From ancient times, entrance into the church has been effected by submission to the ordinance of baptism by immersion, and there have always been certain conditions attached thereto As baptism is a covenant relationship, a full understanding of the terms of the covenant is necessary; therefore we would emphasize that one should endeavor to be fully acquainted with these terms set down in Holy Writ.

          Modern revelation has made this very definite, for in the word of the Lord to the church we have the following very concise paragraph, which we should analyze very carefully and prayerfully as we contemplate taking the step which will make us partners with God in the fulfilling of the greatest task that has ever been envisioned in the history of mankind, the building of the kingdom of God on earth.

          "All those who humble themselves before God and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church." - Doctrine and Covenants 17:7.

WHAT IS BAPTISM?

Baptism is a rite commanded by the Master. "Except a man be born of water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3: 5. Here it is definitely stated to be a condition of entering the kingdom

A Physical Symbol.

          While baptism is a physical process, each step in that process symbolizes or represents a spiritual reality or truth. As a whole, baptism is a figure of salvation. "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." - I Peter 3: 21.

          "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:3-6.

A Symbol of Our Obedience to God.

          Jesus came with a special mission and message from God. He not only commanded his ministry to teach and baptize all nations but also to teach them to observe all that he commanded them. See Matthew 28: 19.

A Symbol of Faith and Repentance.

          He who does not believe has no true motive to be baptized, and he who does not repent has no promise of the remission of sins by his baptism.

A Symbol of the Cleansing of the Soul.

          "And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."-Acts 22:16.

          "Such [i. e., the unrighteous] were some of you; but you are washed."-I Corinthians 6:11.

A SYMBOL OF A NEW RELATIONSHIP

          "Therefore if any man live in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."-II Corinthians 5:17. It is in this new relationship that baptism also symbolizes the door of entrance into the kingdom of God. It represents the new birth into the royal family household and into the fraternity of brotherhood with Christ and his people. He who is sincerely baptized, therefore, is manifesting a token by his outward act that he believes, has repented of his sins, his resolved to obey God and covenants with him to walk in his commandments. The minister who baptizes him, acting for God, accepts this act and pledge and symbolizes it by baptizing him outwardly in water, but truly introduces him into the church and household of God On earth. "For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."-Galatians 3:27.

WHAT ARE THE PRE-REQUISITES FOR BAPTISM?

The Receiving of Instruction Concerning the Gospel.

          One desiring baptism must first have received instruction concerning the nature of Christ and the church. Jesus was definite in this because he made careful provision by sending selected disciples to teach men all that he commanded. These commands are recorded in the Bible and baptism is one of them.

          To receive proper instruction is so important that the unauthorized teachings and baptisms of Apollos were rejected by Paul who instructed and baptized again those who had been improperly instructed and ministered to. "When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. "-See Acts 18:24-26; 19:1-6.

          Proper and careful instruction is essential, for those not well taught suffer spiritual loss and become like those of the Hebrew saints who were admonished, "Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God."-Hebrews 5:12.

Faith or the Believing Heart.

          Faith is the dynamic that moves one to seek God and his ways, for without it no one can acceptably approach him. The unbeliever cannot obtain true baptism which must be based upon the sincere determination to do the will of God. "He that believeth and is baptized."-Mark 16:15. Belief and faith in Jesus Christ is a test of fitness for baptism. The Ethiopian said, "See, here is water. What doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest." -Acts 8:36, 37. It is clear that Philip was faithful to teach this belief before he baptized.

Repentance.

          This simply means a reformation of life. God will not compromise with sin, and John would not accept in baptism those who had not truly turned away from sin and had no evidence of honesty of purpose to live rightly. "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?... Bring forth fruits meet for repentance."-Matthew 3: 33, 35. "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance."-Mark 1: 4, A. V. "Repent and be baptized every one of you."-Acts 2:38. Repentance has been defined as the constant forsaking of things of lesser worth.

          "The Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh . . . . that all men might repent and come unto him."-Doctrine and Covenants 16: 3. "And surely every man must repent or suffer. . . ."-Doctrine and Covenants 18:1. ". . . . and not only men, but women; and children who have arrived to the years of accountability."-Doctrine and Covenants 16: 6.

IS CONFESSION OF SINS BEFORE BAPTISM ESSENTIAL?
          It is by no means a rare occurrence in life for one to be wronged by another person. If that person repents and asks forgiveness we are instructed to pardon him. Jesus instructed us thus:

          "If your brother trespass against you, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn to you again, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him. And the apostles said unto him, Lord, increase our faith."-Luke 17: 3-5.

          This represents the attitude of God to those who repent and confess. Confession is evidence of intention to reform. Confession of sins marked the repentance and baptism of converts to the faith in the New Testament. "And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds."-Acts 19:17, 18. This principle of confession applies to God's church today as in old times.

TO WHOM SHOULD I CONFESS?

          "If anyone offend openly, he or she shall be rebuked openly. . . . . If any shall offend in secret, he or she shall be rebuked in secret that he or she may have opportunity to confess in secret to him or her whom he or she has offended, and to God."-Doctrine and Covenants 42:23.

