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.
Faith in Jesus is the first step in a much longer journey toward unity with God. It must be constantly renewed once it is first grasped through communion with fellow Christians, scripture study, and prayer. Holding on to this faith is as I have said the sole prerequisite for salvation. Faith is not only believing in Jesus Christ (that he lived, and still lives and reigns) but also believing Jesus Christ (learning what he has said and internalizing it). Faith is when “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2Nephi 25:26). That is one of the things I am trying to do with these commentaries. But faith is only the beginning.
As we choose to sin, we must also choose to repent. True repentance can be seen in overcoming the urge to sin. It is not merely enough to say we’re sorry to God and the people we have wronged by our choices, and then return to the same behaviors that led to those choices in the first place. In this sense, Jesus does not save us in our sins but rather from our sins. When people have faith in Jesus they naturally turn to repentance. And as they confess their sins to God and man, they slowly learn to overcome them. This is a lifelong process, and I do not believe that people can be perfected in this lifetime. This is an echo of 1John 1:8-9, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession, restitution, and transformation are all requisite to true repentance, and they are only possible because of the love Jesus has for us.
Baptism is the outward symbol of our covenant with God. One reason that the ordinance is so important to Christians is because Jesus himself was baptized by immersion. Following his example starts by following him into the water. This is symbolic of the spiritual cleansing we receive when we first accept Christ. It is also symbolic of our losing our life to gain it. The water is parallel to washing in his blood, and the font is a parallel to the tomb from which he and also we rise. It is very important that baptism be performed only on those who are conscious of their choice to follow Christ. I was baptized Episcopalian as an infant but did not truly commit myself to Jesus until I was baptized as an adult into the LDS church. If commitment or accountability are lacking in a faithful and repentant person, then they are not yet ready for the sacred ordinance of baptism. As such baptism should never be treated lightly or entered into unknowingly or half-heartedly. Christ’s ministry started with baptism, so must ours.
The difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost is discussed often among Latter Day Saints. As I’ve said, I believe the Holy Ghost is in everything and everyone except those who knowingly and willfully reject God. The gift of the Holy Ghost, on the other hand, is almost certainly held only within the LDS faith and transferred by priesthood authority. Those outside the faith are usually content to have the Holy Ghost dwell with them when they are directly seeking communion with God. The gift of the Holy Ghost is on the other hand a permanent ordinance. It is present with us as a rod of correction even when we try to reject or bend the principles of the Gospel. This sort of reproof is not altogether absent in the rest of Christianity but is felt much more readily by those who receive the ordinance. The gift of the Holy Ghost is a blessing that can only be understood by experiencing it and to the best of my knowledge few outside the LDS church seek that experience. I was occasionally moved by the Holy Ghost before my conversion, but this ordinance crystallized my relationship with it.
When I was convinced to convert to the LDS Church, I had recently been told that there was a fifth unofficial first principle. We are taught that we must endure to the end. That has been a struggle for me and not always a productive one. My faith in God is not always where it should be, my assessment of Christ’s divinity is an irregular one, and I rarely have a testimony that “This Church Is True.” I have something of Peter’s attitude when Christ asked if he too would leave. “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). I truly believe that prophecy has been restored to the earth but I still have trouble sustaining the actual prophets. And so I will continue to “endure” to the end.
Latter Day Sinner 