BAPTISM.
"Except be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."[A] Such was
the statement of Jesus to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and a ruler of the
Jews, who came to Jesus by night to be taught of him. The statement of
the Son of God created no little astonishment in the mind of Nicodemus,
and he inquired if a man could be born again when he was old; could he
enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born. Jesus then gave
an answer which was explanatory of his first statement: "Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God."[B]
[Footnote A: John iii: 3.]
[Footnote B: John iii: 5.]
There can be no question about being "born of water," here alluded to,
having reference to water baptism administered to those who accept the
Gospel, and which, as administered for the first three centuries of the
Christian era, represented, most completely, a birth. The candidate for
baptism being led down into the water, had his whole person immersed in
it, then he was brought forth from that element, and gasped again the
breath of life. In order that the resemblance of a birth in this may
be clearly seen, I would remind my readers that the infant, previous
to its birth, and while in its mother's womb, lives in the element of
water, and is nourished by the generous tide of life which courses
through her veins and visits her heart. At birth, that life which was
connected with the mother is severed, the offspring comes forth from
the womb, from the element of water, and breathes the air, which then
becomes essential to its existence--it is born into this world. The
likeness, in a general way, between this natural birth and Christian
baptism, as described above, is sufficiently obvious. In both instances
the persons are brought from one element into another, from the water
in which they existed into the atmosphere.
Many and various have been the views held respecting this ordinance, as
to its necessity, its object, to whom it should be administered, and
the manner in which it should be performed. Differences of opinion on
this subject have led to schisms in the Christian world, and new sects
have been formed, and that because of peculiar views held in respect to
baptism. But with those who are willing to take as authority absolute,
the teachings of revelation as contained in the Bible, and more
especially the revelations of the Lord in these days, there need be no
confusion in relation to any of these questions that have perplexed men
in regard to this ordinance.
The necessity of water baptism may be maintained upon the broad grounds
that it is a commandment from God; for, as I have already shown in
preceding chapters, the conditions of man's salvation may be summed
up, in general terms, thus--the implicit and complete obedience to the
commandments of God; and, as it can be proven that baptism is a general
commandment to all who would be saved, therefore it follows that
baptism must be one of the things necessary to salvation.
That baptism is a general commandment all may learn who will take the
trouble to make inquiry in respect to it. John the Baptist informs us
that God sent him to baptize with water and to testify of him who was
to come after him, and who was to baptize with the Holy Ghost;[C] and
those who refused to hearken to his teachings and to be baptized of him
"rejected the counsels of God against themselves."[D]
[Footnote C: John i: 33.]
[Footnote D: Luke vii: 30.]
Jesus, himself, also, had those baptized who accepted his teachings;
and, indeed, soon after he began his public ministry, it was commonly
reported that he made and baptized more disciples than John,[E] and
when he gave his last great commission to his apostles, just on the eve
of his departure from them, he said:
[Footnote E: John iv: 1, 2.]
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."[F]
[Footnote F: Matt. xxviii: 19, 20.]
When the apostles began the execution of this commission, which was
during the first pentecost after it was given them, Peter commanded
those who had been converted through his teachings, to be baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, and then he
promised them the Holy Ghost.[G] Thus we see there can be no question
as to baptism being a general commandment, and one of the conditions
of man's salvation, and that being true, how can that condition be
neglected and still the blessing of salvation obtained?
[Footnote G: Acts ii: 37, 38.]
I may say further, by way of argument on the necessity of baptism,
that one may reasonably conclude that the Lord does not deal with
non-essentials, or require that which is not necessary of his children;
therefore from the fact that God has commanded men to be born again, as
well of water as of the Spirit; in other words, to be baptized of both
water and the Spirit, it may be taken for granted that this baptism is
essential to salvation. To question it being necessary, to say nothing
of thrusting it aside as non-essential, is to sit in judgment upon the
wisdom of God, who has ordained it as a means of salvation to man.
