. Our Church believes that Christ was immersed: "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:..." (King James Version - Matthew 3:16). We see that the word baptizo in the original Greek meant to immerse. Immersion is also symbolic of being reborn: "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)
Probably the most significant symbolism is being buried as Christ was in the tomb and then coming forth in a newness of life: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3 - 4)
The second difference is concerning the Catholic practice of baptizing infants. We believe that baptism for the remission of sins is offered upon condition of repentance and one must be accountable to be able to sin and to repent. It has been revealed as part of the restoration of Christ's Church, of which I have often written, that the age of accountability is 8 years old and that is the minimum age for which we will perform a baptism. We believe that innocent children are saved through the atonement of Christ and are not accountable for the transgression of Adam and Eve, nor for their own wrong doings until old enough to be accountable.
The third question is that of priesthood authority to baptize in the name of Christ. The Catholic Church claims that the priesthood authority was given to Peter and was passed down by sussession to today. Our Church holds that when the apostles and prophets were killed, the church, the true gospel and the true priesthood authority was taken from the earth. This required a restoration as promised by Peter:
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19 - 21)
Our church claims this priesthood authority was restored by John the Baptist and Peter, James and John in May 1829 as they appeared to and ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
I hope you can understand why, if one converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, by someone who has been duly ordained in a chain of authority leading directly back to this divine restoration of the Priesthood and ultimately to the Lord himself. They will be baptized by immersion and only after they have shown a willingness to be repentant which, of course means that they are of the age of accountability.
After saying this, let me emphasize that one does not have to be a baptized member of our church to attend. All are welcome and I think you would be made quite comfortable attending.
Let me know how it goes.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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