“13 And when he had said these words, the Spirit of
the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee,
having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have
entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the
mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he
grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has
prepared from the foundation of the world.
14 And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in
the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being
filled with the Spirit.”
A
common theme found in the Book of Mormon is baptism and the importance of the
associated covenants. Chapter 18 of Mosiah is especially telling of the
purposes of baptism and the joy it brings to those who commit to “serve him
until [they] are dead as to the mortal body.” In these two verses, one can
better understand how exactly the mode of baptism occurs and what blessings
arise from such action. Helam, one of the converts of Alma, is the first to be baptized
in the Waters of Mormon. There are a couple notable statements that Alma says
that indicates what should be said in the baptismal ordinance. First, he states
his authority whereby he has power to baptize in the name of Christ. Second, it
is emphasized that Helam’s baptism is an outward sign of his inner covenant, or
promise, that he’ll remain faithful to God for the rest of his life. The Book
of Mormon in particular is very good at pointing out the covenant nature of
baptism.
This
scripture also shows the reader the blessings of baptism. Alma promises Helam
that the “Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon” him thus enabling him to be
closer to God and feel His love. This in turn also allows Helam to partake of
the blessing of eternal life in which he may return to God “through the
redemption of Christ.” Notice, that it is only through Christ that man can
return to Him, however, baptism serves as an ordinance showing our commitment to
follow Christ’s gospel. This entire chapter presents an intimate vignette into
the joys of baptism and how, when administered correctly, brings great
blessings into people’s lives.
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