Did Joseph Smith Teach Contrary to Baptismal Regeneration in D&C 20:37?

In an attempt to sidestep the overwhelming biblical and patristic evidence supporting baptismal regeneration, one critic of Latter-day Saint theology (and someone who is anti-Mormon is the way that followers of tine mustache man is anti-Semitic) has sometimes argued that D&C 20:37 refutes baptismal regeneration. The verse reads as follows:

 

And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism-- All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

 

This is a classic example of misreading Latter-day Saint scripture (similar to how Calvinists misread the Bible to support the blasphemous nonsense that is their theology); in Latter-day Saint theology, those other traditions would label “catechumens” are to be repentant and contrite of heart before receiving water baptism—once they have demonstrated this unto a remission of sins—note the preposition—they receive such (or the “unto” [the end-goal or telos of such activities] is reached) at water baptism. We can see this in how Joseph Smith’s revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants, both pre- and post-dating D&C 20:1 (April 6, 1830) supports this (and also notice the different prepositions used):

 

Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. (D&C 13:1)

 

And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. (D&C 19:31)

 

Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. (D&C 33:11)

 

Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the holy commandment, for the remission of sins (D&C 49:13)

 

Behold, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant William, yea, even the Lord of the whole earth, thou art called and chosen; and after thou hast been baptized by water, which if you do with an eye single to my glory, you shall have a remission of your sins and a reception of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands; And then thou shalt be ordained by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., to be an elder unto this church, to preach repentance and remission of sins by way of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. (D&C 55:1-2 [note how similar this is to D&C 20:37])

 

And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands. (D&C 68:27)

 

Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost. (D&C 84:64)

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who believe not on your words, and are not baptized in water in my name, for the remission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned, and shall not come into my Father's kingdom where my Father and I am. (D&C 84:74)

 

The power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments. (D&C 107:20)

 

And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the Second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins. (D&C 137:6)

 

It should be obvious that the Doctrine and Covenants does not disprove but proves the doctrine of baptismal regeneration.

But wait, there is more. Note the following from Joseph Smith outside of the Doctrine and Covenants:

In a discourse dated between June 26 to August 3, 1839, Joseph Smith taught that:

 

Being born again comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances. (William Clayton version; the Willard Richards account reads the same)

 

This shows that Joseph did believe in baptismal regeneration; it also shows that he understand the difference between various “causes” (here, ordinances are not meritorious causes; they are instrumental causes, with the Spirit working through physical means [water of baptism; laying on of hands in confirmation, etc]).

In the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, speaking of Adam’s baptism, we read the following:

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 6:65)

In this one verse, we have one of, if not the, most explicit witness to baptismal regeneration in uniquely Latter-day Saint works—here, in this passage, through the instrumentality of water baptism, the Holy Spirit quickens (makes alive) the inner man, and thus one is “born of the Spirit” (i.e., regenerated).

The Book of Mormon is a great witness to the truth of this doctrine. In the following, we read of how, at baptism, one is infused with God’s grace (and therefore, serving, not just as a witness of baptismal regeneration, but also of the transformative [not merely declarative] nature of justification):

And after this manner he did baptize every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God. (Mosiah 18:16)

In Luke 1:76-77, we read the following prediction of the mission of John the Baptist:

 

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of sins.

 

In the JST, v. 77 (v. 76 in the JST) reads differently, informing us of the instrumental means of this “remission of sins.” The following comes from New Testament Manuscript 2, Folio 3:

 

to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by baptism for the remission of their sins

 

 This change by Joseph Smith explicitly teaches baptismal regeneration.

It should be noted that early Latter-day Saints who knew Joseph did not understand him to downplay the salvific efficacy of water baptism. Indeed, many assumed baptismal regeneration. One example can be seen with how early LDS answered the question of how Joseph could receive a remission of sins in the First Vision prior to his water baptism—they argued, not that water baptism brought about a remission of sins, but instead, such was God allowing for an exception to the ordinary means of one receiving an initial remission of sins. In the minutes for the Salt Lake School of the Prophets for December 9, 1872, this was addressed thusly:

Elder Orson Pratt made a few opening remarks, and enquired if the members of the school had any special subject on their minds, they wished investigated, if not, he proposed the reading of Revelations, as suggested by Prest. Brigham Young. Section 2nd. Paragraph 1st [of the Doctrine and Covenants]. Several interesting remarks were made by Elders Orson Pratt & John Taylor on Chronology. The time of the organization of the Church was, according to the Vulgar [common calendar] or Incorrect Era—1830 years [and four months] since the birth of Christ. But according to the true Era it was exactly 1830 years.

