Baptism Before Christ

In the Bible Dictionary we read this about baptism, “Although there is some obscurity in the Bible as to the antiquity of baptism before the time of Jesus, from latter-day revelation it is clear that Adam was baptized (Moses 6:64–68) and that the patriarchs and prophets since his time have taught the gospel and administered the ordinances that pertain to the gospel.”  In the Bible baptism appears to begin with John the Baptist, but the books of the Restoration clearly teach that baptism has been part of God’s plan since Adam who “was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.”  Soon thereafter Enoch said, “[The Lord] gave me a commandment that I should baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, which is full of grace and truth, and of the Holy Ghost” (Moses 7:11).  So the people of the city of Enoch were surely baptized as Enoch taught.  Noah continued to teach the same thing, “Believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers” (Moses 8:24).  Even before the flood when the earth itself would receive a sort of baptism, the Lord commanded His children to be baptized.

               The Book of Mormon similarly makes it clear that baptism was a part of the gospel even before Christ came on the earth.  600 years before Christ came, Lehi taught about how the Messiah would be baptized, Jacob his son confirmed that they had the same requirement, “And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 9:23).  Nephi also taught about the Savior’s future baptism and how they had received the commandment to be baptized like He would be: “And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.  And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 31:11-12).  It seems that the Lord showed the future baptism of the Savior to Nephi and Lehi so they could follow His example even before He came to the earth.  Later with Alma and his people we see in more detail how the Nephites kept the commandment to be baptized: “Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments.”  It is from this account that we associate the covenant of baptism with the promise to “mourn with those who mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:9-10).  Others were similarly baptized before and after the coming of Christ in the Book of Mormon, showing the necessity for all of God’s children to make this covenant no matter when they lived.  But the story of Alma and his people at the waters of Mormon is the most detailed description of baptism in the Book of Mormon, and the story is one of the highlights of the whole book.  In fact, ultimately the name of the book itself comes from this story: Mormon told us that he was named after this place: “Behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people” (3 Nephi 5:12).  Since the Book of Mormon was named after Mormon (presumably by Moroni), the name of the book comes to us from this place where so many were baptized.  This is especially fitting since this book, more than any others, is meant to bring us to the waters of baptism.  And it stands as a witness that this is an unchanging commandment of the Lord.