To witness

Witnessing — what does it mean to witness something? Sometimes you sign a document as “a witness.” On the other hand, you may “witness” a crime. We all read enough news and watch enough crime stories to understand the term witness. It can be a noun in which case you are “a witness”, or it can be a verb as when you “witness” an event.

In the following example, the word “witness” is a verb. Christ witnesses to the Father that he will keep His commandments. Since this sentence is from the Book of Mormon, I like to check out the 1828 Dictionary,  “to witness” is defined as:

To see the execution of an instrument, and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity; as, to witness a bond or a deed. (ref)

Why did Jesus get baptized? If he was holy and without sin, then baptism by water must not wash away sin. There must be another reason for baptism by water. Something else must be going on. Nephi has a good answer. He explains that Jesus is fulfilling all righteousness when He is baptized by water. This “righteousness” seems to represent two acts:

• Christ humbles himself before the Father
• Christ witnesses to the Father that he will be obedient in keeping God’s commandments

Christ makes this clear — he does not just talk about it — but he shows the people. John baptizes Jesus by water — he dunks him full underwater for many to see. It is a very physical thing, not to be confused. If you were there, you would see it with your eyes. Not like trying to decipher when the spirit prompts you to do something versus your own thinking. It is also a physical witness to the Father. And Jesus is not just doing this as an example — it has meaning for him and the Father — it is the way back to God.

Now it’s true that God says “repent, repent, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.” (2 Nephi 31:11) And because of that, we may think that repenting followed by baptism by water washes away our sins. But that is not what the scriptures are saying here in 2 Nephi.  Water baptism is your humble witness before God that you are willing to keep his commandments — until the day when the Father baptizes you with fire and the Holy Ghost. And that’s a big deal. It’s being born — again by fire. And means something more.

Jesus received the baptism of fire immediately after the baptism of water. That’s probably because he was holy and without sin. For all of us sinners, we anxiously await our baptism of fire — for that is when our sins are burned away and we are purified by fire. I think God waits to baptize us with fire because with it comes a heavy consequence. Jesus explains that “after this should you deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.” (2 Nephi 1:14) Whoa.

That’s a big deal.

So baptism by water is important — it is a type of being born again by water. By doing so, you are witnessing to God that you are willing to keep his commandments and take on the name of Christ. (Similar to taking the name of your spouse tradition.) Which is an interesting addition — Christ did not take upon him his own name did he? Nephi further explains that the voice of the son came unto him saying, “He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost like unto me.” (2 Nephi 31:12)

Nephi wants his people to understand this concept he calls the doctrine of Christ. He tells them that repentance and baptism by water is “the gate by which you should enter” (2 Ne 17).  This is your witness to God that you are willing to keep His commandments. You repent, you get baptized — you open the gate. You walk through. Pause. Then (at some time) God baptizes you with fire and the Holy Ghost and your sins are remitted. Then you are in the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life.  Hmmm. I’m not sure why you’re not in the path once you enter the gate, but Nephi seems to indicate this order — not in the straight narrow until your baptism of fire. I guess at age 8 I went through the gate, then I wandered around for about 47 years. Being faithful, making mistakes, sinning, repenting, seeking, finding. I guess that makes sense.

 

 

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