Moroni Ch. 8

Read it HERE.

Summary: Infant baptism 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. Between A.D. 400 and 421

This chapter is a letter Moroni received from his father, Mormon. It is interesting that he includes it; he must have really understood the importance of these words. Mormon explains that children are not capable of sin, so therefore they are not able to repent, and do not need baptism as a saving ordinance until they reach the age of accountability.

22 For behold that all little children are ^aalive in Christ, and also all they that are without the ^blaw. For the power of ^credemption cometh on all them that have ^dno law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing—

24 Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for ^arepentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law.

25 And the first fruits of ^arepentance is ^bbaptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth ^cremission of sins;

Mormon is also explaining that the people who live and die without having the opportunity to hear the gospel.Many persons live and die and never know the law of Christ. Such persons will be taught the gospel in the spirit world. There they will have the opportunity to exercise faith and repent of their sins. Living proxies on the earth perform the needed ordinances in their behalf, and the blessings of salvation may be theirs. (see the institute manual.) Temple work is a blessing, and it is an important responsibility. It is not only edifying for one to go through the temple and be reminded of one's covenants, it is salvation to those who have passed on without having the opportunity to learn of and believe in Christ. Heavenly Father is merciful. He would not condemn one of his children simply because they lived and died without hearing of Him or His gospel.

Finally, here are some more verses in which Mormon expounds on the reasons little children do not need baptism.

8 ^aListen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the ^bwhole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little ^cchildren are ^dwhole, for they are not capable of committing ^esin; wherefore the curse of ^fAdam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of^gcircumcision is done away in me.

11 And their little ^achildren need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the ^bremission of sins.

12 But little ^achildren are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a ^brespecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!

13 Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.

15 For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism.

God is merciful. He is no respecter of persons. He has created a way for all to be able to return to His presence and experience exaltation. It is my hope that I can live worthily enough to experience these blessings in the next life.

Elise