Paragraph 2nd. The Prophet Joseph [Smith’]s sins were remitted before baptism—and the enemies of this kingdom sometimes uses that fact against the doctrine of Baptism for the remission of sins, but God has a right when he sees fit, to depart from any fixed rule or order, but this does not invalidate the general doctrine as taught in the Testament & Book of Mormon that Man is required to observe water baptism as the only means of securing of a forgiveness ^remission^ of sins. (Salt Lake School of the Prophets, 1867-1883 [ed. Devery S. Anderson; Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2018], 321-22)

Heber C. Kimball, another friend and associate of Joseph Smith, affirmed baptismal regeneration in a sermon from 1857:

Can you change these ordinances? No. They are eternal; they always were and always will be; and no man or woman upon earth can be saved without them. You may get a Methodist priest to pour water on you, or sprinkle it on you, and baptize you face foremost, or lay you down the other way, and whatever mode you please, and you will be damned with your priest. There is but one way, and that is to be buried in water, buried with Christ by baptizing in water, that your sins may be blotted out by one having authority, or else it will do you no good. (JOD 5:90| July 26 1857)

Erastus Snow and Benjamin Winchester, in "An address to the citizens of Salem (Mass.) and the Vicinity," wrote the following in The Times and Seasons when Joseph Smith was still alive and involved in the publication of this newspaper, about baptism and its efficacy:

The human family in their sins, are foreigners and strangers to God; consequently they must be adopted in order to become citizens of his kingdom. Baptism of course then is the ordinance of adoption. Christ said, "Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." This birth is a transition from our sinful state into the kingdom of God. To be baptized, is to follow Christ in the work of the regeneration, hence Cornelius, notwithstanding all his good works and piety, was commanded to be baptized, as being necessary that he might obtain salvation. (see Acts, x. chap.) Now that baptism is for the remission of sins, is evident from what Peter said to those who were convicted on the day of Pentecost. "Repent every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." &c. Ananias, said to Paul, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins." (Acts xxii, 16.) The above is the doctrine the apostles taught to sinners the principles of it, that Christ commanded the apostles to preach in all the world. "Go teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (see Matt. xxviii. 24.) Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned," &c. (See Mark, xvi, 16.) Not that there is virtue in water to remit sins; but by obeying the command, we have a right to claim the promise. The apostles introduced the ordinance of baptism on every occasion where they preached the gospel: for instance, Peter on the day of Pentecost, as before mentioned, (See Acts, ii, 38.) Philip to the Samaritans, and also to the Eunuch, (See Acts, viii. chap.) Ananias to Saul. (See Acts, xxii. 16) Peter to Cornelius and his household, (See Acts, x. chap.) Paul to the Jailor and Lydia, and their households, (See Acts, x, chapter)Paul to the Corinthians (See Acts, xviii. 8.) Paul to the disciples of John at Ephesus, (See Acts, xix. chap.) Some one of the disciples to the Romans, (See Rom. vi 4.) The several passages of scripture above referred to show the importance of this ordinance, and certainly the ancients esteemed it as a commandment of God not to be justly rejected. (Times and Seasons 3, no. 1 [November 15, 1841]: 578-79)

 George Laub, on p. 31 of his reminiscences and journal, recorded Joseph Smith as teaching the following on April 13, 1843:

 

and if any other man preach any other gospel then this and the baptism for the remision of sins and the laying on of hands for the reception of the holy ghost let him be anathamised or acursed accursed the curs of god shall be upon him or them

 

Anyone who claims that D&C 20:37 (and Joseph Smith, who this critic believes to be the sole source of the text) contradicted baptismal regeneration is an idiot who has never studied the Doctrine and Covenants carefully.

 

 

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