Being baptized a
member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a highlight of my
life. I remember how I felt when I was immersed and brought out of the water. I
felt clean and an indescribable joy! I knew I made a step to follow Jesus and
become like Him.
This week I have
been studying the baptism of Jesus Christ and would like to share some of the
findings with you.
Matthew
3:13-17. The Baptism of Jesus Christ
Why was John hesitant to baptize Jesus?
John recognized
his own need to be baptized and when Jesus presents himself to be baptized John
says, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” Matthew 3:14
John must have
felt unworthy to baptize the Son of God but the Savior says, “Suffer it to be
so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” Matthew 3:15
What is taught here about the Holy Ghost?
After Jesus Christ
was baptized, the Holy Ghost came upon Him and a sign was given that this was
done. In the New Testament it reads, “ the spirit of God descending like a
dove” Matthew 3:16
The sign of
the Holy Ghost is a dove. We know that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit,
not a dove. The sign of the Holy Ghost is a dove. This commentary from the New
Testament Student Manual explains it well.
Luke 3:22.
Did the Holy Ghost Appear as a Dove? (see also Matthew 3:16)
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained
that the Holy Ghost did not appear as a dove after the baptism of Jesus Christ.
Rather, the descending dove signified that the Holy Ghost was present on that
occasion: “The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the
world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a
dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does
not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of
the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a
dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an
emblem or token of truth and innocence” (Teachings of Presidents of the
Church: Joseph Smith, 81).
Jesus Christ said He must be baptized to “fulfill all
righteousness” 3 reasons Why
1.
Jesus
showed us all that He was humble and He chose to fulfill what the Father asked
Him to do. “he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he
humbleth himself before the Father,” 2 Nephi 31:7 https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/31?lang=eng
2.
Jesus
Christ also witnessed to Heavenly Father that He would be obedient and keep his
commandments. 2 Nephi 31:7
3.
When
Jesus Christ was baptized, He was showing us the path to go so that we might be
obedient and receive the necessary ordinances to return home to our Heavenly
Father. “it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and
the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the
example before them.” 2 Nephi 31:9
What evidence is found in Matthew 3:16-17 that the
Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate personages in the Godhead?
Jesus Christ was being baptized and after He was
baptized the Holy Ghost was present, the sign being given as the dove. In verse
17, we read “And lo a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.” Heavenly Father testified that Jesus Christ was His
Son and He was pleased with Him when His voice is heard from above.
From this account we know that our Heavenly Father,
Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are separate Beings with separate roles.
For more information on this topic see the links
below.
I know that when I chose to be baptized that I was following Jesus Christ. I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was 12 on November 24, 1982. I have learned that following Christ is a eternal commitment. We make mistakes and we can be forgiven. Christ has made it possible for each of us to change to become like Him and to live in happiness here on earth and forever. That commitment many years ago has put me on a path of righteousness and I know exactly where it will take me. I invite you to learn more about baptism. To learn more about baptism please see the link here. http://www.mormon.org/faq/topic/baptism
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