Friday, June 17, 2022

George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl on Moroni 6:2 (cf. Titus 3:3-5)

When commenting Moroni 6:2 and water baptism, Reynolds and Sjodahl made the following comments which parallel pretty much the theology one finds in Titus 3:3-5:

 

Candidates for baptism witnessed . . . that they truly repented of all their sins. However, good works alone do not entitle the applicant to receive entrance into God’s Kingdom. Baptism, nevertheless, is the gate through which all must pass to gain admittance into that glorious place. Besides good works, be it said, those works must be accompanied by a heart broken down with sorrow for sin. Moreover, the seeker, seeing that gate, must approach it confessing his shortcomings, and must be thoroughly penitent therefore, witnessing, as did the Nephite hopefuls, before the other members of Christ’s Church “that they truly repented of all their sins.” (George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 7 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976], 7:329)