The Power of Baptism

(Gospel Doctrine Lesson 4:” Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”)

I’ve always known baptism was important.  It is symbolic of renewal, washing away our sins, coming unto Christ, and making covenants with our Heavenly Father.  But this lesson is giving me a deeper understanding of how powerful baptism really is.  It must be a powerful thing if:

- John the Baptist was pleading with those around him to repent and be baptized in preparation of meeting the Savior.

- It washes away our sins.

- It allows us to take upon us the name of Christ.

- It sets us on a path where we will be following in Jesus’ footsteps and coming unto Him.  It makes Jesus’ path straight (Matt 3: 3) Question:  What does that mean exactly?  Does that mean that we make the path open for Him to come to us?  Or does it mean that we make our path toward him straight?  Or neither?  Or both?

- Jesus found it necessary to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness and to be an example.

- The heavens opened when Jesus was baptized, and God spoke.

- The Holy Ghost came upon Jesus after being baptized.

- It seems to have been part of the beginning of His official ministry.  (Soon after He was baptized, Jesus went into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and was tempted of Satan.  It was after this fasting that He came down and began to preach more publicly, I believe.)

- One is worthy to receive the Holy Ghost after being baptized and keeping the commandments.

- We are baptized in the name of the Father, and Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. (D&C 20:71-73)

- Heavenly Father wants us to renew our covenant of baptism every week.

The Baptismal Covenant

The covenants we make at baptism are outlined in Doctrine and Covenants 20:71:

And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who ^ahumble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and ^bcontrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the ^cname of Jesus Christ, having a ^ddetermination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their ^eworks that they have received of the ^fSpirit of Christ unto the ^gremission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

This is the prayer that is said each Sunday when I renew my baptismal covenant D&C 20:77:

“O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”

There is so much packed into this one verse that I need to think about, but right now I’m focusing on the part that says if I always remember Jesus and keep his commandments, I’ll be able to have His Spirit with me.

This describes the attitude of the people who were baptized at the Waters of Mormon(Mosiah 18:8-10):

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 ^adesirous to come into the ^bfold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9Yea, and are ^awilling to mourn with those that ^bmourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as ^cwitnesses 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 ^dfirst resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

10Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being ^abaptized in the ^bname of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a ^ccovenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

This week’s study of baptism has helped remind me of my own baptism in 1986.  I’ll write about that in a few blog posts…

I’m going to try to be more diligent each day about remembering the covenants I made at baptism.  I appreciate this lesson for renewing that desire in me.