Thank you for the opportunity of answering your questions about my religion. I've really enjoyed reflecting and thinking about them. It's also been challenging to actually write the answers down on the blog instead of answering them verbally.
I guess it would be more accurate to say that a child doesn't need to be baptized BEFORE the age of 8. There are many individual circumstances where a child may not be ready to be baptized at the age of 8.
Since our Savior, Jesus Christ, was baptized and he is perfect, there are more reasons that we need to be baptized than just to receive a remission of our sins. Jesus himself was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Baptism symbolizes death, burial and resurrection and can only be valid when baptized by immersion by the correct priesthood authority. It is clear that John the Baptist baptized in that manner. By being baptized Jesus obeyed the law himself and set the example for all mankind.
"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
(Matthew 3:15-17)
Baptism by immersion has several purposes. It is for the remission of sins, for membership in the Church and for entrance into the highest degree (Celestial Kingdom) of salvation. For baptism to be complete, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost must be conferred by someone with the power and authority from God (Priesthood).
Baptism is the introductory ordinance of the gospel and must be followed by baptism of the spirit in order to be complete. Baptism is not optional. Jesus said a person must be born of water and of the spirit.
You can click on the label: confirmation of the gift of the Holy Ghost below and then on the comments to read Diane's comments and personal account of her baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
4 comments:
I was raised a devout Methodist and was baptized as a baby. To be honest though it was more about my parents dedicating themselves to raising me to be a Christian. Obviously I wasn't deciding anything.
I handled my son differently. We are not LDS but with his father and I from two different spiritual backgrounds, we allowed him to understand both views. (I figured, we all decide on our own anyways what we believe no matter how we are raised.)
When he was 13 he decided to be baptized at the Lutheran Church my now husband and I attend.
I was really quite glad to see Eric decide it was important on his own. Of course he had my influence in the sense that I have always been open about the importance of my faith in my life. The boy was reading the bible on his own from 2nd grade on.
He doesn't take prayer or what he does in his life for granted because he made a choice. He has ownership of that choice.
He already was living a good clean life and believed in God, but at 13 he felt he needed to be more dedicated in seeking out God's Grace.
So even though I am not LDS, I think it's good for the kids to be baptized when they are part of understanding what it means.
I have always thought that babies were seen as innocent by God.
Thank you Kathy.I love reading about religions other than my own.I find it fascinating.Like you I believe people have the right to choose what they want to believe.But the more I learn about other religions the more I realize even though our Christian beliefs are different they are also the same.we all believe Christ is our Savior and we believe we will all be together again.Thank you for sharing.
I am also Lutheran, and we are told that as babies we are baptised, and we believe thru our parents beliefs. Then as teenagers, we go thru confirmation and that is when we declare our own beliefs. I have several friends that were baptised as adults, and thats ok. In their case, they came to know and accept God a little latter in life. Truely a case of better late than never.
I am a member of the Church of Christ and we follow Christ and his word (the Bible) we are baptize for the remission of sins then added to the Lords Chruch. There is no membership to join the Lords Church.
Let me ask this question, Kathy, What was the purpose of John's baptism, if not for the remission of sins? However, Act 19: 1-5 shows that John's baptism was of no effectg after Jesus resurrection since these individuals had to be baptised in the name of Jesus.
The Bible states in Acts 8:18 that the Holy Ghost was given by the laying on of the apostle's hands. Jesus promised only the apostles the baptisim of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, 16;13, Acts 1:2-8). Now there is only one baptism, baptism in water for the remission of sins Act 2:38, Mark 16:15,16, Eph 4:5.
What is the highest degree (Celestial Kingdom) of salvation? If I am saved the I am saved. Is there a passage in the bible that supports this.
Thank you.
Post a Comment