On Baptism and Authority

The role of missionaries in our church is an interesting one. To the everyday Christian believer they may see missionaries as trying to convert them to a different faith, on the basis that God makes salvation contingent on a correct belief.

This assumption is only partially correct though.  In all actuality, the salvation of one's soul is not based on belief, but on the correctness of the ordinance performed and the authority by which it was performed thereby insuring the validity of the saving ordinance.

In Heaven there will not be a "Catholic" faith, a "Jewish" faith, a "Muslim" faith, or even a "Mormon" faith. All of that will dissolve at the veil when we leave this life. Instead, there will simply be "The Church of the Firstborn" (Heb 12) made up of those who are followers of the Gospel of Christ and have made the necessary steps to be allowed to enter God's kingdom.

The only thing that will matter in the after life is the validity of the saving ordinances that were performed for the individuals thereby enabling them to return to God's presence. Salvation is granted not based on belief, but on the ordinances performed, the covenants made and kept by the individual, and God's grace (as even after all we do it is still up to Him at the end of the day to let us back into His presence).This definition is salvation is the great stumbling block by which so many get hung up on without realizing it. They misunderstand how salvation is granted and obtained.

When somebody asks a missionary if their "baptism" was valid or not, the correct is "It depends on whether it was performed in the proper manner, by one with the authority to perform such an ordinance, and whether the individual has honored the covenants they made at his or her baptism." If any of the criteria is not met, then no, his or her's baptism was not valid.

The next question for an individual to ask the missionaries would be: "Is there anyone with the authority to baptize then, and how would I know if they have the authority as they claim, and if the method of baptizing is correct?"

To which the missionaries would reply: "Yes, there are individuals who do have this authority to baptize and do it in the correct manner. We, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have that authority. We, the bearers of God's Priesthood authority in His Church are the only ones in the entire world with that authority. That is our unique claim to the world.

In the ancient world the Priesthood authority of God was given to Adam, our first parent. The priesthood line of authority continues as follows:
Adam --- Methuselah --- Noah --- Shem (Melchizedek) --- Abraham --- Esaias --- Gad --- Jeremy --- Elihu --- Caleb --- Jethro --- Moses --- Aaron --- his sons till Zachariah --- John the Baptist (D&C 84). Then when Christ came to the earth he restored the Melchizedek Priesthood, which was held by Adam --- Moses. (The Aaronic Priesthood was held by Aaron --- John the Baptist). Christ gave the Melchizedek Priesthood authority to his 12 disciples. After Christ's death the early Christian church struggled, and eventually all of these apostles were killed or taken from among men (such as John the Beloved who was translated). This authority was not passed on, but was lost from the earth. Thus no one had authority to baptize on the earth, or perform any other saving ordinances.

It wasn't until May 15, 1829, near Harmony, Pennsylvania that the authority to baptize was again brought back to the earth. John the Baptist appeared unto Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and restored the Aaronic Priesthood (D&C 13). Then a short time later, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were given the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James, and John (D&C 27:12). This authority was passed on to the 12 apostles and has been passed on in an unbroken line of authority to all the priesthood bearers of God. Only they have the authority to baptize and administer the sacred saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ.