Chapter 8
The baptism of little
children is an evil abomination—Little children are alive in Christ because of
the Atonement—Faith, repentance, meekness and lowliness of heart, receiving the
Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end lead to salvation. About A.D. 401–21.
Moroni shares another epistle written to him by Mormon.
“[I]t was written unto me soon after my calling to the ministry” (Moroni 8:1).
Mormon tells Moroni he is always in his prayers. He asked
the Lord that “he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you
through the endurance of faith on his name to the end.”
“Mormon, who abridged the record, laments when he sees his
kinfolk descend into wickedness, because he ‘saw that the day of grace was past
with them’ (Mormon 2:15). He seems to imply that there is a window of opportunity
wherein one can obtain grace. He tells one audience that he is able to speak to
them ‘by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Moroni 7:2),
and tells his son, Moroni, that he prays that Jesus, ‘through his infinite
goodness and grace, will keep you’ (Moroni 8:3).”[1]
Mormon is writing about a dispute occurring concerning the
baptism of children. He told him to diligently labor to remove “this gross
error.” This is why he wrote this epistle. Mormon inquired of the Lord and
received an answer to his prayer.
Mormon was told Christ “came into the world not to call the
righteous but sinners to repentance” (Moroni 8:8).
“And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with
publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth
and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are
whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:16-17).
Children are whole and not capable of committing sin.
“And they brought young children to him, that he should
touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
“But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said
unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for
of such is the kingdom of God.
“Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
“And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them,
and blessed them” (Mark 10:13-16).
“And even if it were
possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto
you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so
the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins” (Mosiah 3:16).
“But behold, I say unto you, that little children are
redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten” (D&C
49:46).
“But little children are holy, being sanctified through the
atonement of Jesus Christ; and this is what the scriptures mean” (D&C
74:7).
“[T]he curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath
no power over them” (Mormon 8:8).
Mormon settles the dispute. He called infant baptism a “solemn
mockery before God.”
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