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| Baptism of the Holy Ghost by Rebecca Borgan |
I. True Conversion
As we take individual responsibility for our salvation by turning to the Lord and submitting to his instruction, our lives will begin to change in radical and fundamental ways. This will be because, through Christ, our hearts will begin to change and through that inner change, outward change will occur causing us to become different people, bearing the light of our creator.
By turning to Christ, he begins to address the underlying causes of our afflictions (rather than the symptoms). The addressing of the causes promotes real and substantive change in our lives leading to true conversion. This conversion is referred to in the scriptures as being born again.
Those who follow Christ by becoming personally responsible for their lives will be made into new creatures. Their sinful nature is purged and they are spiritually reborn. Although they will inhabit the same body, their spirit will be infused with the Holy Spirit. It is this infusion of their spirit with the Holy Spirit that leads to a fundamental change in their nature, changing their hearts which changes their desires. In the scriptures this infusion (of the Holy Spirit) is referred to as the gift of the Holy Ghost.
And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water. And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man (Moses 6: 64-65)
We receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through the baptism fire.
Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins (3 Nephi 12: 2)
Unlike the baptism of water, which is merely symbolic and does not produce a regenerative effect on its own, the baptism of fire occurs when we have reconciled our selves to God's will. Baptism of water symbolizes the rebirth that comes from receiving the baptism of fire.
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6: 4)
We receive the baptism of fire by reconciling ourselves to God's will. And we reconcile ourselves to God's will by offering a sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit.
And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled (3 Nephi 12:19).
7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered (2 Nephi 2:7).
In order for Christ to infuse the Holy Spirit within us, we must be proper recipients of it. After all, the Spirit of God doesn't dwell in unholy temples. Our bodies are the temple of God (see 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17)
II. Offering Up Ourselves
Under the law of Moses, the sanctuary (tabernacle and temple) was cleansed from sin through the sacrifice of animals. Likewise we cleanse our "temple" through sacrifice. However, instead of offering up animals, we offer up of ourselves. We are the animal that is consumed upon the altar.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1).
And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved (Omni 1: 26).
We present ourselves as a "living sacrifice" by forsaking all that the Lord requires of us.
...whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14: 33)
By forsaking what the Lord requires, we offer up a broken and contrite heart --i.e., a heart acceptable to God; a heart that truly loves him. After all, our love for something is shown by what we are willing to give up for it. And we are to love God with our whole might, mind, and strength.
And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out (2 Nephi 25: 29)
The act of offering a sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit is an act of faith. Faith requires action (works) or it is of no use (see James 2:17). Faith, therefore, is the vehicle by which we offer up a broken heart and contrite spirit.
Fatih often operates when the outcome is not clear or when the path seems too difficult. To receive of God's spirit will undoubtedly be trying. Alma had to repent nigh unto death and Enos wrestled with God throughout the entire night. Nevertheless, our faith is exercised when we press forward to receive a remission of sins. And this requires a sacrifice, as does any blessing we seek from God.
As we press forward in faith, trusting that the Lord's grace is sufficient to renew our Spirit, we, by nature, become humble, meek, and submissive to the Lord in greater degrees until we are sufficiently broken and contrite to be born again.
Broken means to be "parted by violence; rent asunder; infirm; made bankrupt". There is no doubt that journey to rebirth will break us. It requires faith to endure. It will leave us contrite -- "literally, worn or bruised." After all, fire is a purifier, testing the integrity of its object. We must be tried and tested, then the Lord will heal us by gifting us with the Holy Ghost.
Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me (Doctrine and Covenants 97: 8).
Although it may sound intimidating that to be reborn necessitates us being tested and proved -- letting the fire of the Lord purify us --, the fact of the matter is that we will be tested and proved no matter what. The question is whether we're willing to procrastinate that day.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (1 Corinthians 13: 12-15).
Those who fail to be born again are "cast out." These are they who have failed either to receive or retain a remission of their sins. They are cast out because they are not part of God's family. They are not his sons, but are strangers. They might call Jesus Christ their Lord, but they know not the master whom they profess to serve. And they don't know Christ because they have not put on his Spirit. Instead, they have preferred the works of the flesh. Because their natures are so opposite from Christ's, they are not his and can't be redeemed.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death.. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God...Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8: 6-9).
The ax is laid at the root of the trees; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. I, the Lord, have spoken it. (Doctrine and Covenants 97: 7)
III. Members of God's Family
The primary result of being born again (i.e., receive the gift of the Holy Ghost) is that we are reborn, or "adopted", into God's family. The scriptures refer to this as being "begotten" through God or "born of God." Paul refers to this as "walking in the Spirit" or "putting upon Christ." But regardless of the term used, the meaning is that through the baptism of fire our spirts are infused with God's spirit (the Holy Ghost) and through that infusion, we become transformed. Our hearts are changed and we longer desire evil or sin.
And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil. And behold, many did declare unto the people that they had seen angels and had conversed with them; and thus they had told them things of God, and of his righteousness (Alma 19: 33-34) (Lamoni's conversion).
Moreover, having God's spirit we are adopted into his family. And as members of his family, we are united through the everlasting covenant and we are joint-heirs with Christ.
And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters (Mosiah 5:7)
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together (Romans 8: 13-17).
As members of his family, we can approach the Father with boldness because our conscience is clean
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus...Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10: 16 - 22).
This is the staring point for all who seek heaven. It is the gate that leads to eternal life. When we have entered through this gate, we are on the path to the Tree of Life.
Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive (2 Nephi 31: 17-18).
IV. The Responsibility of All Men and Women
Upon taking responsibility and upon the effort to start changing our lives staring from within, it's imperative that we direct our aim towards being born again. Though it may be formidable and try us, we must endure and receive.
And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (Mosiah 27: 25 - 26).
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father (Mosiah 3:19)
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