Baptismal Covenants

[Guest mormonmusic]

Does anyone know what the exact covenant that a person makes at baptism?

The Book of Mormon mentions the covenant of baptism, describing how we must come into the fold of god, bear one another's burdens, stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places. and to serve God and "keep his commandments".

Is the "keep his commandments portion" fleshed out specifically in the baptismal interview? For example, what commandments does it mention specifically?

Granted, we should strive to keep all of them, but we know people aren't perfect. And even the temple recommend interview mentions specific commandments that are necessary to enter the House of the Lord.

So, my question, what specific commandments are mentioned in the baptismal interview for converts?

[Traveler]

Does anyone know what the exact covenant that a person makes at baptism?

The Book of Mormon mentions the covenant of baptism, describing how we must come into the fold of god, bear one another's burdens, stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places. and to serve God and "keep his commandments".

Is the "keep his commandments portion" fleshed out specifically in the baptismal interview? For example, what commandments does it mention specifically?

Granted, we should strive to keep all of them, but we know people aren't perfect. And even the temple recommend interview mentions specific commandments that are necessary to enter the House of the Lord.

So, my question, what specific commandments are mentioned in the baptismal interview for converts?

This is like asking what specific commandments are mentioned in marriage. The baptismal covenant is very similar to marriage but instead of making a covenant to become one in marriage of a man and a woman the covenant is to become one in a similar relationship with G-d. And like a woman covenants to take upon them the name of their husband we covenant to take upon us the name of Christ.

The Traveler

[pam]

At baptism we make a covenant with our Heavenly Father that we are willing to come into His kingdom and keep His commandments from that time forward, even though we still live in the world. We are reminded from the Book of Mormon that our baptism is a covenant to “stand as witnesses of God [and His kingdom] 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 first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:9; emphasis added).

Robert D. Hales

[MarginOfError]

You could have found this answer for yourself at Preach my Gospel (page 206)

• 1. Do you believe that God is our Eternal Father? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world?
• 2. Do you believe the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? Do you believe that [current Church President] is a prophet of God?

  What does this mean to you?

• 3. What does it mean to you to repent? Do you feel that you have repented of your past

  transgressions?

• 4. Have you ever committed a serious crime? If so, are you now on probation or parole? Have you ever participated in an abortion? a homosexual relationship?
• 5. You have been taught that membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes living gospel standards. What do you understand of the following standards? Are you willing to obey them?
  • a. The law of chastity, which prohibits any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a legal marriage between a man and a woman.
  • b. The law of tithing.
  • c. The Word of Wisdom.
  • d. The Sabbath day, including partaking of the sacrament weekly and rendering service to fellow members.
• 6. When you are baptized, you covenant with God that you are willing to take upon yourself the name of Christ and keep His commandments throughout your life. Are you ready to make this covenant and strive to be faithful to it?

[spamlds]

The sacrament prayers review the covenant, both our part and the Lord's part.

"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." (Blessing on the Bread, Doctrine and Covenants 20:77)

The elements of the covenant are:

1. To be willing to take upon us the name of Christ. Other churches call this accepting the Lord as a "personal Savior." We rely upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

2. To always remember him. How can we ever forget someone who died to pay for our sins? We owe him everything and we can go to him holding nothing back.

3. To keep his commandments. Receiving God's grace means we accept his terms for salvation. We must do our best to keep his commandments every day. It shows submission to his will and faith in his power to save.

The Lord's part is, if we will do these things, he will pour out his Spirit upon us. The Holy Ghost will teach us all things, strengthen, sanctify, and protect us if we will show our trust in our Heavenly Father by keeping our covenants.

This is why partaking of the sacrament is sometimes referred to as "renewing our covenants."

[Wingnut]

As a missionary, we taught the CTR concept two ways:

1) Choose The Right

2) Our baptismal covenants: keep the Commandments, Take His name upon us, and Remember Him always

[Hemidakota]

Does anyone know what the exact covenant that a person makes at baptism?

The Book of Mormon mentions the covenant of baptism, describing how we must come into the fold of god, bear one another's burdens, stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places. and to serve God and "keep his commandments".

Is the "keep his commandments portion" fleshed out specifically in the baptismal interview? For example, what commandments does it mention specifically?

Granted, we should strive to keep all of them, but we know people aren't perfect. And even the temple recommend interview mentions specific commandments that are necessary to enter the House of the Lord.

So, my question, what specific commandments are mentioned in the baptismal interview for converts?

Baptismal Covenant

When a person enters into a Latter-day Saint baptism, he or she makes a covenant with God. Baptism is a "sign…that we will do the will of God, and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath ordained for man to come to Him to be saved" (TPJS, p. 198).