          The foregoing indicates that confession should be made to God and to those offended, and that unless offense is against the group it is not required that the group shall be made aware of the offense by public confession.

          No priestly confessional exists in God's church. The observance of the above conditions is obviously sufficient to guide members in this matter. Persons may desire to share a burden of sin and in such case of need the member or intending member has available the friendship of the ministry who are bound in trust to be confidential. When so entrusted no minister worthy of his calling will treat the confidence with lightness.

HOW IS BAPTISM PERFORMED?

          Baptism is performed by immersion, which is the scriptural mode. We follow the example of Jesus and the early disciples for our pattern in this. The translations from which our modern versions are taken, use "baptize" to denote the rite, meaning "to immerse." "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water."-Matthew 3:16.

          "Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him."-Mark 1: 7, 8.

          These sacred records show that to be baptized it is necessary to go down into the water, be submerged in the water and then go up out of the water.

          The baptismal process as noted in the New Testament texts was similar to the instruction recorded of Jesus in the Book of Mormon: "Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name ye shall baptize them."-3 Nephi 5:24.

          Following this instruction is given the baptismal formula to be spoken: "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" (Nephi 5:25), after which the record continues: "And then shall ye immerse them in water, and come forth again out of the water."-III Nephi 5:26; see also Doctrine and Covenants 17:21.

          Thus by immersion is completed the symbol of the death and burial of our old life and the resurrection to a new way, a symbol of our penitent obedience and cleansing from sin; in fact, a complete regeneration as a new man in Christ.

          No other rite of the Bible is more deeply full of meaning or of more important significance.

WHO MAY BAPTIZE?

          From the earliest times recorded in Biblical history, the functions of revealed religion have included rites and ceremonies that God has reserved to men chosen by himself. One reason for this is that God intends to bring men into close relationship with him by admitting worthy ones into the divine family and household, by which they receive the name of Christ by adoption. This is the status of true disciples and saints as explained by the Apostle Paul to those who had been inducted by baptism into the church.

          "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. . . . . For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."-Ephesians 2:19; 3:14, 15.

          The authority conferred upon God's chosen ministers is called priesthood. These ministers are given specific instructions, and are not authorized to disregard them or to exceed their intent. We are informed that Jesus was chosen of God as a high priest and that the priestly office can be filled only by men so chosen. "And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. "-Hebrews 5: 4.

          Thus the rite of baptism is an ordinance that cannot be performed with the sanction of divine law except by those who hold the priestly office from God, for which the law provides. The great importance of authority is indicated in modern revelation to the church which informs us that to baptize is one of the duties of an elder, and of a priest. See Doctrine and Covenants 17:10. "Neither teachers nor deacons have authority to baptize."-Doctrine and Covenants 17:11.

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

          There is impressive reason to recognize that Jesus included both the baptism of water and the Holy Spirit as constituting in its deepest and most complete sense one baptism. It applied both to the body and the spirit of man as the means of rebirth. The solemn declaration of Jesus was, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God."-John 3:5.

          From the scriptures it is evident that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a most important and necessary factor in the life of a true believer. Whereas the outward ordinance of water baptism is a symbol of the believer's covenant to serve God, the baptism of the Spirit is the placing by God of his seal upon the covenant and his share in keeping of that promise made by baptism. "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you . . . . and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."-Acts 2:38.

          In effect the spiritual baptism is the seal of God placed upon the believer, by which the covenant relationship with him is attested as being in force, and has been sometimes called the anointing.-See II Corinthians 1:22, 23.

          "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth."-John 16:13.

          "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things unto your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you."-John 14:25.

HOW IS THE HOLY SPIRIT RECEIVED?

          This is explicitly answered in Acts 8:14-17: "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John; who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost; (for as yet he was fallen upon none of them; only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."

WHO MAY LAY ON HANDS FOR THE BESTOWAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

          Modern revelation is in harmony with the early practice in this respect and gives explicit instruction, as follows: It is the calling of the elders "to baptize . . . . and to confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures. Doctrine and Covenants 17:8.

WHEN DOES THE LAYING ON OF HANDS
FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TAKE PLACE?

          Children are sometimes brought into the church by baptism and confirmation without any understanding of the basic principles of the church, or of the meaning of these rites. If, as sometimes may occur, the child is baptized without understanding the church, an effort should be made to help and inform him before confirmation; and some special instruction should be given to him about the character and the work of the Holy Spirit. Doctrine and Covenants 17:18 gives specific instruction upon this point, adding admonitions upon the duties of mature members:

          "The duty of members after they are received by baptism: The elders or priests are to have a sufficient time to expound all things concerning the church of Christ to their understanding, previous to their partaking of the sacrament, and being confirmed by the laying on of the hands of the elders; so that all things may be done in order. And the members shall manifest before the church, and also before the elders, by a godly walk and conversation, that they are worthy of it, that there may be works and faith agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, walking in holiness before the Lord."

          "All things concerning the church of Christ" includes all the responsibilities of a member of the church, fundamental beliefs and practices, including the Financial Law and the ideal of Zionic Stewardships, due respect being given to the age and capacity of the one seeking membership in the church.

Forward to Chapter 2