Baptism- Is it Really Necessary?

As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have had the privilege of teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as will listen. In teaching the Gospel of the Savior, we teach basic principles and ordinances of Salvation, namely: faith, repentance, BAPTISM, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. In this first of 3 related blogs, Baptism is the ordinance which I would like to speak about, and how it greatly affects our Eternal Life.

In the 3rd chapter of the gospel of John we read of an account of a Pharisee (Jewish religious leader) who went to the Savior "by night" to ask him what it was he needed to do to get to "Heaven". The before mentioned passage reads as follows:  

" 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named ^aNicodemus, a ^brulerof the Jews:

 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these ^amiracles that thou doest, except ^bGod be with him.

 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be ^aborn ^bagain, he cannot ^csee the kingdom of God.

 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be^aborn of ^bwater and of the ^cSpirit, he cannot ^denter into the kingdom of God. " -(John 3:1-5)

So what do these verses mean? Let's dissect that by using other scriptures, common sense, and most importantly THE SPIRIT! Jesus Christ answered Nicodemus's question about his eternal salvation with the first ordinance required to obtain salvation, that is baptism. The Savior taught the pharisee that the only way someone can enter into the Kingdom of God is to be born of water and the spirit, or in other words, to be baptized in water, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Why do I come to that conclusion you may ask? Well lets read some more scripture shall we. " 16 He that ^abelieveth and is ^bbaptized shall be saved... "-(Mark 16:16). In this verse we read that in order to be "saved" we must believe AND be baptized, not believe and "maybe if you feel like it" be baptized. Again we can read of the importance of baptism: " 48 And he commanded them to be ^abaptized in the name of the Lord... " -(Acts 10:48). Peter, speaking in this verse, commands the people as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, that they must be baptized. The scriptures testify of this necessary ordinance multiple times. We may even read in the Book of Mormon: " 23 And he commandeth all men that they must ^arepent, and be ^bbaptized in his name, having perfect ^cfaith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. " -( 2 Nephi 9:23). The Lord himself makes it very clear in both the New Testament of the Bible, and in the Book of Mormon that the ordinance of baptism is required for salvation and exaltation in the Kingdom of God.

Now if you are still not sure whether or not what I am writing "holds any water", then let's use the last and best resource in finding out whether or not this is true. I would ask you to kneel before your Father in Heaven, and in sincere prayer ask him if these things are true. I promise that as you do so you will feel the Spirit witness to your heart and your mind in telling you that the ordinance of Baptism is truly necessary.

I would like to close with an invitation from a Book of Mormon Prophet named Alma.

 " 8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold,... as ye are^adesirous to come into the ^bfold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 9 Yea, and are ^awilling to mourn with those that ^bmourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as^cwitnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the ^dfirst resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being ^abaptized in the ^bname of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a ^ccovenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? "