Something I heard on my mission a lot was members of other Christian religions claiming they didn't need to hear our message or be baptized because they were already baptized in their own church.
I feel the need to explain why being baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is necessary as are ordinances performed in the temples such as sealing families together.
I love teaching by analogy so I will start with a story.
There are two people who want to become podiatrists. To make it easy to differentiate, lets say one is a woman and one is a man. First let's talk about the woman. The woman has the goal to become a podiatrist. She realizes the steps she must take to obtain that goal. After graduating high school, she applies for and is accepted into a university. She studies for four years taking the necessary courses and graduates with a bachelor of science degree. She then applies for podiatry school. She is granted some interviews and is accepted into podiatry school. She works hard and meets all of the course requirements and clinical requirements of the school. She takes and passes the board exam making sure she has the required general knowledge a podiatrist should have. She graduates having earned her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree. But she still is not able to practice without a license. She is accepted into a residency program and obtains a limited residency license working under a licensed podiatric physician. Finally having completed the requirements of the residency program, she is able to apply for and obtains a license from the state to practice podiatric medicine. She sets up her practice and begins practicing podiatry.
Now let's look at the man. He also wants to become a podiatrist. But he thinks there is an easier way. He believes he can gain the knowledge and skills necessary to practice podiatry without having to go through all the formal training and without having to obtain the necessary degrees and licenses. He decides he will buy the same textbooks that that the podiatry students use. He will watch some lectures on YouTube. And he will follow a licensed podiatrist around until he feels like he has gained the knowledge and skills necessary to practice podiatry. So that's what he does. He worked hard and after a few years he feels like he knows as much as a licensed podiatrist and sets up his own practice and begins practicing podiatry.
When the state finds out that the man is practicing medicine without a license, they immediately shut him down and throw him in prison. The man thinks he should be allowed to practice medicine, after all he worked hard to learn the skills of podiatry. And he feels like he was a good podiatrist -- and perhaps he was. BUT the state has laws. You can't just break the laws without consequence. You certainly can't practice medicine without a proper license. Even though you may have the skills to do so. Society has laws. God has laws. Both must be followed. If not, there are dire consequences.
The woman followed the rules of society. She followed the laws of the country. She did what was necessary to obtain her goal. She can legally practice podiatry. The man didn't follow the law of the land and therefore was denied the privilege of practicing podiatry. Why would the state do that? Why would the government discriminate against its citizens? After all, both the man and the woman had the knowledge and skills necessary to practice podiatry. Why would the state prevent the man from realizing his goal of practicing podiatry? Now he is sitting in prison without a profession. That mean old state/government! It's just not fair.
God also has laws that must be followed. Many times in the scriptures it says that people must be baptized to enter the kingdom of heaven. Here are just a couple examples:
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." -- John 3:5
"And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!" -- 2 Nephi 31:5God has made it very clear that baptism is necessary. Going back to our analogy, baptism by someone holding the proper priesthood authority is necessary to live with God in His kingdom. Just like obtaining a license from the state is necessary to legally practice medicine.
In both instances though, that is not the end. To continue practicing medicine, the state requires continuing medical education. To keep your license to practice you must periodically take and pass continuing medical education courses. To stay up to date with current medical practices. If you don't, the state will not renew your license to practice.
Similarly, getting baptized is not the end. It's really just the beginning. After baptism we must continue to educate ourselves spiritually by studying God's word through Scripture and modern revelation. We must continually strive to follow Him and keep His commandments. If we don't, we will lose the privilege to live with God in the hereafter.
Baptism isn't the only necessary ordinance. For instance, if families want to be together forever in the hereafter, they must be sealed together in the temple of the Lord, by someone holding the proper priesthood authority to perform that ordinance. Families are not automatically sealed together just because they want to be. Or just because they love each other. No, sorry it doesn't work that way. Just like the man who wanted to practice podiatry but did not obtain the proper license. He was not allowed to practice podiatry. Nor is the family who is not sealed together allowed to live together as a family with God in heaven unless they are sealed together by priesthood ordinance.
"18 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.
"19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever."
-- Doctrine and Covenants 132:18-19The above Scripture makes it very clear that the Lord requires men and women to be sealed together in His holy house -- by someone who has been "anointed and appointed unto this power", in other words by someone who holds the proper priesthood authority -- for their marriage to be valid when they are "out of this world". The vows people take in civil marriage even say so. "Till death do us part" or "So long as we both shall live". Why would people just assume that marriage continues after death? It doesn't. The vows they take even say it doesn't. Unless God's laws are followed and that marriage was sealed by priesthood ordinance in a temple of the Lord, that marriage ends at death. The laws of the land say so. The Lord says so. It's very clear. The Lord even says at the end of verse 19 that His house is a house of order.
The Lord continues to explain in the following verses:
"21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.
"22 For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.
"23 But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also.
"24 This is eternal lives—to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law."
-- Doctrine and Covenants 132:21-24The Lord says at the end of verse 24 "Receive ye, therefore, my law." It doesn't get much more clear than that.
Just out of completeness sake I should explain that ordinances such as baptism and temple sealing must be performed by someone with the proper authority. The restored priesthood -- the authority to act in God's name -- is only found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
This is something that my fellow Christians didn't understand when they told me they were baptized in their church. Therefore they didn't need to listen to us or be baptized again. Unfortunately my fellow Christian friends do need to be baptized again, by someone holding the proper priesthood authority.
Thankfully, the Lord is merciful and fair. Anyone who did not have the opportunity to listen to and accept His Gospel in this life will have the opportunity in the next. Everyone will be given the opportunity to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everyone will also still have their God-given agency and may choose to reject the gospel if they so desire.
And conversely, not everyone who covenanted with God through baptism or temple ordinances will choose to keep those covenants. Those who break their covenants with God, thereby reject Him and those ordinances become null and void. Just like our licensed podiatrist friend, if she chooses to not take the steps necessary to keep her license valid, her license to practice medicine will become null and void.
Governments have laws that must be followed. If laws of the land are not followed, there are detrimental consequences. God has laws that must be followed. If God's laws are not followed, there are detrimental consequences. It's a simple concept to understand.
The difference is, most people have been taught and understand the laws of the land. Many people have not been taught and don't understand God's laws. At least not all of them the way we, as members of the Lord's true Church do. That's why missionary work is so important for those of us who have been blessed with the Gospel in our lives. It's important for us to share our knowledge of the gospel with our fellow men. So that they may also enjoy the marvelous blessings that we enjoy.
That's why I wanted to do this blog post today. I wanted to clarify and teach gospel principles that many do not understand. If any of you have further questions, send me a comment or an e-mail and I will get back with you to answer your questions.
Yes, the Lord's house is a house of order. The Lord knows each one of us by name. In His house (Church) meticulous records are kept. Laws are given that must be followed in order to return to live with Him again someday. It's not because he's mean or unloving -- quite the contrary. It's because he runs a house of order.
That's my two cents.
Very good post, Tam.
ReplyDeleteTrue.