”Stand Forever” Ep. 23 | The Truth—Baptism and Ordinances | Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge

Why are ordinances and covenants necessary, and what does it mean to take upon oneself the name of Christ? When Jesus went to John the Baptist for baptism, John naturally resisted saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” Jesus replied, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. To Nicodemus the Lord said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Baptism is for the remission of sins to qualify one to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and enter God’s kingdom. The last charge Christ left with His disciples was to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” God’s plan for His children is not haphazard righteousness. There can be no fulfillment without commitment first. You must commit. It is this commitment that scares people off. Everyone wants the benefits offered. Every sane person wants fulfillment, redemption, joy, knowledge, peace, strength, love and power, but not everyone is willing to make the commitment to pay the price necessary to receive them. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”