The scriptures tell us that God is the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (D&C 20:12). It is consoling to identify any form of permanence in a world that is changing so rapidly. God’s nature is such that His perfections and attributes allow us to exercise faith and have confidence in Him.
It stands to reason, then, that His requirements for salvation and exaltation would ultimately be the same for each individual throughout time.
“How could Abel offer a sacrifice and look forward with faith on the Son of God for a remission of his sins, and not understand the Gospel? … And if Abel was taught of the coming of the Son of God, was he not taught also of His ordinances?” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 59). While the shedding of blood and animal sacrifices were suspended at the coming of Christ, the principle of sacrifice, as well as all other ordinances, have been conveyed and taught in every Gospel dispensation from the beginning of the world until the current dispensation.
Baptism
The ordinance of baptism was taught to Adam:
“And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and said: Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water? And the Lord said unto Adam…
“…That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, an so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
“For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;
“Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter…” (Moses 6:53, 59-61).
Then Adam was baptized by God Himself, by the Spirit of the Lord:
“And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.
“And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man” (Moses 6:64-65).
So the receipt of the Holy Spirit was associated with baptism from the beginning.
The Temple of Solomon included amongst its furniture a Brazen Sea resting on the backs of twelve brazen oxen. It was about thirty feet in circumference and about seven feet deep. Although any ceremonies associated with this Font were sparsely recorded in the scriptures, it does not take much imagination to recognize that it was more than likely designed for ritual immersion.
We read of John baptizing Jesus and numerous other individuals, as well as Jesus teaching the necessity of baptism to receive salvation:
“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). In case the reader wants to know whether the water spoken of here is literal or figurative, John writes seventeen verses later:
“After these things cam Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them and baptized.
“And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized…” (John 3:22-23). There is no need to wander about the scriptures or misconstrue Ephesians 5:26 to understand the context of Jesus’ statements to Nicodemus.
After His resurrection, Jesus Christ sent His disciples into the world to teach and baptize everyone:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…” (Matt. 28:19).
The authority to perform this introductory ordinance was restored by John the Baptist when he appeared as a resurrected being to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and said the following after laying his hands on them:
“Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness” (D&C 13:1).
Joseph and Oliver then baptized each other as John the Baptist directed them.
“Immediately on our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father…We were filled with the Holy Ghost…” (Joseph Smith History 1:73).
The ordinance of baptism is consistent from one dispensation to the next.
Confirmation, The Gift of the Holy Ghost
“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:3-4).
On the day of Pentecost, Peter spoke to a large group composed of people from diverse nations. They asked,
“Men and brethren, what shall we do?
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37-38).
Later, Peter and John came to Samaria, “…that they might receive the Holy Ghost…
“…Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:15, 17).
Peter and John came to lay hands on some who had already been baptized by Philip, because they had authority to give the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Sacrament
The Lord gave the Israelites the Passover as a meal to commemorate their deliverance from slavery in Egypt.
Later, the Lord instructed Israel to create a Table of Shewbread as part of the Tabernacle, then the Temple of Solomon. In each case, the Table was to hold twelve loaves of bread. The symbolic significance of twelve loaves was obvious; one loaf for each of the twelve tribes. In other words, a place was set at the Table for everyone, for all the faithful.
Jesus instituted the ordinance of the sacrament at the Last Supper, which He conducted during the Feast of Passover.
Our sacrament table today is a cousin of the Table of Shewbread in the ancient Tabernacle and Temple of Solomon. We meet each week to commemorate our deliverance from sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ—His suffering, death, and resurrection on our behalf. Because He died and was resurrected, all of us will be resurrected after we die. Because He took our sins, and their consequent loss of the Spirit, upon Himself, we can receive His identity, and the consequences of His obedience—always having His Spirit to be with us—upon ourselves.
Naming Children
Jesus was given a name and presented at the Temple. Though circumcision and all other forms of ritual blood-letting were done away with after the death of Christ, children are still named and given a blessing today. This ordinance is not necessary for salvation, but it parallels the life of Christ, and that is the fuller purpose of ordinances—to access the power of Christ, create a unity between us and Him, and put us on His path of eternal progress.
Dedicating Graves
Just as we imitate Christ in the beginning of life, so the death and burial of Christ are imitated. Dedication of a grave and clothing the body are not necessary for salvation. However, the ordinance of dedicating a grave imitates the designation of a grave site for Jesus’ burial, and clothing the body in Temple robes is a figure of the return to God’s presence. Jesus’ body was prepared for burial; it is fitting that our dead are also washed and robed.
Anointing and Blessing the Sick
Jesus lays His hands on many in the New Testament, and heals them. Such blessings are not necessary for salvation, but they are a part of His plan. Whether given for emotional comfort or guidance, or physical healing or spiritual comfort or healing, priesthood blessings constitute a large part of the scriptures and a large part of the lives of Latter-day Saints now.
“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).
Patriarchal Blessings
Jacob gave a patriarchal blessing to each of his sons (see Genesis 49). He gave explicit descriptions of their temporal blessings, what to expect in this life, admonitions, reproofs, counsel, and spiritual directions, how they would fare in their relationships with God.
The confluence of physical and spiritual, temporal and eternal, heritage and posterity, premortal, mortal, and postmoral, is found in the personal scripture offered in patriarchal blessings given to individual Latter-day Saints today. Such blessings constitute a page from the book of an individual’s possibilities, a road-map for one person’s mortal journey.
The Temple
Just as the Temple anciently showed Israel a covenant path back to God, so the modern Temple shows the Latter-day Saints how to live and walk a covenant path back to God. Washings, anointing, clothing, covenants of obedience, sacrifice, purity of living, chastity, devotion of self, consecration of all, prayer, instruction, and a ritual return to the presence of God were included in the Temple of the scriptures, and the modern Temple today.
Marriage
Parley P. Pratt noted that Adam and Eve were immortal beings when they were first married, and that it stood to reason, therefore, that marriage was originally intended to last forever.
“Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1Cor. 11:11).
“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6).
Jesus told Peter, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:19). God shares His power to act in His name, the priesthood, with men today as well.
Though one Prophet, President, and High Priest holds the keys on earth at a time, all are able to benefit from that power who will receive ordinances, make and keep covenants, and live accordingly.
Jesus Christ compared Himself to the Bridegroom, the Church to the Bride, and His Second Coming to a great Wedding Feast.
“Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage…
“…So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
“And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
“Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:4, 10-14).
The tendency among modern Christians is to despise ceremony, ritual, formality, contracts, and covenants with God. And yet the scriptures they read are rife with such things. The Temple, ritual, ordinances, and sacraments are abundantly described as part of Christian worship both before and after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and He teaches, receives, and performs them all.
Why send someone to hell for being improperly dressed in the above parable?
“Being born again…comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 162). If the Pharisees Jesus condemned had stumbled by forsaking the spirit of the law in favor of the letter alone, many modern Christians have made something close to the opposite mistake.
Ordinances that crowd the pages of scripture are not vestigial. They were important enough to capture the attention of the writers, and demand the expenditure of precious time, care, ink, and parchment anciently. They still matter now.