Is it necessary to be born naturally in order to obtain life? All will
answer: "Yes, we know of no other way, no other means by which life is
obtained." So likewise is it necessary that men should be born into the
heavenly kingdom, as well of water as of the Spirit, in order to attain
unto spiritual life in the kingdom of God; and without being born of
the water and of the Spirit, Jesus himself declares that the kingdom of
God cannot be seen, it cannot be entered into--[H] therefore baptism
must be necessary to an entrance into the kingdom of God; and as there
is, and can be, no salvation outside of that kingdom, baptism must be
necessary to salvation. Not that there is saving virtue in the water
itself, but the ordinance derives its virtue from the fact of its being
appointed by the Lord as a means of grace to man.
[Footnote H: John iii: 3, 5.]
Again, I would ask, is a forgiveness of sins necessary to salvation?
I think there can be but one answer to that question, and that in the
affirmative. Now, we are informed by both Mark and Luke that John
the Baptist "Did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism
of repentance for the remission of sins;" and Peter commanded the
multitude on Pentecost to "repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins;"[I] hence it appears that baptism
is the means appointed through which forgiveness of sins is obtained,
and since it is evident that men cannot be saved in their sins, and
remission of sins comes through baptism, therefore baptism is necessary
to salvation.
[Footnote I: Acts ii: 38.]
The necessity of baptism is further demonstrated in the experience
of Paul and the devout Gentile, Cornelius, as related in the Acts of
the Apostles. It will be remembered that Paul, at first, was a great
persecutor of the saints, and that, while on the way to Damascus for
the purpose of persecuting them, the Lord Jesus appeared unto him, in a
pillar of light, above the brightness of the sun, and demanded of Paul,
"why persecutest thou me?" To which the trembling Paul said, "who art
thou, Lord?"
"I am Jesus whom thou persecutest," was the reply. "Lord," said Paul,
"what will thou have me to do?" "And the Lord said unto him, arise and
go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
Then the Lord sent an angel to his servant, Ananias, living in
Damascus, and directed him to go to Paul; and when Ananias came into
the presence of Paul, after announcing to him that the Lord had chosen
him for a witness for himself he said: "And now, why tarriest thou?
arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of
the Lord."[J]
[Footnote J: Acts ix. ch.; also the xxii. and xxvi. chapters same book.]
Thus Paul learned what the Lord would have him to do; and is it not a
fair inference that it is necessary for all sinners to do likewise,
viz., to be baptized, and wash away their sins?
Cornelius, the devout Gentile to whom we have alluded, was a man who
prayed much, gave alms to the poor, and indeed was especially loved
of the Lord. An angel was at last sent to him, to assure him that his
alms and his prayers had come up in remembrance before the Lord, and
this messenger also told him to send men to Joppa where he would find
one Peter, "And he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do,"[K] or,
as Peter afterwards expressed it, in relating the circumstance to his
fellow apostles--"send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose
surname is Peter; who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy
house shall be saved."[L]
[Footnote K: Acts x: 6.]
[Footnote L: Acts xi: 13, 14.]
After Peter went into the house of this devout Gentile and heard of the
mercies of God to him, he preached Christ unto him and his household,
and as he spake of Jesus and the plan of salvation wrought out for
mankind by him, the Holy Ghost was poured out upon them as a witness
to Peter that the Gospel was for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews.
Then, turning to those that were with him, Peter said: "Can any man
forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received
the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in
the name of the Lord."[M]
[Footnote M: Acts x: 47, 48.]
Notwithstanding the general righteousness of Cornelius, and his
acceptance with God, it became necessary that he should be instructed
in the Gospel, and taught words whereby he and his house should be
saved; and, in connection with other things that they were taught as
necessary for their salvation, was baptism.
Paul, in writing to the Corinthian saints, uses this expression, which
to the world sounds strange and incomprehensible: "Else what shall
they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?