Candidates promise to "come into the fold of God, and to be called his people,…to bear one another's burdens,Â…to mourn with those that mourn, and…to stand as witnesses of God…even until death" (Mosiah 18:8-9). A person must enter this covenant with the proper attitudes of humility, repentance, and determination to keep the Lord's commandments, and serve God to the end (2 Ne. 31:6-17; Moro. 6:2-4; D&C 20:37). In turn, God promises remission of sins, redemption, and cleansing by the Holy Ghost (Acts 22:16; 3 Ne. 30:2). This covenant is made in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

The baptized can renew this covenant at each Sacrament meeting by partaking of the Sacrament. This continual willingness to remember Christ and to keep his commandments brings the Lord's promise of his Spirit and produces the "fruits" (Gal. 5:22) and "gifts" (D&C 46) that lead to eternal life.

Tripp, Robert M. Oaths, Covenants and Promises, pp. 11-19. Salt Lake City, 1973. JERRY A. WILSON

http://www.lds.org/languages/additionalmanuals/preachgospel/PreachMyGospel___19_12_BaptismAndConfirmation__36617_eng_019.pdf

Edited June 25, 2010 by Hemidakota

[Hemidakota]

Apostle Boyd K. Packer stated on several occasions concerning Baptism:

There is significant symbolism in baptism. Baptism must be by immersion, for it is symbolic of both the coming forth from temporal death, from the grave, and of the cleansing required for redemption from spiritual death.

To complete the remission of sins, baptism is followed by the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Under the plan, baptism is not just for entrance into the Church of Jesus Christ. It begins a spiritual rebirth that may eventually lead back into the presence of God.

If we really understood what baptism signifies we could never consider it trivial, nor alter the form of this sacred ordinance.

(84–05)

Baptism is essential to obtain eternal life. There is an essential ordinance—baptism—standing as a gate through which every soul must pass if he would obtain eternal life. . . . Since baptism is essential, there must be an urgent concern to carry the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. That came as a commandment from Him. (75–06, p. 97)

Only when children reach accountability is baptism essential. In the days of the prophet Mormon, some who did not understand that little children are "blameless before God"4 and are "alive in Christ"5 wanted to baptize little children. Mormon said they "[denied] the mercies of Christ, and [set] at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption."

Mormon sternly rebuked them, saying: "He that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell. . . .

"Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God."

Only when a child reaches that age of accountability, set by the Lord at eight years of age,8 is their baptism essential. Before that age, they are innocent. (02–03, p. 8)

Keeping our baptismal covenants is essential. Generally we understand that, conditioned upon repentance, the ordinance of baptism washes our sins away. Some wonder if they were baptized too soon. If only they could be baptized now and have a clean start. But that is not necessary! Through the ordinance of the sacrament, you renew the covenants made at baptism. When you meet all of the conditions of repentance, however difficult, you may be forgiven and your transgressions will trouble your mind no more. (97–02, p. 10)

Baptism is a call to lifelong service to Christ. Our baptism is a call to lifelong service to Christ. Like those at the waters of Mormon, we are "baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that [we] have entered into a covenant with him, that [we] will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon [us]." (97–04, p. 6)

Baptism and confirmation must be tightly fixed together. Missionaries sometimes think they are only to do half the work; they are to teach and then baptize by water, and that concludes their work. In many cases the other half, the teaching about the baptism of fire, never really gets done. Put the two together so that you almost forbid yourself to say "baptism" without saying "confirmation"—that is baptism of the water and confirmation and the conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Get that idea in your mind with those two fixed together so tightly that, as one, it becomes part of you. Then we will not have the first half done, as is often the case at present, and the other half left undone. . . .

Missionaries—and parents as well—are to teach both halves: "Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins [and the] laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."10 Make it one sentence. Fix it in the front of your minds so that when you say one, you say the other, and when you think one, you think the other. Then you will begin to feel and understand, and the promptings will come. (03–08, p. 50)

[Hemidakota]

You could have found this answer for yourself at Preach my Gospel (page 206)

• 1. Do you believe that God is our Eternal Father? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world?
• 2. Do you believe the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? Do you believe that [current Church President] is a prophet of God?

  What does this mean to you?

• 3. What does it mean to you to repent? Do you feel that you have repented of your past

  transgressions?

• 4. Have you ever committed a serious crime? If so, are you now on probation or parole? Have you ever participated in an abortion? a homosexual relationship?
• 5. You have been taught that membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes living gospel standards. What do you understand of the following standards? Are you willing to obey them?
  • a. The law of chastity, which prohibits any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a legal marriage between a man and a woman.
  • b. The law of tithing.
  • c. The Word of Wisdom.
  • d. The Sabbath day, including partaking of the sacrament weekly and rendering service to fellow members.
• 6. When you are baptized, you covenant with God that you are willing to take upon yourself the name of Christ and keep His commandments throughout your life. Are you ready to make this covenant and strive to be faithful to it?

Here is the link: (PDF Fprmat) "How Do I Prepare People for Baptism and Confirmation?"

http://www.lds.org/languages/additionalmanuals/preachgospel/PreachMyGospel___19_12_BaptismAndConfirmation__36617_eng_019.pdf