journal consists of events in my life that have served to strengthen my faith. When I read entries from years ago, it amazes me how much of my life has been forgotten by the very mind that lived it.

President Henry B. Eyring, a counselor to the Prophet Thomas S. Monson, recently spoke on the importance of remembering:

“I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: ‘Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?’ As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.” O Remember, Remember; Oct. 2007

We are commanded not just to recall what has happened to us in our lives, but to “remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.” (Moroni 10:3) This is one reason Mormons soak up family history stories. We can relive with admiration the great faith of and blessings dispensed upon the pioneers as they crossed the plains to Utah. It helps to believe in the gift of healing when you can point to an ancestor who had that ability. We can go back further and examine the righteous examples of the early Christian saints who lived by the words of Peter and Paul. And we all have a heritage leading back to Noah and Adam and Eve.

scrollMany books of scriptures were originally journals of prophets replete with inspired writings. It would be impossible to remember the great words of Isaiah or Ezekiel or Paul if they had not been recorded with good old-fashioned pen and paper. Isn’t it conceivable that your own journal will influence future generations as well?

Throughout earth’s history, we can see the hand of God working in ordinary peoples’ lives. By recognizing and remembering His hand in your life, you will bolster your assurance that He is watching and helping you overcome your own trials. When He speaks to you, write these experiences down. If your faith in Christ begins to waver, your journal might be the thing that buoys you up, reminding you of that time He answered an important prayer.