Baptism and Freedom

Before baptism can occur sin must be done away with. We must allow the body of sin to die when we are baptized. Our “old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom 6:6).

An event from Christ’s life that is symbolized in baptism is his crucifixion. The savior died, his mortal body gave up the ghost. Three days later he was resurrected. As Romans 6:6 says, our old man is crucified with him. When we are baptized our body, full of sin dies. It is put away with, washed clean when we go under the water. When we raise up above it again, our bodies are resurrected without blemish to begin again.

Sprinkling is not a sufficient form of baptism. The symbolism of full emersion of the body is important. Every piece of skin, every strand of hair must be buried. A sprinkling of water cannot symbolize death of the whole body. The water must touch every part of a person’s being, the whole thing must go down under the water as a body is buried in the soil at death.

We can maintain the newness of life by reckoning ourselves “to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ out Lord” (Rom 6:11). We put sin aside, and we live according to the will of our God. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are live from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Rom 6:12, 13). Become an instrument of the Lord, and do good. Shun that which is wicked.

According to Mosiah 3:19, the part of us that would die at baptism is the natural man. We must become as little children, humble and submissive. We must become a saint through the atonement of Christ. 

We know who’s servants we are. We know this if sin does not or does have dominion over us. We know who we are servants to by whom we obey. When we free ourselves from sin we become the servants of righteousness. The fruit we produce from our works will show us if we are servants of good or evil. Our reward in the end will also show us for the “wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23).

The true source of freedom is from doing righteousness, and keeping the commandments. When we give in to temptations and evil, we become a slave to those things. Addiction is slavery. Harmful substances become our masters, sex becomes our master, thievery, lying, cheating, they become our masters if we give in to them. But if we follow the spirit of the Lord, if we do that which he has commanded, we are a slave to nothing. We do what is good for us not because it is a commandment, but because the rewards of being obedient is freedom.