THE FIRST ORDINANCE OF CHRIST'S GOSPEL: BAPTISM

After Nephi taught of the coming of a great prophet who would baptize the Lamb of God, he described that baptism - how it happened; why it happened; and what it means to all of us. 

Jesus went to John the Baptist in the River Jordon at the place of crossing, the traditional location of the entry of the Children of Israel into the promised land. It may have had a deeper meaning, symbolizing that baptism is necessary in order to enter into the kingdom of God.

It was also the lowest elevation in the area, symbolizing that the Son of God condescended to experience the depths of humility in order to fully understand the mortal experience.  He taught Joseph Smith that the Son of Man descended below all things. (Doctrine and Covenants 122: 8)

Nephi touches on key points for us to ponder:

• Jesus Christ was without sin and perfectly holy.  He had no need of repentance. If He, being holy, was baptized, how much more to we need to be baptized, being unholy? (31: 5)
• Baptism is a physical experience involving water (31: 6). While it has great spiritual implications, it is physical representation of a spiritual commitment.
• Jesus baptism was done to witness to Heavenly Father that He would always be obedient to His commandments.  When we are baptized, we make the same promise.
• Jesus did it to fulfill all righteousness. (31:6) I imply this to mean that baptism is a necessity for entering into the Kingdom of God, and not an optional exercise.
• Jesus was baptized to show us the only way in which we can enter into the strait path and narrow gate leading to salvation. It is the only way.  

Baptism is an eternal ordinance.  That John the Baptist had already baptized many before Jesus came to him shows us that the Baptism of Jesus was not the first baptism. I was an ordinance that had to be performed by one having authority from God, i.e., priesthood.  John held the priesthood of Aaron and was therefore authorized to baptize.  No man can take that authority upon himself save he is called of God as was Aaron. John's father, Zacharias, was an Aaronic Priest.  Priesthood at that time was based  on lineage.  Priests must be literal descendants of Moses' brother Aaron.  Both John and his father were.

After Christ's death, some members of the ancient church began to preach the necessity of the old ordinances of the Law of Moses and the faulty belief systems of the Greeks.  These seeds of apostacy began while most of the Apostles were still alive.  They preached against such false doctrine, but when they were gone, a great apostasy occurred and many ordinances and principles of the Gospel, the Doctrine of Christ, we changed or abolished all together, including the principles of baptism and authority.

This first sprinkling baptism recorded occurred in 251 AD when a man by the name of Novatian was baptized by sprinkling on his deathbed.  It did not become canonized until 753 when Pope Stephen II said that sprinkling could suffice, but only when circumstances made it necessary. By the year 1311, the Catholic Church, while still requiring baptism, became indifferent to the method.

The Protestant Reformation brought about even more challenges to church doctrine. The chart above shows the timeline of the apostacy that led to changes in doctrines and ordinances and authority.  Catholics claimed authority passed down from the Apostle Peter.  The Protestants could not claim that authority since the early reformers, such as Martin Luther, were excommunicated from the Universal church.  This led to the Protestant belief in the priesthood of all believers. Some began to preach that authority wasn't needed to perform ordinances or that a degree and some sort of ordination qualified someone to baptize or bless.  Others argued that authority didn't matter and that anyone could baptize.  If I found a person, for example, fishing in the same river as I, and who wanted baptism, I could lead him into the water and baptize him.  Finally, many churches began to preach that ordinances weren't even necessary.  The baptism of the heart and declaring an acceptance of Jesus as Savior was all that was required.

This led to argument seen even today: immerse? sprinkle? pour? declare?  The answer, for me, lies in the word itself.  Baptism is derived from the Greek word baptize, which means immersion. In this form, baptism represents the death,  burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  As Paul wrote, when we accept Christ, we die as to our sins.  We are buried with Christ in the water, and arise clean and forgiven, thus representing both Christ's atonement and His resurrection.

I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon prophets like Nephi, Alma, Mormon, Moroni, and others who discuss baptism in great detail in such a way that it would be almost impossible to interpret their words to mean anything other than baptism by immersion by one having authority from God. Many things that are mentioned, but unclear in the Bible are available, without controversy in the Book of Mormon.  President Ezra Taft Benson said that one of the great blessings of the Book of Mormon is that it confounds false doctrine.  It certainly does.  Once you have seen it in the Book of Mormon, you can find it in the Bible.

Baptism
Adventist	It expresses a person's personal faith in Christ, who died for our sins. By immersion only. Baptisms by other churches are accepted on conditions.
Baptist	It is not entirely necessary for salvation. By immersion only. Baptisms of other churches accepted if done by immersion. Infants are not baptized. Candidates must first believe.
Catholic	By pouring, sprinkling or immersion. Baptisms of other churches accepted when performed as Catholic Church prescribes. Necessary for salvation. Infants are baptized.
Christian Scientist	Baptism is not a physically manifested rite or ritual. Do not immerse, sprinkle or do any outward ordinance. Baptism is the spiritual purification of daily life.
Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints	Through the Atonement, Christ the Redeemer and Savior assured redemption, or resurrection, for all. Provides for salvation and exaltation according to our personal worthiness. The baptismal covenantn is the first covenant a person makes with God. Members are baptized at the age of 8, the age at which they begin to take accountability for their sins.
Disciples of Christ	Done by immersion, showing one's obedience. Symbolic of death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Only those old enough to know what they are doing when they confess the name of Christ are baptized.
Eastern Orthodox	By immersion for the remission of sins and entrance into church. Essential to salvation must be performed by one holding proper priesthood authority. Required of all 8 years & older. Infants are not baptized.
Episcopalian	By immersion or pouring. In an emergency any Christian may baptize saying "in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost". Necessary to salvation. Infants are baptized.
Jehovah's Witness	By immersion, in lake or river, no fonts in Kingdom Hall. Symbolizes being dead to old way of life. Baptism does not cleanse from sin. Infants are not baptized.
Lutheran	By sprinkling, pouring or immersion. Baptisms performed by other churches accepted when all Bible conditions are met. Necessary to salvation except in rare instances. Infants are baptized.
Methodist	By sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. Is only an outward sign of one's entrance into the church.  Baptisms of other churches accepted. Not necessary to salvation. Infants are baptized.
Presbyterian	By sprinkling, pouring, or immersion which ever method is preferred by the applicant. Baptisms of other churches accepted.  Not necessary for salvation.  Infants are baptized.
Quaker	Do not believe in outward ritual of baptism. The ongoing spiritual process should not be treated as an event. Inward baptism and communion are most important to spiritual life.
Unitarian	Do not baptize. Members are admitted by the following covenant "In the love of truth and spirit of Jesus we unite for the worship of God and the service of man," or by signing statement of ethical purpose.
United Church of Christ	Done at time of confirmation and reception into church. Infants presented by parents or sponsor. Usually performed by sprinkling.