Is The Restored Priesthood Necessary?

[inquiringmind]

Is there anything in the standard works that clearly says that the only water baptism that counts is a baptism performed by a Mormon priesthood holder?

I thought there was, and I was just searching the D&C, using keywords like "baptism," "authority," and "house of order," but I couldn't find anything.

Is it possible that the baptists and Church of Christ are adding souls to the body of Christ in their baptismal fonts?

Also, what does 3 Nephi 9:20 mean?

And ye shall offer for a sacrafice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

Could the baptist down the street already be born of water and The Spirit?

Do the standard works clearly say (anywhere) that the restored priesthhod is necessary to administer baptism, or bestow the gift of The Holy Spirit?

Edited July 7, 2012 by inquiringmind

[Glenn101]

Doctrine and Covenants 13:1 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.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:73 The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Doctrine and Covenants 39:23 And again, it shall come to pass that on as many as ye shall baptize with water, ye shall lay your hands, and they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and shall be looking forth for the signs of my coming, and shall know me.

Doctrine and Covenants 68:8 Go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature, acting in the authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Doctrine and Covenents, Section 84:

6 And the sons of Moses, according to the Holy Priesthood which he received under the chand of his father-in-law, Jethro;

7 And Jethro received it under the hand of Caleb;

9 And Caleb received it under the hand of Elihu;

9 And Elihu under the hand of Jeremy;

10 And Jeremy under the hand of Gad;

11 And Gad under the hand of Esaias;

12 And Esaias received it under the hand of God.

13 Esaias also lived in the days of Abraham, and was blessed of him

14 Which Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek, who received it through the lineage of his fathers, even till Noah;

15 And from Noah till Enoch, through the lineage of their fathers;

16 And from Enoch to Abel, who was slain by the conspiracy of his brother, who received the priesthood by the commandments of God, by the hand of his father Adam, who was the first man

17 Which priesthood continueth in the church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years.

18 And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.

19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

Doctrine and Covenants 107:20 The power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments.

I don't know how much plainer anyone could need it.

Glenn

[Freedom]

Born of fire is not the same as born of water. Being born of water occurs at a specific point time. Baptism by fire occurs when the holy ghost moves upon you when you are ready. The expression is used both in the context of conversion to the gospel, and in the context of being cleansed from sin after receiving the gift of the holy ghost.

[Tacenda]

Does it say anywhere in the BOM that one needs water baptism?

[Garden Girl]

Does it say anywhere in the BOM that one needs water baptism?

3rd Nephi 11:21-26 (particularly vs 23 and 26)

Mosiah 18:8-16 (particularly vs14-16)

GG

Edited July 8, 2012 by Garden Girl

[Tacenda]

3rd Nephi 11:21-26 (particularly vs 23 and 26)

Mosiah 18:8-14 (particularly vs14)

GG

Thanks I'll take a look, GG!

[ANACO]

D&C 22

2 Wherefore, although a man should be baptized an hundred times it availeth him nothing, for you cannot enter in at the strait gate by the law of Moses, neither by your dead works.

Section heading:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Manchester, New York, April 1830 (see History of the Church, 1:79–80). This revelation was given to the Church in consequence of some who had previously been baptized desiring to unite with the Church without rebaptism.

1, Baptism is a new and everlasting covenant; 2–4, Authoritative baptism is required.

Kind regards.

Edited July 8, 2012 by ANACO

[CV75]

Do the standard works clearly say (anywhere) that the restored priesthhod is necessary to administer baptism, or bestow the gift of The Holy Spirit?

From 3 Nephi 12:1, "And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.

This is based on 3 Nephi 11: 23-28: “Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them. And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water. And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one. And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been.”

Of course this authority was lost among them (Mormon 1:13 -19) as well as to those in the orient and so had to be restored.