Mormon’s Letter to Moroni
This is a letter my father Mormon wrote to me, Moroni. He wrote it to me soon after I was called to be a minister. This is what he wrote:
My dear son Moroni, I’m very happy that the Lord Jesus Christ has remembered you and called you to serve him in his holy work. I always remember you in my prayers. I keep praying to God the Father in the name of his holy child, Jesus. I pray that through his goodness and grace, he will keep you faithful to the end.
The Problem with Baptizing Children
My son, I need to talk to you about something that makes me very sad. It makes me sad that people are arguing among you. I learned that people are arguing about baptizing little children. My son, I want you to work hard to get rid of this big mistake. That’s why I wrote this letter.
Right after I learned about this, I asked the Lord about it. The word of the Lord came to me by the power of the Holy Spirit. He said:
The Lord’s Words About Children
“Listen to the words of Christ, your Savior, your Lord and your God. I came into the world to call sinners to turn away from their sins. I didn’t come to call people who are already doing right. Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Only sick people do. Little children are healthy. They can’t sin. So the curse of Adam is taken away from them in me. It has no power over them. The law about circumcision is done away in me.”
This is how the Holy Spirit told me God’s word. So my dear son, I know that baptizing little children makes fun of God. I tell you, this is what you should teach: people who are old enough to know right from wrong need to turn from their sins and be baptized. Teach parents that they must turn from their sins and be baptized. They must humble themselves like their little children. Then they and their little children will all be saved. Little children don’t need to turn from sins. They don’t need baptism. Baptism is for turning from sins and obeying God’s commands to have sins forgiven. But little children are alive in Christ from the very beginning of the world. If not, then God treats people differently. He would also be a God who changes and picks favorites. Think of how many little children have died without baptism. So if little children couldn’t be saved without baptism, they would have gone to an endless hell.
Why Baptizing Children Is Wrong
I tell you, anyone who thinks little children need baptism is very bitter and trapped in sin. That person has no faith, hope, or charity. If that person died while thinking that way, he would go to hell. It’s terrible and wrong to think that God saves one child because of baptism, but another child dies because he wasn’t baptized.
Bad things will happen to people who twist the ways of the Lord like this. They will die unless they turn from their sins. I speak boldly because I have authority from God. I’m not scared of what people can do. Perfect love takes away all fear. I’m filled with charity, which is love that lasts forever. So all children are the same to me. I love little children with a perfect love. They are all the same and share in being saved.
I know that God doesn’t treat people differently. He doesn’t change. He stays the same from the beginning of time to the end of time. Little children can’t turn from sins. So it’s terrible and wrong to say they don’t get God’s pure mercy. They are all alive in him because of his mercy. Anyone who says little children need baptism rejects Christ’s mercy. That person says Christ’s sacrifice and his power to save don’t matter. Bad things will happen to people like that. They are in danger of death, hell, and endless pain. I speak boldly because God commanded me. Listen to these words and pay attention. Or these words will stand against you when Christ judges you.
Who Needs to Turn from Sins
All little children are alive in Christ. So are all people who don’t know the law. The power to save comes to all people who don’t know the law. So anyone who isn’t condemned can’t turn from sins. For people like that, baptism does nothing. But it makes fun of God. It rejects Christ’s mercy and the power of his Holy Spirit. It means trusting in dead works.
My son, this shouldn’t happen. Turning from sins is for people who are condemned and under the curse of a broken law. The first step of turning from sins is baptism. Baptism comes by faith to obey the commands. Obeying the commands brings forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness of sins brings gentleness and humility. Because of gentleness and humility, the Holy Spirit comes. This comforter fills people with hope and perfect love. This love lasts by praying hard until the end comes. Then all God’s people will live with God.
The Nephites Are in Danger
My son, I’ll write to you again if I don’t go out soon to fight the Lamanites. The pride of this nation, the people of the Nephites, will destroy them unless they turn from their sins. Pray for them, my son. Pray that they will turn from their sins. But I’m scared that the Spirit has stopped trying to help them. In this part of the land they are trying to get rid of all power and authority that comes from God. They are rejecting the Holy Spirit. After rejecting such great knowledge, my son, they will die soon. This will fulfill what the prophets said would happen, and also what our Savior himself said.
Goodbye, my son, until I write to you again or meet you again. Amen.