Why are they then baptized for the dead?"[N] And if baptism, as some
maintain, is not essential to salvation, I would ask, why then was it
considered necessary, by the primitive Christians, that there should be
such a thing as baptism for the dead?[O] Is it not conclusive, that if
it was necessary for some one to be baptized for the dead who had not
had the privilege of attending to that ordinance for themselves, that
baptism is essential to salvation?
[Footnote N: I Cor. xv: 29.]
[Footnote O: The subject of salvation for the dead is treated at length
in a subsequent chapter, hence I enter into no explanation here.]
But now to come to the most positive of all passages in the New
Testament upon this subject: Jesus when he commissioned his apostles
used this language: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to
every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but
he that believeth not" [and consequently fails to repent, be baptized
or perform any other act of obedience] "shall be damned."[P] Here the
matter is before us in the most unequivocal terms; those who believe
and are baptized have the sure promise of God that they shall be saved;
while those who believe not, and therefore are not baptized, are
threatened with condemnation.
[Footnote P: Mark xvi: 15, 16]
I have thus far, confined my illustrations and arguments--upon the
necessity of baptism--to the Jewish scriptures. I have done so, because
the young Elders, into whose hands this work will fall, will doubtless
be called upon to teach this principle, and support it in the main,
upon the authority of what is written in the Bible. But if we turn to
the Nephite scriptures, the Book of Mormon, we shall find it sustains
the same views in respect to the necessity of baptism, as the Jewish
scriptures.
The Lord revealed to the first Nephi, in a vision, very much of the
life and labors of the Son of God, although the said Nephi flourished
in the fifth century B. C. Among other things, it was revealed to him,
that the Son of God would be baptized in water by a prophet who should
be raised up for that purpose. Subsequently, when Nephi desired to
impress his brethren with the importance and necessity of baptism, he
said:
"I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning
that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the
Son of God, which should take away the sins of the world. And now, if
the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by
water, to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have
we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea even by water. And now I would
ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfill
all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was
holy. But 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. * * * And again, it showeth unto the
children of men the straightness of the path, and the narrowness of
the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before
them. And he said unto the children of men, Follow thou me. Wherefore,
my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus, save we be willing to keep
the commandments of the Father? 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 ye have seen me do."[Q]
[Footnote Q: Book of Mormon, II. Nephi xxxi.]
The first Alma's teachings are in accord with this: "And now I, Alma,
do command you in the language of him who hath commanded me, that ye
observe to do the words which I have spoken unto you. I speak by way of
commandment unto you who belong to the church; and to those who do not
belong to the church, I speak by way of invitation, saying. Come and
be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be made partakers of the
fruit of the tree of life."[R]
[Footnote R: Alma ix: 26, 27.]
The plain and fair inference from this last clause is, that those who
refused to be baptized, would _not_ have right to the tree of life.
Further on in his book, he says: "And not many days hence, the Son of
God shall come in his glory; * * * And behold he cometh to redeem those
who will be baptized unto repentance through faith on his name."[S]
[Footnote S: Alma v: 61,62.]
Here, again, the fair inference is, that those who would reject
baptism, could not be redeemed; hence the necessity of baptism.
Turning to the revelations which the Lord has given in this
dispensation, in which he commissioned men to preach the Gospel, he
said: "Go ye into all the world, preach the Gospel to every creature,
acting in the authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and he that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not
shall be damned."[T]
[Footnote T: Doc. and Cov., sec. lxviii: 8-10.]
Still more emphatic, perhaps, because it leaves nothing to implication,
is the passage which reads (and this, too, is in connection with
sending out men to preach the Gospel): "He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not, and is not
baptized, shall be damned."[U]
[Footnote U: Doc. and Cov., sec. cxii: 29.]
Thus in the present dispensation, as well as in the former ones,
committed to the Jews and Nephites, the necessity of baptism is beyond
all question.