Baptism by Water.
How Is the Baptism by Water Performed?
Baptism by immersion in water for the remission of sins is the first benchmark on the path of coming unto Christ.
This ceremony is an ordinance required for salvation and entrance into the kingdom of God. The scriptures teach us that baptism by water is the appointed way to formally declare to God that we are willing to follow Jesus Christ and obey the commandments of God, which include both his laws and his personal instructions to us. (2 Nephi 31:6-10; Mosiah 18:9-10).
There are a couple requirements for a baptism to be acceptable to God for entrance into his kingdom, as mentioned by Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith:
- It must be performed by a man having authority from Jesus Christ
- It must be performed according to the baptismal prayer as found in 3 Nephi 11:23-28
Having authority from Jesus Christ means that a man has been ordained to the office of either a priest in the Aaronic priesthood or an elder in the Melchizedek priesthood. In order for a priest to baptize into the Church of Christ, he must:
- Be a member of the Church of Christ
- Be the highest authority present/available, as the duty belongs to an elder otherwise (see Book of Commandments 24:36-37)
The symbolism inherent in baptism by water is that of death and resurrection. This is not death of the physical body, but of the natural man/woman within ourselves. And the resurrection symbolized is the rebirth of our spirits, where we walk in newness of life as Paul said (Romans 6:4 – see entire chapter). The fulfillment of this symbol occurs at the baptism of fire and baptism of the Holy Ghost.
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